Page 212 of The Protective Gryphen

‘My once dearest Duncan,

You have sent word that you are returning to YOUR home, Ravensmire. You have also asked that I take leave, so your new love can make this castle a home.

So I will leave, but not how you want.

Take care of our son, Callum, and one day, tell him how you were married to his mother, and laid with another. Tell him that you kicked me out of our home because of a friendship that went too far.

Had I left, I couldn’t provide the life that Callum deserved, so you shall have to do it. Bury me in the crypt because I deserve at least that. Find it in your cold, dead heart to fight your new love’s decision to place me as far from my home and son.

Until then, know that I curse your bloodline to always have to wade through the blood of the dead. To see them wherever you go in battle and life. Your house shall be cursed until the end of time. You killed me, Duncan. I just did the deed.

No longer yours in life or death,

Ceit.’

Gryphen whistled.

“So she committed suicide?” he asked. “When you asked her if she was killed, she knocked the painting over.”

He pointed at the words.

You killed me, Duncan. I just did the deed.

“I think that’s what she meant. He made her do it. Her heart was so broken that she couldn’t leave. What was a single woman to do with a child in fifteen ninety-four? She’d be disgraced especially if it was an arranged marriage.”

Gryphen didn’t understand that.

“Why didn’t she just go home?”

“Because she was a woman and given to Duncan’s family. She no longer belonged with her family. She was his property.”

He thought about it.

“I feel bad for her.”

Ian did too.

“That’s why she likely haunts this place. She wanted to be buried in the crypt, and she isn’t. How much do you want to bet the new hussy that he brought back had her dumped elsewhere?”

He wasn’t taking that bet.

“Apparently, they didn’t really love each other. I couldn’t do you dirty like that, Ian.”

He agreed.

“Me either, Gryph. Me either.”

“Well, we solved the mystery,” Gryphen said.

Ian went over what they knew.

“She took her own life, the hussy didn’t put her where she needed to be, and instead, she’s far from here and her son. We have to find her.”

Oh, he stared at him and didn’t like where this was heading.

“Nope. We don’t have to do that,” Gryphen said.

When the dining room door slammed, and no one was there, both men jumped.

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