Graeme shrugged. “I promise, not that it matters. With any luck, I’ll never see Sabrina again.”
“Bad luck then, I’m afraid.”
“What are—” The words froze on his tongue as a familiar feminine voice, giving orders, of course, floated out to them.
Graeme pushed his smirking twin aside and stalked into the hall, where he encountered an enormous pile of luggage and Lady Sabrina Bell. She was directing two footmen in the proper disposal of trunks and bandboxes.
“What the hell are you still doing here?” he barked.
Sabrina turned to him with a blindingly cheerful smile. “Ah, Mr. Kendrick. Did everything go well at the docks? No problems, I hope?”
“The only problem is that you’re not on the bloody yacht with the bloody king.”
“Graeme, do stop yelling,” Ainsley said as she joined Sabrina.
Both ladies wore carriage dresses, half boots, and plain bonnets, as if garbed for travel. Of course, the mountain of luggage suggested travel was imminent. Just not to England, apparently.
“Why isn’t she on the boat?” he asked his sister-in-law.
“Because I am not returning to England,” responded the lady herself.
For the first time in his life, Graeme understood the phrase gnashing one’s teeth. “We talked about this. You cannot be here.”
“No, you talked about it. We, in fact, never had that chance.”
“Because you’ve been avoiding me.”
Royal appeared from the back hall, also garbed for travel. “What’s all the yelling about?”
“It’s just Graeme, dear,” Ainsley replied. “The usual.”
“Of course I’m yelling. And if someone doesn’t tell me—”
“You’ll what?” Ainsley interrupted. “Storm off in a huff? Then you’ll never find out what the plan is.”
Graeme shook his head. “You really are a pain in the arse, you know.”
She smiled. “It’s rather my mission in life when it comes to you, dear boy.”
Ignoring her response, Graeme turned back to Sabrina, who studied him with a polite regard. That, naturally, spiked his temper again. Unfortunately, the Sassenach was impervious to bluster, yelling, and attempts to intimidate.
He forced himself to mirror her calm attitude. “If it please your ladyship, would you care to tell me why you’ve remained behind?”
She rewarded him with her sweetest smile. “A civil conversation, then. Finally.”
“Not for long, if I don’t get some answers.”
“We’re going on a trip,” she said.
“I can see that. Where?”
“To Lochnagar Manor.”
Graeme stared at her. “What in the—”
“The carriage is here, Lady Ainsley,” said one of the footmen. “Should we start loading up?”
“Yes, please.”
Graeme held up both hands. “Nobody is doing anything until I get some answers.”
Ainsley waved the footmen over to the pile of luggage. Not surprisingly, the lads jumped. Everyone always jumped when it came to Ainsley.
Graeme narrowed his eyes on Sabrina. “Lass?”
“As I said, we’re going to Lochnagar Manor. My family’s ancestral holdings.”
She said it slowly and distinctly, as if he were dim-witted. And at the moment, he felt rather dim-witted. “And why would you be doing something so foolish?”
“There is trouble on my father’s estates, and his tenants have suffered as a result. I need to correct that.”
Graeme leaned in until he and Sabrina were almost nose to nose. “And have you forgotten the bit about smugglers and someone trying to kill you?”
She responded with a disdainful sniff. “I cannot be swayed by the vague ramblings of Old Bill. It’s likely all stuff and nonsense, anyway.”
“Well, I can be swayed. And if you had a particle of sense in that pretty head of yours, you would be, too.”
Sabrina scowled up at him. “Now, see here—”
Ainsley patted her arm. “Don’t even try, pet. When our lad gets into a snit, it’s hopeless to try to reason with him. Besides,” she said to Graeme, “that’s why you’re coming with us. You’re going to protect Sabrina.”
“And I’m going to protect Ainsley,” Royal said, comically waggling his eyebrows.
“Finally, big brother weighs in,” Graeme said with heavy sarcasm. “Why the bloody hell would you agree to so deranged a plan?”
