The Scottish Lord’s Secret Bride (12 page)

He picked up his hairbrushes to try and tidy his unruly curls. He’d need to get a haircut before long, or he would be tying it back in the manner of his forebears. One brush hit something tangled at the back of his head and he winced. Fraser dropped the brush to use his fingers to try and tease whatever it was out. Three minutes later and minus several hairs he turned a cheap copper ring with a tiny piece of blue glass in it over and over in his hands. Anyone who wore it for long would be green-fingered and rue the day.

Fraser harrumphed. He’d seen it before many years ago. Though then it had been on a finger and signified the end of what had been a perfect day. It was oh so easy to remember that last hour before they’d made their way back to the castle.

That day, Beshlie had accosted them with a wicked grin and drawn them to the stall of garish trinkets. ‘You need to get your lady a token, Master Fraser,’ she had said in her husky voice. ‘To remember this for ever.’

Fraser lifted the ring to rest it against his cheek as he remembered Morven’s laughing disclaimer and the way Beshlie’s eyes had dared him to defy her. In the end he’d picked up the ring, and slid it onto Morven’s right hand. ‘A token of friendship to remember a happy day,’ he had said.

Morven had kissed him and grinned. ‘A perfect day,’ she had declared and curled her finger around the band.

So she still had it all these years later? How on earth did it end up in his hair though? Fraser racked his brain and had a thought. Hadn’t he seen a thin silver chain around her neck? Could this have been on the chain? They had rolled around somewhat and he reckoned the links could easily have broken if one of them had caught on his hair.

He slipped the ring into his pocket, determined to let Morven know he had it as soon as he could. Even though it was not a wedding ring—they hadn’t married as far as they knew—it had been given in love, and obviously meant something to Morven. He guessed she would be worried about where it was. A cheap copper ring wasn’t something you could easily explain away to parents. He took one last cursory look at himself in the mirror and left the room, to take the stairs two at a time and walk briskly along the corridor to his destination.

The breakfast room was empty when he entered, with no sign that any of the occupants of the house had already eaten. Chalmers, one of the footmen, placed eggs and haggis on the appropriate chafing dishes and bowed. ‘The black pudding is on its way, my lord. Do you require anything else?’

Fraser shook his head. Chalmers was old before his time. He’d admitted his ambition was to take over as major domo when the time arrived, and he seemed to think a stiff and dignified manner was needed. As Fraser had never stood on ceremony unduly with his staff, he wasn’t sure where Chalmers found that idea. Nevertheless the man was efficient and might well be a good replacement when his present major domo decided to retire to the cottage earmarked for him.

‘I’m fine, Chalmers, thank you. Is anyone else up and about?’ He helped himself to coffee and sniffed the deep welcome aroma. Perfect.

‘Not to my knowledge, my lord. Her ladyship, the duchess and Lady Murren intimated they would break their fasts in their rooms. Lady Morven gave no indication of what she intended to do.’

Fraser nodded. ‘Thank you. That’s all then.’ He waited until the man left him and stood up to fill his plate with food. As he sat down the long case clock in the hallway chimed the hour and the door opened to let Morven squeeze through the gap.

She looked around the room and gave a sigh of relief. ‘Only us?’

‘So it seems. The others are breakfasting in their rooms.’

‘Then can we eat and escape?’ Morven poured a mug of chocolate and selected some fruit. ‘I’m twitchy.’

‘You are? Why?’ Fraser took her plate from her and put it in front of the seat next to his. He waited until she sat before he collected his own food and made himself comfortable at the head of the table. Even shortened for the family in the morning it would still seat a dozen with ease, and he was damned if he was going to shout down its length to converse.

‘Oh several things.’ Morven sliced into an apple and crunched a segment before she cleared her throat. ‘I’ve lost something precious, snapped something precious, and overheard something worrying.’

‘Is this what you lost?’ He fished in his pocket and took out the ring. Morven’s eyes widened and she pounced on it.

‘You have it. How?’

‘It tangled in my hair. Sadly not the chain as well.’

‘Oh Lord,’ she laughed helplessly. ‘I was scared what might have happened to it. The loss of the chain I can accept, but the ring was all I had of us.’

‘Then you shall have it again, along with everything else. May I keep it for a while and get you a new chain?’

She bit her lip. ‘I feel naked without it.’

