Page 72 of Promises to Keep

“I think you’re right, it’s 1904, the year she was visiting Paris to see Picasso, we met with her here not that many months ago. You’d think she would be back, many times, but here she... it looks like it’s been years.”

“Aye.” I sifted through some of her paperwork while Kaitlyn crept down the hallway

She called from a back room. “Magnus!”

I followed her voice tae Lady Mairead’s bedroom.

“The bed was unmade, which was odd. And look!”

There were papers spread across the sheets, and a pen laying beside them. The bed mussed, as if she had been sleeping, writing, worrying... I picked up one of the pages. The top entry read:

I am very concerned, I believe Agnie has located this safe house. She seems determined to destroy me. I am set on the idea that I must_____________

An ink-mark went down the page from the last word.

I flipped it over, there was nothing on the back. I passed it tae Kaitlyn, then scanned the next page. It was headed:

What do I understand about Agnie Macleod?

Kaitlyn read over m’shoulder, a list that included:

Ormr

Domnall

Dunscaith Castle

MacLeod Ranch, Montana.

The year 1872.

Circled a few times. Beside it, in looping hand:

Villa Magnifique. South of France.

1959.

Then ominously the words:

Can I trust Hammond?

Then:

I am no longer sure.

I passed m’mother’s list tae Kaitlyn. “Och, do ye think?”

Kaitlyn looked down at it and shook her head, “I don’t know, but if your gut and her gut tells you he’s not trustworthy, maybe he’s not?”

Magnus shook his head slowly. “I daena want tae beleve it, but I daena want tae be made a fool.”

“He has been taking care of Riaghalbane for you for a long time.”

“Aye.”

“What was in it for him?”

“The only thing was that his life wasna at risk. If he was in line for the throne it was likely that someone would want him dead, so instead he allied himself with me tae survive.”

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