Page 36 of A First Sight

I studied her face as I answered. She seemed to be genuinely interested in what I had to say. “Three, all older. My brother, Richard, and his wife have three kids and nine grandkids.”

Maggie’s eyes went wide. “Nine grandkids?”

I chuckled at her response. Knowing she had a large family made her surprise more amusing. “Aye. I’m a bit of an afterthought child, so I have nieces and nephews not much younger than me.”

She studied me for a moment. I knew what she was trying to figure out. Still, I waited, curious to see if she’d ask or move on to another question. My Belle would have blurted it out, uncaring about whether it was proper to do so.

“There’s a pretty big gap between my oldest and youngest siblings, too,” she said finally. “But we’re a blended family, so that’s not unusual.”

“My sister Darlene and I have sixteen years between us. And she’s the younger middle child.”

“Wow.”

“I was raised more like an only child,” I said. “When my brother, Richard, married, I was two years old.”

I could see the wheels turning as Maggie did the math. I considered waiting to see how long it took her to ask, but I didn’t want to tease her with everything else she went through today. Besides, if I told her, maybe it would get my head in the right place. While she might be the same age Belle had been,Iwas no longer that young.

“I’m forty-four.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “I—I didn’t expect that.”

I laughed. “I’ve been told I look younger.”

She nodded. “You do. I’d put you in your mid-thirties.”

“Thank you.” I felt a flush of pleased pride. I knew she didn’t mean anything by it—especially since she said nothing about me being attractive, just looking younger than my age—but I couldn’t help enjoying it.

“My Da is from Edinburgh,” she said, changing the subject. “Does your family have any roots there? If my math’s right, he’d be around the same age as your siblings.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her about my conversation with Uncle Ben, about Darlene having met Patrick McCrae, but then I realized that would reveal how much I knew about who she was. Instead, I answered her question.

“My sister, Darlene, lived in Edinburgh with her first husband when she was in her early twenties.”

“I’ll have to ask Da about her then.”

“Ask Da about what?” Carson said as he came back into the room.

“If he knows Drake’s sister, Darlene,” Maggie said.

“Aren’t your people from Inverness?” Carson asked.

“Yes.” I nodded, his words confirming my suspicions that he left to find out who I was. “My sister and her husband lived in Edinburgh for a while, though.”

“You check out,” Carson said, giving me a hard look. “The people I talked to all spoke highly of you and your uncle.”

“Carson! That’s what you were doing?!” Maggie was clearly horrified. “Drake has done nothing but help me!”

“It’s all right,” I cut in, assuring her. “He’s just looking out for you. I’d expect nothing less from a good brother.”

If I said it intending to get into Carson’s good graces, he would have seen it. But I spoke from the heart, and I believed Carson could see that.

“Your address?” he asked me.

I told him without hesitation, wondering if he already had it. Dale would do well not to underestimate this brother.

“How is security at your building?” Carson asked.

“Excellent,” I answered honestly. “ A doorman and a security guard are on duty at all times. Everyone who comes in has to show ID, and if they’re not a resident or on the approved list of guests, they aren’t admitted past the lobby until there’s verbal confirmation from a resident that they’re allowed.”

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