Royal clapped him on the shoulder. “There’s nothing deranged about it. Lady Sabrina wants to visit the ancestral pile, which is completely understandable since she’s already here in Scotland. And Ainsley and I thought a nice holiday would be just the ticket.”
Graeme could feel his eyeballs practically falling from his skull. “Have you completely lost your wits? And what about your children? Surely you’re not suggesting we drag them”—he stepped aside to avoid a footman carrying a teetering pile of bandboxes—“along with us.”
“Don’t be daft,” Angus said as he bustled into the hall. “I’ll be stayin’ here to look after the wee ones.”
Graeme glowered at him. “So you’re in on this, too, are you?”
His grandfather scoffed. “Yer seein’ plots everywhere. It’s simply a wee holiday.”
“You’re insane,” Graeme said before turning back to Royal. “Do you really expect me to believe this nonsense? For one thing, you never leave your children.”
His brother looked annoyed. “You know how much we love our children, but it’s been years since Ainsley and I have been alone together. I’d say we’ve earned a bit of a romantic interlude.”
His wife dramatically batted her eyelashes. “Very romantic, I’m hoping.”
“Count on it, lassie,” Royal said with a comic leer.
“Please, you’re making me ill,” said Graeme.
Angus elbowed him in the ribs. “Ye could take a few lessons in wooin’ from yer brother, ye ken.”
“Grandda, if you don’t shut up, I will toss you out the closest window.”
“Fah,” Angus replied, curling a lip at him.
Graeme scrubbed his forehead. “Where’s Victoria? Surely she and Nick did not agree to this mad plan.”
Grant snapped his fingers. “Right, Victoria is having a nap. She said to tell you good-bye and not to worry about anything. And to have fun.”
“Are you telling me Nick was in on this?” Graeme exclaimed. “I spent the entire damn morning with him, and he never said a blasted word.”
Grant frowned. “Yes, that is rather odd. I wonder why?”
Graeme flashed him a sour look. “Don’t even try.”
“You could use a little holiday, old boy,” Grant quietly said. “You’ve been working awfully hard these last several months.”
“Aye,” said Angus. “Yer tetchy. Like a fractious old biddy, ye ken.”
Graeme glared at Sabrina. “If you think—”
“Ah, Henderson, there you are,” Ainsley interrupted as the butler came down the stairs with a large carpetbag.
“Is that mine?” Graeme demanded.
“I had Henderson pack your things.” Ainsley checked her pocket watch. “Now, we really do need to be on our way.”
“I do not need you making decisions for me, Ainsley.”
“Stop blustering, Graeme, or I will box your ears.”
“You know she will,” Royal said.
Graeme closed his eyes, struggling with his temper. When he opened them, he met Sabrina’s gaze.
She was looking a bit crestfallen. Even sad and quite lost, truth to tell. And that made Graeme feel . . . awful.
“It’s all right, Mr. Kendrick,” she said quietly. “You don’t have to come. I’m sure we can manage things on our own.”
Graeme whipped off his hat, resisting the temptation to hurl it at the nearest vase. Instead, he scrubbed a hand over his head before turning to address the butler.
“All right, Henderson, you can load up my bag
with the rest of the luggage.”
“Very good, sir.”
“And you will do absolutely everything I tell you to do,” Graeme sternly said to Sabrina. “Is that clear?”
She nodded. “Yes, Mr. Kendrick.”
“Which includes not haring off alone on any mad schemes.”
“No mad schemes.” Sabrina gave him a tentative smile. “I do think it will be fun. I’ve always wanted to see the Highlands.”
Graeme couldn’t even think how to respond. They were riding into God knows what, with no plan and no help. It was the definition of insanity.
Ainsley took Sabrina’s arm. “Come along, pet. Our carriage awaits.”
As the ladies swept out the door, Royal nudged Graeme. “It will be fun, you know, especially in the company of such lovely ladies.”
“It will be the opposite of fun, and you know it.”
Angus heaved a dramatic sigh. “Fun is what ye make of it, lad. So start makin’ it.”
Graeme turned on his heel and stalked out the door.
