Siren of the Highlands: Scottish Medieval Highlander Romance (Highlanders of Cherrythorn) Read online

  Chapter Fifteen

  Fin

  When the door opened, he looked up and was surprised to see Ivy stepping into his office. He watched as she quickly shut the door behind her and crossed the chamber, dropping down into the chair across from him. He leaned back in his own seat and studied her for a long moment, not knowing why she was there. For her part, she remained silent as she stared back at him.

  The moment stretched out, growing more strained and awkward. Fin cleared his throat and sat up straighter, lacing his hands together on top of his desk.

  “Good morning,” he finally said.

  “Good morning, Fin,” she said, her tone somber. “We are apparently leaving for Elix today. I wanted to say goodbye.”

  Fin was surprised by her announcement as well as the suddenness of their departure. He cocked his head and looked at her for a moment, pursing his lips.

  “Werenae ye s’posed tae be here for a while yet?”

  She nodded, and the irritation on her face was more than plain. As he paid closer attention to her, Fin could see that Ivy was not happy about leaving York at all. Some small voice in the back of his mind whispered to him. It asked him if it was York she was most upset about leaving - or him. He knew that he did not want her to leave. Fin knew he had a job to do, but he also wanted to spend more time with Ivy. He wanted to learn more about her. He felt that he had barely scratched the surface, and he was being cheated out of the opportunity to delve deeper.

  “We were supposed to be,” she growled. “But my brother says he has pressing business back home. And so, we go.”

  Fin’s mind started to spin as he thought about the timing of everything. It only threw another log onto the bonfire of suspicion burning inside of him, stoking it ever higher. Although he thought it felt like another link in that chain being forged, Fin knew he still had nothing in the way of proof. All he had was a lot of coincidences, and when you wanted to accuse an English noble of nefarious doings, he knew you needed a lot more than that.

  “Seems awful sudden,” Fin said.

  Ivy shrugged. “It does. But that is my brother. He is impulsive at times,” she replied. “It is not the first time he has decided something so hastily, and I am certain it will not be the last.”

  “Did he say what business is so pressin’?” Fin asked.

  She shook her head. “No. It is probably just some maiden he wants to deflower, knowing him as I do.”

  Fin drummed his fingers on the desk as he thought about it. He could see all of the different pieces and knew how they fit together. The trouble was, he could not prove it. He could not prove any of it. But he also could not say for sure that he was right. He could be seeing the way those pieces fit together because that was what he wanted to see.

  Fin was not a big believer in coincidences. But even he had to acknowledge that sometimes, they did just happen. He had to admit that sometimes things lined up just so, and in a way that defied explanation. It was possible that everything that happened in the last day or so could be just that.

  Of course, it could also be somethin’ more nefarious, tae.

  “So, when are ye leavin’?”

  She sighed. “As soon as Brixton finds me.”

  Fin gave her a curious look, and she covered her mouth with her hand as she giggled. It was a charming sound that made Fin smile. Slowly, her giggles faded, and she lowered her hand.

  “I gave him the slip earlier,” she said. “I did not want him to follow me here.”

  “Gave him the slip?”

  She nodded, and he loved seeing the mischievous light flash across her face. When they first met, Fin thought she was such a stiff, humorless woman. But now that he had spent a little time with her, he saw that deep down, underneath that mask she presented to the world, she was actually quite witty. And she could be more devilish than he would have imagined. He thought it was not just an interesting facet to her personality, but a downright adorable one, if he was honest.

  “I did. I ducked into a crowd so he could not follow me,” she said.

  Fin chuckled and shook his head. “And why did ye dae that?”

  She leaned back in her chair and smiled at him. It was just a small smile, but it was appealing all the same. It made her face light up and made her even more beautiful than she already was. When Ivy smiled or laughed, she had such an open easiness about her, a lightness of her spirit. It was hard to not feel like a moth drawn to her flame.

