Page 42 of Return to Clan Sinclair
“I think I’ll trade you,” he said. “You for Virginia. Would she come, do you think? If she knew it was your life?”
She had been right to ascribe cruelty to the look in his eyes.
“Yes,” she said without hesitation. “But my brother would not allow her to.”
“So he would rather let you die than surrender his wife?”
“I doubt I would say it as baldly, but yes. He loves her a great deal.”
She shouldn’t have said that. His face darkened, the easy smile disappeared.
“Don’t lecture me on love. I know more about love than you can imagine. I would have given her everything. I can protect her and keep her in a style greater than she’s ever known.”
“I don’t think Virginia cares about wealth,” she said. “Granted, it’s easier to live when every need you have is answered. But I think she would live with Macrath in a crofter’s hut and feel herself blessed.”
“Let’s hope you’re wrong,” he said.
“She won’t come,” she said.
“You should pray she does. Otherwise, I have no use for you.”
Didn’t he realize how angry Macrath was going to be? Not to mention Bruce. She wasn’t wrong, was she? Both of them were going to come after her, weren’t they?
How foolish she was being. She must remain calm. Becoming hysterical would not get her out of the situation.
She smiled at Henderson.
“I can see why you would be in love with Virginia. She’s a wonderful person and I’ve been happy to call her my sister-in-law all these years.”
He didn’t respond, only looked at her with his piercing eyes. She glanced away, noting the other furniture in the sitting room: a secretary, two comfortable chairs in front of the fireplace with a table between them.
Had he rented the house fully furnished? Had he purchased it? Just how long had he planned to kidnap Virginia? Didn’t he know Macrath would not tolerate the loss of his wife?
“Would you like some tea?”
She looked at him, surprised. Did he think this was a social call?
“I’d really like to go home,” she said.
“Tea?”
He smiled again, an expression not the least bit convivial or amused.
“I should like some very much,” she said. If he was insisting on being a polite abductor, who was she to spare him the pleasure?
“And perhaps a few refreshments,” he said.
Had he heard her rumbling stomach? Fear or no fear, she was hungry.
She nodded, pasting on an Irish smile. She’d had plenty of opportunities to appear malleable when faced with her brothers-in-law’s intransigence.
Better men than Paul Henderson had tried to manipulate her, and they’d failed.
“Thank you,” she said. “That would be nice.”
He left her alone in the sitting room, closing the door behind him. She heard the unmistakable click of a key in the latch as he locked her in.
Once she was certain he was really gone, she stood and walked to the window. The house was perched on a hill, surrounded by mature trees. Through the branches she could see a view of a glen and the blue haze of mountains in the distance.
