A Highlander for Christmas (47 page)

The fire sparked pleasantly. Somewhere Maggie heard the sharp bark of a fox. At least she thought it was a fox.

“Why don’t you sit here by the fire?” Morwenna said after a moment. “Just you rest in this great chair.” She tucked a soft length of tartan around Maggie’s legs. “There now, that will be better. You’ve not a shred of worry in the world, my dear. You’ll be quite safe here. We will all see to that.”

Dimly, Maggie heard the lilting words and wondered if she had misunderstood. Then her head slanted back against the soft cushions as she drowsed in the warm glow of the fire.

Safe
, she thought.

Journey’s end.

And as she fell asleep she didn’t hear the door open. Nor did she hear Morwenna’s light footsteps cross the gravel path.

~ ~ ~

“So you’re from the north, are you?”
Perpetua
asked Jared as they crunched through the snow toward the great house. “What part would that be?”

“Kinlochewe.” His eyes darkened. “I’m afraid I’m the last of my line.”

“A great pity, that. But you’ve a look of health and strength about you. I’ve no doubt that lady by the fire will give you fine sons and a daughter or two.”

Jared struggled with the odd sense that he was being probed, read as clearly as he had done to others. “Have you lived here long?” he asked, avoiding more questions.

“Some people say we’re as old as those gray cliffs up there. We stay by our choice. This glen holds a special magic for us. A man Highland-born like yourself would understand that sort of hold well.”

Jared understood perfectly.

Snow fell around them and the wind sent white flakes in a giddy dance. This was a place of unspoiled beauty. He realized he would be sorry to leave it. “Are you certain about loaning us your cottage?”

“Of course we are. If not, we wouldn’t have offered.

“Now go on with you and see to your telephone call. I’m going to have a look about for that irritating cat.”

But there was a searching look on her face as she watched him vanish inside Glenbrae House. A moment later a gray shape streaked toward her over the fresh white snow.

“So here you are, Gideon. Trouble afoot, no doubt. Just like that rogue Adrian
not
to come himself.” The cat’s tail flicked sharply. “Three of them already?” Perpetua’s eyes hardened. She stared south to the loch road. “In that case we’d better hurry.”

~ ~ ~

“You found them? Well done.” He pulled on a pair of leather gloves and holstered his pistol, each movement careful and precise. “Go to the car. I’ll join you there in ten minutes, after I alert the others.”

He turned, staring out at the snow, thinking about loyalty.

Thinking about a new world that was to come.

And he smiled.

“Yes, we’re here, Nicholas. There were no glitches, and no one seems to have followed us.” Standing in Glenbrae House’s quiet library, Jared watched snow whisper against the windows. “Anything new there?”

“I had visitors from London here this morning. They were
most
annoyed to find Maggie gone, and you with her. They made a point of conveying the message that she had twenty-four hours to return. After that, they mean to take full action to find her.”

Jared paced, telephone in hand. “They’re not to be underestimated.”

“I agree. But I’m certain that whatever they are investigating extends beyond Daniel Kincade’s jewel theft.”

“Have there been any more messages from him?”

“None. Izzy called a while ago with the routing on Kincade’s call here to the abbey. It was placed from a phone box in London. No leads there.”

Jared hadn’t really expected any. Daniel Kincade was too canny to be trapped by a single phone call. “Anything else I should know?”

“You had another phone call this morning from Dr. McNamara’s office in London. She sounded quite urgent, something about a new medication she wanted to prescribe.”

“She’s one of the government medical team. No doubt my instability will be fully documented in their files. A perfect excuse to have me removed from the picture.”

“But this new medication—”

“If Dr. McNamara phones
again
, tell her I’m unavailable.” Jared’s face hardened. “We’re moving to a small cottage up the loch, someplace far less accessible. I’m only surprised that the Wishwells offered it to us.”

“The three old sisters? Don’t tell me they’re meddling already?”

“They’re been quite helpful, actually. Staying at the cottage is a good idea. Just keep in mind that the government search will now begin in earnest, Nicholas. They’re bound to put considerable pressure on you to tell them where we went.”

Nicholas laughed grimly. “I’m having a pleasant time concocting the answers I will give them. I already have a complete itinerary mapped out for you. South America, I think. Then maybe a small town in North Africa. I rather think you might make a stop in Sri Lanka.”

Jared laughed dryly. “I’m glad you’re on my side.”

“So you should be. I’ll phone Hope and Ronan if I have any news. I won’t try your cellular phone, in case it can be traced. Meanwhile, stay put”

As Jared finished his call, Ronan MacLeod walked in with two suitcases. “I’ll take these out to the car while you finish.”

By the time Jared joined MacLeod outside, storm clouds were piling across the cliffs. “More snow coming?”

“So it appears. Exactly what
Perpetua Wishwell
predicted. The woman is almost always right about such things.” Ronan finished stowing the last suitcase in Jared’s trunk. “There’s an old storage shed behind the Wishwells’ cottage where you can leave your car. No need to alert strangers to your presence.”

Jared slid behind the wheel while MacLeod settled in the other seat. “Tell me something,” Jared said slowly. “Was there a gray cat sitting on the fence when we left, or was I imagining it?”

“No cat that I noticed.” MacLeod glanced out at the swirling landscape of white. “Not much of anything to be seen now, I’m afraid.”