  “For one thing, I do not enjoy having a shadow everywhere I go,” she said. “And two, I wanted to come say goodbye to you without a chaperone. I do not think that you are a threat to my life.”

  Fin smiled. “I’m glad ye came tae see me,” he said. “And nay. I’m nae a threat to yer life. Ye’ve got good instincts.”

  They shared a laugh together, but it seemed somewhat strained to Fin. It was as if there was some unspoken truth, some words left unsaid, hanging in the air between them. There was a physical pressure to it that pressed down on him. Fin felt his stomach churning, and his heart swelling, and he puzzled over it for a moment before he realized what it was.

  I’m goin’ tae miss her. That’s what this funny feelin’ is.

  It astounded Fin that he had known her for such a short time, but she had this sort of impact on him. He did not understand how it was possible, given that he still knew so little about her. But that was the thing… he wanted to know so much more. He wanted to know everything. And knowing he was likely not going to get the chance is what was causing the strange emotions swirling around inside of him.

  And as he looked at her on the other side of his desk, at the expression on her face and the guarded look in her eye, he wondered if she was feeling the same way. Or whether it was like it was with her brother… that he merely saw what he wanted to see.

  “Tis a shame ye’re leavin’ so soon,” Fin said with a small smile. “I was hopin’ tae have another talk over meat pies.”

  “I would have enjoyed that, Fin.”

  “Aye. I would’ve tae.”

  They sat together in silence for a long moment, neither of them speaking or moving. They sat like they had been frozen in time, their bodies taut, and their gazes locked together. Although thoughts about Ivy swirled through his mind, he was also thinking about the problem at hand at the same time. The problem being her brother.

  He wondered if she might know who he was meeting with in the garden last night. Maybe she could provide some clarity one way or the other. She could prove to him that it was all totally innocent, that Castor was meeting with somebody who had nothing to do with what happened in the small hours this morning.

  Or, she could confirm for him that the man he met with was the same man the Duke’s guard had in custody. If she knew the name of the man her brother was meeting with, she could put an end to this once and for all. It would expose her brother as the man behind the assassination attempts on the Duke and Gillian.

  But that left him with a dilemma. He did not believe she would knowingly expose her brother. Fin did not believe she was a part of the conspiracy, but at the same time, he did not think she would intentionally incriminate Castor. Regardless of how frustrated she might get with him, he was her brother. Family. And if there was one thing Fin had learned about the English, it was that they put an extraordinary value on family and loyalty.

  Are we Scots any different in that way? I know I would dae just about bleedin’ anythin’ Col asked me tae dae.

  But still, Fin knew he needed to ask Ivy if she knew anything. But he also knew he needed to be delicate. He needed to poke around the edges of the topic of her brother. He knew he was selfish and that he was delicate only because he did not want to offend her. He did not want to upset her or risk Ivy’s wrath.

  He wanted to leave things on good terms simply because she made him feel things he was not used to feeling. Fin knew that he liked Ivy and wanted to keep in her good graces. But that meant he was going to need to question her - gently. The problem was, he
did not know how to be delicate. He was a man who faced things head-on and did not dance around the issues.

  “What is it?” Ivy asked as she cocked her head at him. “You look vexed.”

  He chuckled softly. “That is me natural state of bein’, lass.”

  She smiled. “You are not so disagreeable as you think, Fin.”

  “Ye say that because ye havenae been around me for long,” he said with a grin. “Ask anybody who’s kent me for a while.”

  She favored him with a smile that made his heart turn somersaults in his chest. It was a reaction he had never had for a woman before. She made him feel new things. Unexpected. Things that made him feel a lightness inside of him that was strange and yet… nice. And he wanted to hold onto that for a while longer. He wanted to explore that with her and see where it went. He wanted to see if she did indeed feel the same way because although he thought he could see it in her eyes, Fin was not sure his judgment could be trusted when it came to her.

  But I have a job tae dae. Before anythin’ else, I need tae find out who tried to kill the Duke and Col. Who almost killed Gillian.

