Well, of course she wouldn’t—she still didn’t know the first thing about her husband or his acquaintances. Chiding herself, she hurried to the study with Caithren following behind.
“It’s probably nothing,” Cait said as they dropped onto two chairs. “Open it.”
“It isn’t addressed to me.”
“You said yourself he won’t be home for a month. It could be important business.”
“I suppose you’re right.” Feeling more than a little uneasy, Kendra slid a fingernail beneath the black seal. “How odd,” she said quietly.
“Aye?”
“It’s addressed ‘Dear Patrick Iain,’ rather than by his title.” She read further and released a little gasp.
“What does it say?”
“Listen.” She drew a deep breath. “‘I don’t know if you’ll remember me, since eighteen years have passed since I’ve set eyes on your face. But as a dear old friend of your mother’s, I feel honor bound to warn you of possible danger. When Elspeth—’” Kendra paused. “That’s Trick’s mother,” she clarified.
“Go on.”
“‘When Elspeth wrote the letter to summon you home, she was in perfect health. In the two days since, she has begun a rapid decline that I find inexplicable and alarming. I beg you, take heed. Yours in friendship, Hamish Munroe.’” She looked up. “What could he mean? Why would she write a letter saying she was dying, if she was in perfect health?”
“Maybe she wanted to reconcile, but she didn’t believe he’d come home for that alone.”
“Possibly,” Kendra conceded. But her heart was pounding unevenly. “Yet this Mr. Munroe clearly believes that something is afoot. Trick could be in danger.”
“I imagine he can defend himself, seeing as he used to be a highwayman.”
Although she was tempted to tell Cait that Trick still was a highwayman—and share her concerns about that—Kendra knew he wouldn’t want it discussed. Surprised to find herself bound to him by some form of loyalty, she suppressed the urge to unburden herself.
“I think I should go to him,” she said instead.
“Pardon?”
“I think I should go to Trick. He needs to see this letter.”
“I don’t think Jason—”
“A pox on Jason! He lost his right to tell me what to do when he married me off to Trick. Now I’m duty bound to warn my husband of possible danger.”
And she also felt rather obliged to save their relationship. Perhaps if she allowed Trick the physical intimacies he’d been missing, they would grow more intimate in other ways, and he’d begin to open up to her. She had to try.
Besides, now that she knew she had nothing to fear, the prospect of giving Trick a chance in their bed was more than a little thrilling.
She rose and began to pace. “I must leave immediately.” Her mind raced with possible plans.
“Is tomorrow soon enough?” Cait asked.
“Probably. He didn’t seem in much of a hurry, so if I rush—” She turned and looked at Cait. “What are you thinking?”
“We’re leaving for Scotland tomorrow. Jason and I. Maybe you can come along. But you’ll have to talk to your brother,” she added with a small smile. “You’ll have to break this vow of silence.”
“I suppose I will,” Kendra said grimly. “And Mrs. Chauncey’s supper will have to wait.”
TWENTY-EIGHT
“HOW DARE YOU marry me off to a duke!”
Seated at the desk in his study at Cainewood, Jason steepled his fingers atop a leather-bound ledger. “Ah, the return of the formidable Kendra. Leaving your husband already?”
“No, he left me.”
Seeing his mouth drop open, Kendra felt a small nudge of satisfaction.
“To go to Scotland,” she added. “His mother is ill—dying—and she asked to see him. Except she wasn’t dying until after she sent the letter. But Trick doesn’t know that. I received another letter—”
“Whoa. Slow down.” Jason gave a violent shake of his head, then rose from behind the desk and came around it to embrace his sister. “How are you doing?”
“I’ve been better,” she muttered into his chest. “And I hate you, you know.”
“I’m sure you do.” He pulled back and kissed her on the forehead. “Now sit down and tell me about these letters.”
“FORD?” Kendra called softly.
Surrounded by burning candles and dozens of ticking clocks, her twin looked up from the gears in his hands, his gaze going to the dawn-lit window. “Is it morning already?”
“It is.” She walked closer, reaching a finger to set a pendulum swinging as she went. “We’re leaving.”
As he stood and stretched, a clock began chiming, and another, and another, a cacophony of discordant tones. Laughing, Kendra wrapped her arms around her brother. “I’ll miss you and all your experiments,” she said, her gaze sweeping over beakers and magnets, chemicals and microscopes, and the long, impressive telescope she and Colin had given him as a birthday gift two years ago.
“I’m going to turn base metal into gold,” he said, returning her hug. “And then I’ll restore Lakefield House to a glorious standard.”
“And fill it with machinery, no doubt.”
“Of course.” He pulled away, smiling. “Come, I’ll walk you down.”
Outside, early-morning sun slanted against Cainewood’s ancient stones, bathing the quadrangle in a golden glow. Kendra pressed a kiss to her twin’s cheek and swung up to Pandora’s saddle.
“I’ll miss you, too,” he said. “Are you sure you’d rather not stay here with me? Jason can take the letter to your husband—”
“We’ve been over this already. I’m going.”
Ford looked up at Jason, mounted on his favorite silver gelding. “Impossible, isn’t she?” he asked his oldest brother. “I’ll wager you’re happier than ever she’s another man’s responsibility now.”
“Not yet, it seems.” The glint of amusement in Jason’s eyes offset his sarcastic tone. “But the minute we reach Duncraven, I’ll be happy enough to turn her over.”
Sitting atop a shiny red-brown mare, Caithren shook her head. “Hush up, you two. You don’t mean any of this.” She turned to Kendra. “They love you, the both of them.”
“I know,” Kendra said with both a huff and a smile. No matter that she hadn’t yet quite
