“I took her to that nearby farm. The farmer and his son are right now escorting her back to Lochnagar,” Grant said as he started to unwind the coil of rope he’d carried in. “I also grabbed this rope while I was there.”
Kathleen pressed a hand to her head. “Thank God. I’ve been so scared for her.”
“Is Graeme lookin’ for Brown and the rest of them rum coves?” Angus asked.
“Yes, he’s leading a search.”
“Brown knows his story is blown,” Kathleen said, “ and that’ll make him even more dangerous.”
“If he has any brains, he’ll be riding as fast as he can away from Dunlaggan.”
“But Grant, he seemed absolutely determined to get Sabrina’s pearls.”
“We can deal with that later,” he said, anxious to get them out of there. “Grandda, can you tie the rope around Kathleen’s waist so I can pull her up?”
“Kathleen is well able to tie a rope, sir,” she tartly replied.
Grant snorted. “That’s my girl.”
He’d waited half a lifetime for her, only to fear he’d lost her forever. By God’s grace and Jeannie’s bravery he’d found her and his beloved old goat of a grandda. He vowed never again to take for granted the people he loved.
He wound the sturdy rope around his waist and tied it off with a double loop knot.
“Rope coming down,” he called, dropping the rest of the coil down to the floor.
Kathleen and Angus had a short argument about who would go up first, until she finally just told him to cease fashing himself. She then quickly and competently tied the rope around his waist.
Angus tested the knot. “Ye can whistle, play cricket, and tie knots. Are ye sure yer not a boy in disguise?”
“I can say with full assurance that she is not,” Grant said.
Angus looked up with a grin. “Good for ye, lad.”
“Grandda, if you get dizzy on the way up, just tell me. I can do all the work if need be, and pull you straight up.”
“I’m nae such a ninny as needin’ that, laddie boy. I can do my part.”
Grant braced his feet against a small ledge at the side of the cave. “All right, Grandda. When you’re ready.”
“Ready, son.”
Grant held the rope firm as Angus began to pull himself up, using his feet to gain purchase on the cave walls. As the old duffer’s head started to come close to the lip of the cave, Grant could see his grandfather was tiring from the strain.
“Ease off, Grandda,” he said. “I’ve got you now.”
When Angus nodded, Grant began to quickly pull. Only a few moments later, his grandfather was safely beside him.
Grant wrapped an arm around his waist. “All right, Grandda?”
“Aye.” Angus wheezed. Then he started to sink down onto the rock. “Just let me catch my breath.”
Grant untied the rope from around his grandfather’s waist and dropped the coil back down. Kathleen wasted no time securing it around her waist and then gave a yank to test the knot.
“Ready?” Grant said.
Her beautiful smile glimmered up at him. “More than ready.”
“Then come to me, sweet lass.”
Kathleen began to pull herself up hand over hand as he kept the rope taut against her weight. She was strong and nimble and utterly determined. Grant watched proudly as she scaled the wall in practically no time. When she reached the top, he gave a little pull and she tumbled into his arms.
“Oh, thank God.” She burrowed against him. “When Brown captured us, I was so afraid I would never see you again.”
He folded his arms tightly around her. “I will always find you, love. No matter what.”
She lifted her head. “Promise?”
Grant took her lips in a soul-searing kiss, pouring out all the love he felt for her. Kathleen quivered in his arms, kissing him back with a desperation that set him on fire.
A bony finger jabbed him in the back.
“There’s nae time for canoodling,” Angus barked. “We’ve got varlets to catch.”
Kathleen reluctantly pulled out of Grant’s arms. “You’re right. Sorry.”
“Ye’ll have plenty of time for kissin’ after we run Brown and his gang to ground.”
“The only place you two are going is back to Lochnagar,” Grant said as he untied the rope and quickly coiled it up.
Kathleen nodded. “Yes, I need to be with Jeannie.”
“And Angus needs to have his head looked at,” Grant added.
“What about horses?” Angus asked. “They obviously took yon lassie’s.”