  Fin let out a long sigh knowing that he very well might be saying goodbye to Ivy in a very different way here shortly. But it was his duty. His responsibility. And he would not - could not - let Col down.

  “I need tae ask ye somethin’, Ivy.”

  “Sure, go ahead,” she replied. “Ask me anything.”

  Fin looked down at the top of the desk and frowned. And when he looked back up at her, he could see a flash of concern on Ivy’s face. He was apparently not doing a very good job of hiding his vexation.

  “I saw yer braither in the garden with somebody last night. I couldnae see who it was - they had the hood of their cloak pulled low,” he said. “I need tae ken if he told ye about anybody he was meetin’ with.”

  She looked at him strangely for a moment, seeming to be somewhat uncertain of what Fin meant by the question.

  “No, he did not tell me he was meeting with anybody last night,” she said. “But that is not surprising. He does not tell me much.”

  Fin sighed. “So he didnae mention meetin’ anybody? Nae even in passin’?”

  “What is this about, Fin?”

  He gnawed on his bottom lip and looked away, unwilling to meet her eyes. He felt conflicted. Coming here to find the would-be assassin was a duty he took very seriously, and it was a duty he had vowed to see through to the end. But on the other hand, he did not want to ruin things with Ivy before they began. And that was something he thought was sure to happen if he pursued her brother.

  But he had nay choice. He had tae dae his bleedin’ duty.

  He sighed. “I saw yer braither in the garden with somebody last night,” he said, “and then there’s a murder’n another attempt on the Duke’s life…”

  He let his voice trail off as he watched her putting it all together in her mind. She was an intelligent woman. She was clever. And Fin knew she would know where his questions were leading. She clenched her jaw and narrowed her eyes as color flooded her face.

  “Are you insinuating that my brother had something to do with the attempt on the Duke’s life?” she hissed. “Or the attempt on Gillian’s life?”

  It was going about how Fin had expected it to. She was already getting upset and preparing to defend her brother. At the moment, Fin could not blame her. He had nothing to base an accusation on. But she could very well be the key to unlocking the whole mystery. Even if she did not know or accept it.

  Fin held his hand up to forestall the impending explosion. “I am nae insinuatin’ anythin’,” he said. “I’m just askin’ questions like I’m s’posed tae be doin’.”

  “It certainly seemed like you were accusing my brother--”

  “I was nae accusin’ him of nothin’,” he said. “It just seemed tae be a coincidence tae big tae ignore.”

  “Well, you can get that out of your head right now, Fin,” she huffed, her indignation growing. “My brother did nothing to harm the Duke or Gillian.”

  “I’m nae sayin’ he did. I just need tae ken the name of the man he met with last night,” he argued.

  “Fin, this is ridiculous,” she said. “My brother would never do anything to hurt the Duke.”

  He let out a breath and pursed his lips. “Like I keep sayin’, I’m nae sayin’ he did,” he said. “I just need tae be sure and nae rule anythin’ out.”

  “Well, you can rule Castor out. He may be craven and ambitious, but he is no killer.”

  “Ivy, I just need the name--”

  “I do not know,” she practically screamed, her voice filled with exasperation. “He did not tell me. But whoever this man he met is, I can assure you that he is not the assassin.”

  She spoke so forcefully and passionately. She truly did believe her brother could not have had anything to do with the assassination attempts. And Fin would have loved to be able to believe her and leave it at that. But if she did not know who her brother met with, she could not know what they talked about or what the man did - or did not - do.

  The air between them was suddenly tense and filled with angry energy that crackled all around them. Ivy’s demeanor had suddenly grown cool as she looked at him, and that imperiousness in her attitude he had seen the day they met returned. She glared at him, her jaw clenched, and her hands balled into fists in her lap.

  Fin wanted to tell her he was sorry. Wanted to bridge the gap that had suddenly opened between them and smooth everything over. He wanted to go back to when things were fun and free between them, and she didn’t look at him like she wanted to run him through with a sword.