Chapter Nineteen
The small coaching inn had fallen quiet for the night. With Ainsley and Royal safely ensconced in their room, that meant Sabrina could finally have a frank and private talk with Graeme. It was long overdue, and she wouldn’t sleep a wink until she cleared the air between them.
Since their group’s departure yesterday, Royal and Ainsley had done their best to maintain sensible and lighthearted conversations. Ainsley had related hilarious stories about the Kendrick family, including escapades by the twins while visiting Canada. It was good-natured and harmless and Graeme hadn’t seemed to mind. But he steadfastly refused any attempt to include him. With every mile north, he’d grown increasingly grim and silent.
Still, as Ainsley had predicted, their diabolical plan had worked. Once Graeme had realized that Sabrina was going to Lochnagar, he obviously felt he had no choice but to go with her. He would never leave her unprotected. Sabrina knew that for certain.
Her plan had thus far been a success, but at what cost? Even with her sitting two feet from Graeme in the confines of their traveling coach, he’d felt miles away. Sabrina was beginning to worry that she’d won the battle but lost the war.
In fact, she was beginning to doubt this whole venture—and herself. And doubting herself was a rare and unwelcome feeling.
She tiptoed down the hall to Graeme’s door, halting in front of it. She strained to hear any sound at all through the oak panels.
Nothing.
Perhaps she’d waited too long and the dratted man was asleep, worn out from his efforts to avoid her. He’d refused to eat with them, insisting that the ladies and Royal sup upstairs in a private parlor while he remained on guard in the taproom. Sabrina had thought it a ridiculous precaution. No one could have any idea they were on the road. But Graeme had been maddeningly insistent.
After supper, he’d practically barked at her to retire to her bedroom and lock her door. But since it was a lovely evening, she’d instead suggested they take a quiet stroll down one of the nearby country lanes, just to stretch their legs. When he’d reacted with an annoying degree of incredulity, Sabrina had protested that it was much too early for bed.
“Then read a book,” Graeme had tersely replied before stalking off to check the locks on the ground floor windows, much to the bemusement of the poor innkeeper and his good wife.
That had been quite enough. Sabrina was going north, and if the great spy continued to be such a grump, he could take himself back to Edinburgh forthwith.
She raised a hand to knock when the door suddenly opened. Startled, she jerked back, almost losing her balance. Graeme snaked out a hand to steady her.
“Careful, lass, or you’ll fall on your arse.”
Sabrina composed herself. “I would never be so clumsy as to fall on my, er . . . as to fall down in so undignified a manner.”
He raised a sardonic eyebrow. Really, he had a talent for making her feel like a twit.
He also had a talent for looking splendid, even in his current state of dishevelment. While still dressed in breeches and boots, Graeme had discarded his topcoat and unbuttoned his vest. His shirt was partially open, exposing his throat and a portion of muscled chest. When he propped a forearm on the doorframe and stared down at her, Sabrina’s mouth went as dry as a day-old muffin, and her knees as wobbly as blancmange.
Apparently, the sight of such masculine pulchritude disordered her brain, because all she could do was stare like a besotted ninny. How she’d fallen in love with this Highland hellion in so short a time still astonished her.
Of course, why wouldn’t a woman fall in love with a hellion who was brave and smart, kind to women and children, and was also quite excellent with babies? Sabrina again had a sudden desire to have babies with Graeme—several, if she were lucky.
Amusement sparked in the back of his emerald gaze. Sabrina would have found that annoying but for the delicious smile that curled up the corners of his mouth.
“Is there something I can help you with, my lady?”
She blurted out her first thought. “How did you know I was standing out here? I was very quiet.”
“Never mind that. Why the devil are you even up? You should have been asleep ages ago.”
“Mr. Kendrick, it is not yet eleven o’ clock,” she tartly replied. “Hardly the middle of the night.”
“We’ll be up at the crack of dawn and back on this blasted journey. That is why you need to get your sleep instead of creeping about like a footpad.”
“I did not creep. I walked like a perfectly normal person.”