“I borrowed one from the farmer. Kathleen can ride with me on mine.”
They made their way to the end of the ravine, where Grant’s bay and a sturdy draft horse were tied to a bush. After all were mounted, with Kathleen nestled securely in front of Grant, they picked their way off the rocky ground to the edge of the field.
“Your head all right, Grandda?” Grant asked.
“I’m fine, son. I’ll nae be topplin’ off another horse today.”
They set off at a smart pace. The farmer’s horse wasn’t built for speed, but they still made good progress. In well under an hour, they rode past the gates of Lochnagar Manor.
Kathleen, who’d been dozing for the last twenty minutes, roused herself as they rode up the drive.
Grant kissed the top of her head. “All right, love?”
“I can’t believe I fell asleep.”
“Getting kidnapped does tend to wear one out.”
“As does a man sneaking into your bedroom at night.”
Grant chuckled. “Not tonight. You need your rest.”
“I have a feeling we won’t be getting much rest until Captain Brown and his men are safely locked away.”
“He’s probably halfway to Inverness by now.”
As they rode into the main courtyard and pulled up, the front door flew open and Sabrina came rushing down the steps.
“Thank God!” she exclaimed. “We’ve been so worried.”
“We’re fine, lass,” Angus said as he slowly dismounted. “Just a bump on the head and a few aches and pains for me.”
“We’ll get someone to look at your head,” she replied in a distracted manner. “But we have a problem. A big problem.”
“Did Jeannie get back?” Kathleen anxiously asked. “Is she all right?”
“Yes, she’s safe. For now.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Grant asked.
“It means she’s cornered Captain Brown in the library and is holding him at gunpoint.”
“What?” Kathleen yelped.
Grant stared at Sabrina in disbelief. “Anyone else in there?”
“Graeme and the vicar are. I’m afraid Jeannie is going to shoot the captain. She’s incredibly upset.”
“Grant, hand me down,” Kathleen said in an impatient tone.
“Of course, but no running off half-cocked.”
“I have to get to her before something terrible happens.”
She wriggled, trying to slide off the horse. Grant kept a firm hold.
“Kathleen, if we go charging in there, we might startle her. She could fire the gun, or Brown might take the opportunity to go for her or one of the men. He’s probably armed.”
“I know, but—”
He gave her a squeeze. “We’ll get her safely out, I promise. But we have to be careful.”
She obviously didn’t like it but gave a terse nod. Grant helped her off the horse and then dismounted.
“Grandda, can you take the horses?”
“Aye, then I’ll join ye.”
“No, you go up to the nursery and stay with Gus. Keep him safe. Who knows who else is lurking about the damn place?”
Angus nodded and led the horses away.
“Excellent thinking, Grant,” Sabrina said as they hurried up the steps. “I’ve already got an armed footman outside the nursery, but it makes sense to send Angus up there.”
�
�We don’t need him rushing into the middle of this,” he said as they entered the hall. “And before we rush, tell me how this happened.”
“Apparently the captain decided to sneak in and try to find my necklace,” Sabrina said. “He seems to be alone.”
Grant couldn’t believe the gall of it. “Is the bloody idiot insane?”
“He’s desperate,” Kathleen replied as they headed to the back of the house. “Brown said he needed the necklace to cover his losses on the land scheme and pay his men.”
Hell and damnation.
“So, desperate and dangerous.” He turned to Sabrina. “But how did he end up with Jeannie holding him at gunpoint?”
“As far as we can deduce, she spotted him upstairs and retrieved a pistol from Graeme’s study,” Sabrina said. “Then she followed him to the library. She started shouting at him a few minutes ago. Graeme and I were in the front hall, because David had just arrived to talk to us.”
They turned the corner to see one of the grooms stationed outside the library door. He was armed with a pistol and held up a warning hand. They could clearly hear Jeannie, who sounded on the verge of hysterics.
“Oh, God,” Kathleen whispered.
Grant put his arm around her shoulder and hugged her. “I still cannot believe Brown took such a risk.”