  “I didnae mean tae upset ye,” Fin said. “I’m just doin’ what I was ordered tae dae.”

  She looked at him for a long moment, and Fin saw her features soften - slightly. She let out a long breath and gave him a tight smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Ivy opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by the sound of the door to his office being opened. Fin looked up to see Brixton, the big man who had been shadowing her that day in the market, standing in the doorway. He was tense and had a look of sheer exasperation on his face.

  Fin cut a glance at Ivy and saw that she was staring straight ahead, her face stony, her silence deafening. As much as Fin wanted to laugh, knowing what he did, he kept it reined in.

  “What can I dae for ye, Mr. Brixton?” Fin asked.

  The large man’s eyes settled on Ivy, who hadn’t turned around or acknowledged his presence in any way. As Brixton stood in the doorway, Fin studied the man and thought back to the mystery man he saw in the garden with Castor last night. He quickly rejected the thought, though. Brixton was too large to have been that man.

  “I came to collect the Lady Welton,” he said. “We seem to have gotten - separated - earlier.”

  Fin nodded. “Aye. She just came tae say goodbye.”

  “Well then, come along Lady Welton,” Brixton said. “Your brother is waiting.”

  Ivy let out a long, loud breath as she got to her feet. She cast a look down at Fin, and it looked like there was more that she wanted to say. But something in her eyes changed, and Fin was sure that what she was actually going to say died on her lips.

  “It was lovely to meet you, Mr. Begbie,” she said. “I wish you well in your endeavors.”

  “Aye. I wish ye well tae, Lady Welton,” he said. “Safe travels back to Elix.”

  Her eyes lingered on his for a moment longer before she turned away. Fin watched as Ivy strode past Brixton and out into the corridor, never looking back once. Brixton gave him a hard look before he turned and followed Ivy, pulling the door closed behind him. Fin leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed upon the door, some small part of him wishing that Ivy would come bursting back through it again.

  Might as well wish for the sun not tae rise on the morrow.

  To Fin, it felt like there were many words left unsaid between them. It felt like their conversation was incomplete. He knew there was much mo
re he wanted to say to her. Many questions he had as he endeavored to get to know her. And in that last glance she cast at him, Fin thought he saw much the same in her eyes. She left in a huff, upset at him for thinking what he was, but there was something more there as well. She was hesitant. Reluctant. She did not want to go, he could tell.

  But she was gone. She was gone, and he was left alone with his thoughts — and his regrets. And he still had a job to do.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Ivy

  Her brother did not say a single word to her the entire trip back to Elix. Not a single word. He simply rode at the head of the procession, pointedly ignoring her. Every time she tried to strike up a conversation, he would turn away and begin speaking to somebody else. It was perhaps, one of the most childish things he had ever done. Which, given his history, was saying something.

  His petulance was irritating to her, but she was not going to play his game. If he wanted to act like a child, she was not going to indulge him in it. She’d had quite enough of his boorishness.

  When they arrived back at Elix, Ivy sequestered herself away in her bedchamber. She had taken a long, hot bath and had changed into a comfortable dress. Now that she was clean and feeling fresh again, she was in a much better mood. Ivy was not a woman who enjoyed being filthy and covered in road dust.

  “So, what is this I hear about you and some rather large Scottish fellow?”

  Ivy turned to see Mira stepping into her bedchamber with a wide smile on her face. Mira had been her handmaiden since they were young girls. They had grown up together and were more like sisters than anything. Mira was a beautiful girl with hair the color of gold and eyes a dazzling shade of blue. She was tall, her skin was flawless and the color of cream, and she had the sort of curves that made grown men blush.

  Ivy had always thought that Mira was one of the most beautiful women she had ever known and envied her beauty. She had always felt positively plain when she stood next to Mira. But she was the best friend Ivy had in this world, and she treasured her. Ivy flashed her a smile as Mira closed the door behind her and skipped across the bedchamber to her.