Page 11 of Loving Graystoke's Heir

Chapter Three

The village was some distance outside of town, but the trip passed quickly. Tamsin’s anger was a distracting companion. She thought over and over again about all the times that Harold Graystoke had updated the Board of Directors on the progress, or rather the lack of progress, of the private investigators looking for Donal. His frustration. His anger. The fierce looks on his face.

How many times had he protested her requests for a change? He always said that it was unfair, that Donal was likely lost to them.

He always said that they needed to find him one way or another to have things settled.

And yet, for the last year, no… for more than that, she had begun to believe that it was all a show.

How much of a show? She didn’t know.

Not really.

The next time she talked to him, she was going to start asking more questions. He’d allowed her to travel over the Atlantic Ocean to find her own answers, but so far, all she had were more questions.

She didn’t want to think about all those times when she felt something turn in her middle and wonder if it was only her concern for Donal that had created those feelings, or was there something else that she’d felt.

Something more sinister.

The jeep turned onto a dirt road and the sudden change in the way the wheels interacted with the ground under them turned her head. She sat up higher against the seat and turned a curious look out of the windshield.

“We’re getting close.”

She nodded at Magheli’s comment, taking in the scenery for herself.

The group of buildings up ahead where all single-story structures. She’d heard Harold scoff at the condition of things in Africa, making derogatory comments about the condition of the country and its people, but what she saw wasn’t much different from the area she lived in. Out of the way and quiet from what she could see.

There were people about, and a few heads turned to watch the jeep approach the main collection of buildings.

Tamsin’s main focus wasn’t on the details of their destination, it was on the feelings that stirred inside of her. After having time to mull over her own worries about the search for Donal, what stirred within as she looked at their destination was a feeling of relief, as if she knew the answer to at least some of her questions lay ahead of her.

The expressions she saw on the faces turned in their direction were curious, but they bore none of the cold distrust that she had already faced.

It was a welcome sight, and she hoped it wasn’t a false sense of security.

They parked before the smallest building at the center of the village and before Magheli could make it to her door, Tamsin stepped out and settled her clothes. Sitting in the jeep wasn’t the problem. She had been so tied up in knots on the inside that Tamsin had somehow twisted and wrinkled her outfit during the drive. She looked up at Magheli and saw the laughter in his eyes.

“You look fine.”

She shook her head. “I’m not worried about how I look. I need to focus my thoughts and settle my mood. You never did tell me who we’ve come to see.”

There was a pull at the corners of his mouth, and she drew in a worried breath.

“What?”

“I’d like to say that he’s an old friend of mine, but that would probably be stretching the truth.”

He put a hand on her lower back and nudged her toward the front door of the small home, and she felt the awkward stiffness in his hand.

“How much of a stretch?”

He took a moment to answer and by then they were at the door. “Let’s just hope he actually answers the door.”

“Oh great.” She took charge of the situation and knocked at the door. “I’m just going to cross my fingers and hope.”

They didn’t have to wait long for an answer. The door opened to the wizened face of an older man who looked out at them with a smile, until he lifted his gaze over her shoulder. Narrowing his eyes, he sighed. “Magheli.”

Tamsin heard a soft cough behind her. “Mzamo.”

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