Sabrina made a disgusted noise. “It wasn’t much of a risk. Most of the staff are scattered about the countryside, searching for people. Brown probably climbed in through the library window, which is why he’s in there now. He was going to leave the way he came.”
“Does he have the necklace?” Grant asked her.
“No. I locked it in Graeme’s safe in the study.”
Kathleen jerked out from under his arm. “What does that matter? I need to get in there.”
“We might be able to use the blasted necklace as leverage if things go sideways,” he replied. “Offer it to Brown, then track him down later.”
“I’ll go fetch it.” Sabrina lifted her skirts and ran.
Kathleen grabbed his sleeve. “Grant, I’m the only one Jeannie will listen to.”
“I know, but do everything calmly, all right?”
When she gave an impatient nod and started toward the door, Grant reeled her back. He put his hands on her shoulder and made her look at him.
“Calmly, my love.”
Kathleen stared up at him, her silver gaze turbulent as the windswept sea. Then she sucked in a deep breath and control seemed to settle over her like the quiet after a storm.
“Yes, I know,” she said.
“Jeannie has the gun, so she’s in control at the moment.”
“So, we have to make her continue to feel like she’s in control.”
“Aye.”
Kathleen squared her shoulders and walked to the half-open door. The groom stepped aside and let her go in. Grant followed right behind.
The scene in the room stopped them dead in their tracks.
The captain stood near the bay window that was swinging open in the breeze. Jeannie was not more than five feet away from him. Her arm was extended as she pointed a pistol at Brown’s head. David stood to the left of his brother, in front of a bookshelf. Graeme was standing behind the desk with his arms held out in a calming gesture.
And a great deal of calm was needed, since Jeannie had cocked the hammer on the pistol. The captain’s face was as white as death as he stared at her, although his eyes blazed with fury and disbelief.
Jeannie flickered a brief glance at Kathleen, then her focus returned to her captive.
“Sweetheart, please give me the pistol,” Graeme quietly said. “I promise you Captain Brown will not escape. Justice will be served.”
“He lied,” Jeannie spat out, “and he used me. He’s ruined David’s life, too. They probably won’t let him be a vicar anymore. Captain Brown stole that from him.”
“Jeanette, listen to me,” David said in a voice tinged with desperation. “I’ll be fine, no matter what. But if you shoot John, the consequences could be very bad for you.”
“I don’t care! He made a fool out of b . . . both of us.” Her voice was unsteady, but the arm that held the weapon was not. “He robbed your beautiful church. And he made me think you loved me.”
“Yes, it was very wrong, but everything he took can be replaced. However, you cannot be, Jeanette. You’re the only thing that matters right now.”
Jeannie blinked hard. For a few moments, she seemed to be wavering.
Unfortunately, the idiot captain decided to intervene.
“Right as usual, David,” he said, dredging up his travesty of a smile. “No need to go to prison over the likes of me, Miss Jeannie. Put the gun down. There’s a good little girl.”
If there was anything Jeannie hated, it was being treated like a little girl.
“I should kill you right now,” she snapped. “You’re a horrible man.”
Kathleen took a step forward. “And he’s certainly a stupid one, dearest. After all, you’ve outsmarted him every step of the way. Because of you, the captain will spend the rest of his life in prison—or be deported.”
Jeannie sniffed a few times. “He should hang for what he did.”
Grant moved to stand beside Kathleen. “And he may well do just that. Listen, Jeannie, you’ve done what we couldn’t—you’ve captured the rogue. Now it’s time to leave the rest to us.”
“He’s right,” David said in a stout voice. “You’ve outdone us all, Jeanette. I could not be prouder of you.”
She darted a suspicious glance at the vicar. “Really?”
“Absolutely,” he earnestly replied. “You’ve put us all to shame.”
“You certainly have,” Kathleen said. “I assure you that Graeme will know exactly what to do with the captain. Now, please let him come to you and take the gun, all right?”
Jeannie grimaced. “Are you sure, Kath? You’re sure he’ll get what’s coming to him?”