Fraser smiled. ‘I like the idea of naked.’

She rolled her eyes. ‘Stop it, I can’t help how it has comforted me.’

He’d had nothing, except his memories. ‘I’ll find a chain today. I have one in my room.’

‘Then yes, please.’ Morven nibbled the end of a fingernail and nodded as if she’d made her mind up about something. ‘So, I wondered, when are your sisters and brother due to return?’

‘Eh? Not until the end of the month I believe. Why?’ His appetite deserted him as he looked at Morven’s troubled face. ‘Tell me all.’

‘Because whatever is to happen, will occur before then. Last night I went down to the dining room to get a drink and I overheard your mama and my sister talking.’

The door from the kitchen corridor opened and they both jumped as Chalmers entered and picked up the empty dishes.

‘Not the place,’ Fraser muttered. He swallowed his food, and smiled at Chalmers. ‘We need nothing else now. The room can be cleared in a few minutes I believe.’

Chalmers departed as silently as he had appeared. Fraser looked at the food still left on the sideboard and wrapped some bread and cheese in a napkin. He had a feeling they might want it later. He held out his hand to Morven who put down her empty mug and wiped her mouth on her napkin.

‘I’m amply sufficed, thank you.’

Fraser doubted it. She’d managed an apple and a mug of chocolate. At least he’d eaten solid food. He opened the door and Morven let him escort her out of the room. Once they were in the corridor she looked up at him in enquiry.

‘Where to?’

‘First my study. We won’t be disturbed there.’

Morven followed him into the opposite wing of the castle where, he explained, the offices were.

‘What about your staff? Don’t they come to see you there?’

Fraser smiled as he unlocked the heavy studded door that led out of the entrance hall and into another narrower corridor than the one they had left. This one was chilly and the windows little more than narrow slits. They were obviously not places for light to come in or for an occupant to enjoy the view. Morven shivered. Fraser touched her arm in sympathy and she smiled.

‘Not even a goose walking over my grave. Good, honest cold.’

‘I should have warned you, this is the oldest part and the walls are thick,’ he said dismayed at his lack of forethought. ‘Whatever we do this corridor is never warm. The offices are better. And to answer your question, with regards my staff, not until after noon, unless there is a fire or a raid by foreign invaders. I have always kept the mornings free whenever possible.’

She cleared her throat. ‘Not the afternoons?’

Fraser chuckled. ‘Definitely not. That is when my mama entertains. There might not be a lot of eligible young ladies around here, but she always seems to get those who are to come for afternoon tea.’

Morven broke her stride. As she looked up at him the corners of her eyes crinkled and she began to laugh. ‘Oh my, you do have a method in your madness then. Do none of these hopefuls try to cage you in your office?’

He shook his head grimly. ‘You may well laugh. How on earth Mama thinks I’d be happy with any of those young, and I mean young in age and manner, chits, I have no idea. Most of them don’t even know where Edinburgh is let alone have visited. Lord knows I don’t want to travel all the time, I’ve done my fair share, but not to know or care where the capital of your country is beggars belief. One even said her job was to run her husband’s home, and his was to worry about everything else.’ He shuddered. ‘A nincompoop. Oh I accept most men do not want to be wed to a bluestocking but for me, I’d prefer that any day to a woolly-headed female with not an original thought in her head. This is my sanctum. Once and once only was it invaded. The result was not pretty.’ He winked. ‘I happened to be cleaning a broadsword at the time. I er nearly dropped it.’

Morven sputtered. ‘Oh dear.’

‘Exactly. Then I warned my mama, that the dower house was ready and waiting for her and my siblings. As she loves the castle, my brother Gregor is still my heir and needs to be here at least until I officially wed, it is enough of a threat to make her consider her actions. Usually.’

‘Well you say usually,’ Morven said as he showed her into his office where a fire blazed in the hearth, and also where against everyone’s opinions, he’d enlarged the window so he could look over the fields and down the valley. ‘But I swear she and my sister are up to something.’ Fraser pulled two armchairs up to the fire.

‘Tell me.’

Chapter Seven

Morven settled her skirts and put her hand over her tummy as it rumbled. ‘Oh dear.’

‘Here.’ Fraser handed her half of the bread and cheese before he rummaged in a tall cupboard and produced whisky and glasses. ‘It’ll have to be neat.’

