Page 79 of Edinburgh Escape
Maggie pressed a hand to her chest, suddenly afraid of the man who’d seemed to be a loyal servant to the Drummond family.
“Unbeknownst to Daniel Boyd, he raised his boss’s son as his own. My mother, the assistant to Lady E, kept that secret through my childhood, through the death of Lady Elizabeth and to her own deathbed, where she confessed the truth to my father. Several months later, I knew he was dying of a broken heart, but not just because my mother had left us. He was also heartbroken that they never had children together, as he’d thought for all those years. He told me he couldn’t stand to look at me, knowing I was Lord Drummond’s son, not his. He died hating Lord Drummond and hating me.”
“I’m so sorry that happened to you. But I didn’t come to Scotland to claim an inheritance. I came to meet my brother, only to learn I actually had two. Now, make that three.”
“And there’s no telling how many more half-brothers and sisters we have if my father continued in his penchant for adultery. For the longest, I thought I only had to get rid of two to claim what is rightfully mine as the oldest son. Not a portion of the estate, but everything. All the things my mother and I didn’t get that you got when Lady E tried to make right what our father did to your mother. My mother didn’t have that advantage. And when she died of cancer, Douglas Drummond didn’t even visit her in the hospital or send her flowers. He shrugged her off the moment she got sick.”
“You want the entire estate?” Maggie asked, shocked at Alastair’s confession.
“Everything down to the horses in the stable. I’m the oldest son. I should inherit everything, not Ewan. I stayed and cared for the horses. I drove the old man around wherever he wanted to go. He never thanked me, never acknowledged me other than as someone who could do his bidding. I deserved more.”
All the while Alastair was talking, he drove further and further away from the estate. Based on the landmarks, Maggie could tell that they were at least headed in the direction of the airport. She leaned forward and studied more of the signs. Yes, they were headed toward Edinburgh. She slipped her cell phone out of her purse. Holding it low on her lap, she looked for Callum’s number.
“You are taking me to the airport, aren’t you?” Maggie asked as if nothing was terribly wrong when she knew things were about to get bad.
Alastair shook his head. “I told you, I only had two Drummonds to get rid of until you showed up. Now, I have three.”
“Get rid of?” She glanced up. “What do you mean? I’m going back to Montana. Isn’t that what you want?”
Just when she found Callum’s number, Alastair slammed on the brakes.
Maggie jerked forward, the seatbelt catching her.
Alastair pivoted, reached over the back of the seat and plucked her phone from her hands. He rolled down the window and tossed her phone out.” Then he resumed driving. “Even in Montana, you can inherit a portion of the Drummond Estate. It’s mine. Not yours, not Ewan’s and not Bryce’s. It’s mine, and I’m going to make sure no one else gets it.”
“The apple…” Maggie’s heart sank into the pit of her belly. “The apple you gave to Bryce made him sick after one little bite. Did you know it rolled into Montana’s stall?”
Alastair shot a narrow-eyed glance at Maggie. “You lie.”
She shook her head. “Bryce dropped it. Before he could pick it up, it rolled in with Montana. He ate all but the tiny piece Bryce ate for your benefit.” Maggie’s brow furrowed. “It was poisoned, wasn’t it? That’s why Montana was so sick. You’ve been giving Bryce apples laced with poison. Haven’t you? That’s why he’s been so sick.” She covered her mouth with a hand. “I can’t believe you did that. Are you so greedy that you’d poison a child?”
Alastair’s mouth formed a tight line across his face. “I want what’s mine. All I have to do is eliminate the competition.” He stared straight forward, continuing to drive down the country road toward Edinburgh.
As they came to a slow-moving river along the way, Alastair cast a quick glance toward Maggie in the back seat, hit the child locks on the back doors and then he veered off the road and drove the car toward the river.
Maggie screamed as the vehicle bumped down a short hill toward the river.
At the last second, Alastair opened his door and flung himself out onto the bank.
The car continued forward and plunged into the dark waters of the river.
Maggie scrambled to unbuckle her seatbelt as water quickly filled the interior of the vehicle. Her seatbelt refused to release. When she tried to open the back door of the vehicle, the child locks had been engaged. To make them release, she’d have to climb over the front seat, find the release button, disengage the child lock and then get the hell out of there.
Cold water swirled around her, chilling her to the bone. Was this the end of a good run? Would she never see her home in Montana again? She wouldn’t have the pleasure of watching Bryce grow into a handsome man like his brother Ewan. She wouldn’t see Callum again and tell him she wouldn’t give up. When you found someone so perfect for you, you stuck around and showed him how right you were for each other.
Maggie fought with the buckle, determined to return to the manor and tell Callum all the reasons why he should get over himself and let her love him.
Damn it! She refused to die.
The water filling the interior of the car had other plans.
Chapter 17
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Callum brushed away something small tapping against his shoulder. He hadn’t slept so soundly since the mission from hell. He wanted to continue sleeping.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