“Sabrina, there is nothing remotely normal about you.”
She jabbed a finger in the direction of his formidable chest. “Now, see here, sir—”
“No, you see here. You shouldn’t be wandering around the halls at night. It’s not safe.”
“If it’s so unsafe, perhaps you’d best let me come in.”
All humor gone, his eyes narrowed to slits. “Bad idea.”
Sabrina lifted her chin, and they engaged in a staring contest. But after several seconds, it began to feel absurd.
Fortunately, before she felt too ridiculous, floorboards creaked at the end of the hall. Muttering an oath, Graeme pulled her inside and closed the door.
“This is entirely daft,” he said. “Not to mention foolhardy and massively inappropriate.”
Sabrina folded her hands at her waist, trying to look dignified. “I need to talk to you.”
“We can talk in the morning.”
“Would you be more disposed to speak with me in the morning? I think not.”
“I’m less disposed to speak with you now.”
Sabrina put up her hand. “Let me guess. You need to do one more patrol, just to be sure that nonexistent villains are not lurking in the shadows. By the way, even if said villains do exist, they would have no idea we’re staying at this particular inn.”
“First, they likely do exist. Second, it wasn’t my idea to go belting off to the Highlands. That, lass, is on you.” He strode past her to the fireplace, grabbed the poker, and began jabbing at the smoldering fire.
Sabrina mentally girded her loins. “Mr. Kendrick, you must desist from such ill-tempered behavior. I find you to be quite the grump, and it’s quite annoying.”
He straightened up and stared at her in disbelief. “You’re annoyed? I’m trying to safeguard you from impending doom, and you’re annoyed. How the hell do you think I feel?”
She crinkled her nose. “Annoyed?”
He snorted and shook his head, rather like a bull getting ready to charge. And what he would likely do was charge her right out of his room.
She mustered a placating smile. “I admit we were rather assertive in our efforts to persuade you—”
“I believe dragooned would be a better term.”
“No one dragoons you anywhere, sir. You’re the most—” She was about to say pigheaded, but that would likely result in her immediate
ejection from his room.
“You were saying, Lady Sabrina?” he asked with sarcastic politeness.
“I was going to say that you are the most strong-willed person I’ve ever met. I doubt anyone could force you to do anything.”
“Except for you, apparently.”
He took her arm and steered her to the leather club chair in front of the now cheerily burning fire. He’d obviously stoked it for her comfort.
“All right, lass. Sit yourself down and say your piece.”
He retreated a few steps to lean against the fireplace mantel. Still he loomed over her, his broad shoulders, brawny frame, and long legs backlit by the flickering from the grate.
Really, the man was ridiculously impressive. Overpowering, really. And they were alone, in his bedroom. They’d been alone before, but never under such intimate circumstances.
“Well?” he prompted. “What’s with the skulking about and the inappropriate nighttime visits?”
Sabrina decided it was a waste of time to be shy with Graeme Kendrick. “I never skulk. As for inappropriate, desperate times call for desperate measures.”
He frowned. “What does that mean?”
“We will be arriving at my father’s estate tomorrow. I wish to know how you plan to proceed.”
His frown deepened into one of puzzlement.
She twirled a hand. “With your investigation, I mean.”
“Well,” he said, drawing out the word into a long, sardonic syllable, “I rather thought I’d wait until someone tried to kidnap you and then arrest them.”
“Can you actually arrest people?” she doubtfully asked.
Graeme rubbed an exasperated hand over his face. “I was joking, Sabrina.”
“I knew that.”
“You bloody well did not. And I’m hoping we can avoid the kidnapping part—or worse—which is why I objected to this mad venture. It’s making me insane to see you keep putting yourself in danger.”
Instead of offending her, his words made her flush with pleasure. “I have every confidence we will avoid such calamities.”
“I wish I shared your confidence. But we’re going in blind. We have no idea of the troubles that could await us.”
She also suspected they were walking into a mess, but one that had more to do with her father’s neglect than with any real threat to her.
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