Luckily he had taught her how to drink a neat dram all those years ago. Morven shrugged. ‘No matter, it is only to wash the crumbs down.’ She ate a chunk of cheese, sipped some of the fiery spirit, glad of its heat to warm her inside and out without shaking and shivering for Fraser’s touch, and cleared her throat. ‘Last night as I waited for you, I was thirsty,’ she began. ‘So I went to the dining room…’

Fraser heard her out without comment and then crashed his hand on the chair arm so hard she jumped and motes of dust danced up into the air. ‘Damn her. So just my mama and your sister, not your mama?’

Morven inclined her head and sipped some more whisky. ‘It seems so. I think Mama has her own agenda, and I can not fathom it out at the moment. As for your mama and Murren, I rather got the impression they had deliberately got together to foil something my mama intended. I did wonder if perhaps Murren had asked for help to ensure you didn’t get the opportunity to offer for her.’ She bit her lip, not sure how to convey her disquiet. ‘Murren would not suit you, you know.’

He grinned. ‘Oh I know that, even more so after last night.’

Morven felt heat roll through her and wished she had a cold compress to put on her likely red cheeks. Fraser seemed not to notice, as he got up and poured himself a generous tot of whisky. He held the bottle up, and she shook her head. She needed her wits about her.

‘But Mama had indicated that she thought it a good match,’ Fraser said reflectively as he sat down again and stretched his long legs out in front of him. ‘Or was she being devious, I wonder? I know she thinks I need to wed sooner rather than later. That Gregor does not have the discipline or the aggression to be laird. But I thought I’d warned her well enough for her to back off.’

‘It sounded like she was on Murren’s side,’ Morven said slowly. ‘And I know Murren does not want to wed. But I’m at a loss to know what they intend to do. Plus I’m sure my mama does not have an inkling of their intentions. It is very strange.’

‘Then all we can do is watch and wait,’ Fraser said slowly. He looked at his watch. ‘I rather think that I can hear Forbes returning from collecting the mail. He’ll put it on the table in the corridor next to the door, so do not be alarmed if you hear footsteps. He is rather heavy-footed and wears cumbersome boots.’

‘It was as well you told me,’ Morven replied, as a steady thud could be heard from beyond the room. She picked up her glass and almost dropped it as a thump echoed from outside. Someone hammered on the closed door and her heart kept pace with it. Very carefully she put the half full glass on the desk. ‘What now?’ She looked up at Fraser who shook his head and harrumphed before he stood and took her hand.

‘Sorry to say but you’ll need to go into the cupboard for a while. It’s safe, can be opened from inside and there’s even a peephole on the wall.’ His eyes darkened. ‘I’ll get rid of whoever it is as soon as possible. Meanwhile in there, you’ll look out through the flowers in that picture towards my desk and any visitor sat this side of it.’ He patted her bottom and squeezed it before he bestowed a swift kiss to her lips and drew back. ‘It must be important, or no one would knock.’

Morven picked up her glass and made her way quietly to the cupboard Fraser had indicated, just as the door was rapped harder.

‘My lord, ’tis important. A missive from the presbytery.’

‘One moment,’ Fraser called loudly as he showed Morven the mechanism to get out, where the peephole was, and closed the door on her.

She took a deep breath. The air wasn’t stale or musty and high above her a tiny opening in the outer wall let in enough light for her to climb on the convenient step and put her eyes to the slits, which would give her a view of the room beyond.

Fraser moved one of the recently occupied armchairs and placed it by the wall before he opened the door. A red-faced, worried-looking groom stood there and bowed deeply. ‘It says to be delivered by hand and immediately, m’lord, so we thought it best be handed to you now.’

From her hidey-hole, Morven watched as Fraser stood back to let the groom into the room and seated himself behind his desk. He waved to the ladder-back chair in front of the desk, and waited for the groom to be seated. ‘Was this all there was?’

‘A letter for your mama and one for Lady Murren, my lord.’

Fraser muttered something under his breath and slit the seal, and scanned the contents rapidly. ‘That’s fine thank you. No reply is needed.’ The groom stood up with alacrity, probably relieved that his disregard of the rules was not remarked upon, and left the room smartly. Fraser tapped his teeth with the missive and looked directly to where Morven spied upon him. ‘I think we are about to go for a walk, love.’