There was a sharp prickling between Jared’s shoulders. There had definitely been a cat out in the snow. The impossible thing was that the cat looked exactly like the great gray creature he had seen at Draycott Abbey.

Jared shoved the thought from his mind, concentrating on the narrow road. “Have you lived at Glenbrae long?”

“It seems like centuries. When I met Hope, it was over for me in an instant.” His lips curved. “I expect it must have been like that with you and Maggie.”

“There are problems.”

“Problems always have solutions. Meanwhile, you’re among friends here. Remember that.”

Halfway to the loch road, a brown car emerged over the hill. “Someone you know?” Jared asked softly.

Ronan’s eyes narrowed. “No one from Glenbrae. I can count the village cars on one hand.” His voice tightened, “Could it be someone you want to avoid?”

Jared was taking no chances. He turned the wheel sharply, pulling onto a narrow gravel road that skirted the loch. Behind them a horn blasted shrilly. The brown car roared alongside and cut across the snowy road.

A white-haired figure in black military uniform shoved open the door, waving briskly. “Commander MacNeill, thank heaven I found you.”

“Preston?” Jared rolled down his window and stared at his old superior officer. “What are you doing here in Scotland?”

“Long story, MacNeill. Took me hours in this damnable weather. I’ve had some information about the box delivered to the abbey. It was an entirely new chemical explosive, and I wanted to discuss it with you privately.” His eyes flickered to MacLeod. “If that’s possible.”

“But why—”

Jared stiffened as a gun barrel brushed his neck.

Preston opened the door and slid in behind him. “No more questions. You’ve put us to a great deal of trouble, you know.”

MacLeod was already twisting in his seat when his door was flung open. He was gripped from behind by a man in a black jumpsuit. There was a short, tense struggle. Then a brutal kick to the forehead left MacLeod sprawled unconscious in the snow.

Preston’s eyes narrowed. “Now you’ll give me the weapon in your shoulder holster.”

Jared hesitated, then complied.

Preston smiled thinly. “And now the backup weapon which is no doubt hidden in your boot. I worked with you in Asia, remember?”

With Preston’s weapon jabbing his neck, Jared had no choice but to turn over his smaller pistol.

Preston gave a curt nod. “That must be the cottage up ahead. We watched you come here this morning.”

So they knew that, too. Grimly, Jared played out possible scenarios. “You’ll be looking for Maggie, of course.”

“Of course,” Preston said shortly.

“She’s not here. She went over to the village with the innkeeper to pick up some supplies.”

“Don’t insult my intelligence, Commander. We’ve had you two in sight since the moment you left the abbey. The costumes were an amusing twist, I must admit. That should keep the bureaucrats from London off your trail for a few more days. By then, the problem will be irrelevant.” Preston wedged his pistol under Jared’s jaw. “Drive to the cottage. I have a few questions to ask the daughter of Daniel Kincade.”

~ ~ ~

The front door creaked open. The wind gave a shrill cry, racing down the glen. Maggie turned from the window with a start. “Morwenna?”

There was no answer.

“Jared?”

Fire crackled beside her in the silent cottage. Maggie rubbed her hands, strangely chilled at being here alone. Where were the Wishwells and the others?

She turned and saw a shadow cross the doorway. Fear turned to surprise. “Anders?”

He looked far more tired than the last time she had seen him in London. His beard was bushy and untended, and there were dark circles under his heavy glasses. “Why are you here?”

He moved forward uncertainly. “For many reasons.”

“I don’t understand. How did you find me?”

Suddenly fear left Maggie frozen. Was Anders one of her father’s enemies? Had he betrayed his oldest friend, then followed her here for some dark intent?

Regret played across his gaunt face. “I know you don’t understand,” he said. “That is also my fault.”

“Did you betray him?”

“I suppose in a way I did. Daniel Kincade died so that I could live.” His voice changed as he spoke. The heavy accent vanished, leaving only the lengthened vowels of a Boston boyhood. Each word clawed at Maggie’s memory.

Recognition came to her in a cruel rush. Maggie struggled to her feet. “No,” she whispered. “You’re Anders. You
have
to be.”

“Perhaps I’ve played my role so long that I forget who I am, my love.”

“You’re
not
my father,” she rasped. “I don’t believe it.”

But she saw the small signs of familiarity now. How could she not have noticed them before?

Because she’d thought him dead.

On their evening in London, she’d seen exactly what she’d expected to see: an old man changed by age and stress.

She stared at him blindly.

Her father.

Not dead at all.

Hidden in plain sight.

Her breath caught a she struggled with an urge to run to him, and then to shout and accuse in anger. “You let me believe you were dead.” She choked out the words, while all the old wounds left her bleeding inside.

“You left me to fight their accusations and cry over your grave. Month after month they hounded us. They called you a thief and a coward. But I always believed in you.”

Daniel Kincaid rubbed his tired eyes. “It was the only way, Maggie.” Slowly, gently, he knelt before her and took her hands. “Anders knew that he had a heart condition which left him only a little time to live. I’d spoken to him of my danger, and he made the offer to let me assume his identity. He’d planned a .visit to a clinic in Singapore, but as he’d suspected, he didn’t survive the month. Then I took his place, just as we’d planned, after arranging my death in that flight over Sumatra.”