“He absolutely will. I promise, darling.”
“And can you try to make sure that David isn’t hurt by this?”
“Lass, David can be vicar here for as long as he wants,” Graeme said. “Now, I’m going to walk over to you, and you’re going to hand me the pistol. All right?”
“Please do what Graeme says, dearest,” Kathleen said. “I promise it’ll be all right.”
Jeannie let out a trembling sigh and nodded at her sister, which took her focus off her captive.
Instantly, the man leapt, giving Jeannie a hard shove. She flew forward, losing her balance and her grip on the weapon, which sailed toward the wall. Grant wrapped his arms around Kathleen and dove for the floor, shielding her from the expected pistol blast.
But nothing happened.
Kathleen wriggled beneath him. “What . . . what happened?”
“Don’t move, Kathleen,” Grant urgently said.
“No, you must all get up,” the captain said. “Now.”
Clenching his teeth, Grant rose and then helped Kathleen to stand. Thankfully, Graeme had pulled Jeannie away from Brown’s reach. David was still frozen in place by the bookshelves, looking stunned.
The captain was now armed with a pistol, presumably pulled from his coat. And he pointed it straight at Kathleen.
“I’ll be leaving now,” he said, “and I’m taking Miss Calvert with me for insurance. She’s much easier to control than her sister.”
A red haze flickered at the edges of Grant’s vision. “The hell you will,” he snarled, stepping in front of Kathleen.
The captain sneered. “Fine. I’ll shoot you instead, and then make my escape during the commotion.”
“Don’t forget there’s a pistol on the floor right behind me,” Graeme said in a hard voice. “Trust me, I’ll get you squarely between the shoulders while you’re running.”
“But that gun obviously isn’t loaded,” Brown contemptuously replied. “Unfortunately, I was unaware of that when the little bitch cornered me.”
Jeannie gl
ared at him. “You’re a demon.”
“He is indeed,” said David.
Before Brown could turn, the vicar took two quick steps and whacked him in the head with a book. As the captain staggered, David plucked the pistol from his hand and then whacked his brother again—even harder this time.
The captain dropped to his knees, his eyes glazing, before slowly toppling over.
For a few moments, everyone simply gaped at the prone figure on the carpet. Then the vicar, carefully holding the pistol with two fingers, brought it over to Graeme.
“I believe you should have charge of this, sir.”
Graeme stared at him, stunned. “Er, thank you.”
Kathleen wrapped her arms around Grant’s waist and leaned into him. She squeezed him before letting go and rushing over to her sister. Jeannie stared forlornly down at David, now crouched beside his unconscious brother.
Kathleen pulled her in for a hug. “Jeannie, you are incredibly brave and I love you so, so much. But please don’t scare me like that ever again.”
“I’m sorry, Kath,” Jeannie said in a small voice. “When I saw him trying to sneak away, I couldn’t let him go. I just couldn’t.”
“I know, sweetheart.”
“I . . . I had to make up for how stupid I was. About everything.”
Grant’s heart ached for both Kathleen and her wee sister. “Och,” he said, “the man fooled all of us, ye ken. We were total nincompoops.”
David rose to his feet, looking grim. “He certainly fooled me. Sir Graeme, I cannot apologize enough for this disaster. I brought the snake into the garden.”
Graeme clapped him on the shoulder. “Hell, David, you’re as much a hero as Jeannie. You laid the bastard, er, your brother, out flat. I’ll see that you’re made a bishop after this.”
“Dear me,” said David, looking a bit scandalized by Graeme’s language. “That is very kind but certainly not necessary.”
While Graeme waved in two footmen and told them to secure the captain, Grant retrieved the literary bludgeon from where David had dropped it. When he read the title, he started to laugh.
“What is it?” Kathleen asked.
He held it up. “The book is Fordyce’s Sermons to Young Women. Ironic, under the circumstances.”
“It’s such a heavy book. I pulled it out while you were all on the floor,” David said.
The Highlanderâ??s Irish Bride Page 38
