Page 54 of Heirs and Graces at Highland Hall
Her heart jolted in her chest as she opened up the notebook on the only written page.
‘What?’ Gordon asked. ‘What is it, Bex? What have you found out?’
She shook her head, tears pricking behind her eyes. She couldn’t tell him yet. Not until she was sure.
‘We need to wait until Moira’s here. She knows. The old woman knows. I’m sure of it.’
Moving over to the desk, she placed the notebook down and opened it at the list of hospitals. Next to it, she placed thephotograph Duncan had shown her only minutes before, the one of his mother, and Gordon’s phone.
‘You sure you don’t want to let me in on all this?’ Gordon asked, looking over at the desk. ‘You know, given it’s my job an’ all?’
With her lips pressed tightly together, Bex considered that Gordon was right. She should probably tell him what she had discovered – or at least thought she had discovered – but before she could open her mouth, there was a knock at the door.
‘Bex?’ Duncan was standing there, his brow creased in worry. ‘I found her for you.’
He stepped to the side, revealing Moira standing behind him, lips pursed. Bex hurried forwards and took the old woman by the hands.
‘Moira, I need to ask you something, and I need you to tell me the truth. I think you already know what it is, don’t you?’
The old lady shifted. Her gaze avoiding looking at the photo. And everyone else. ‘My memory’s not as good as it was, love.’
‘Please don’t do this. Please don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about,’ Bex said, her voice strained with urgency. ‘It’s too important for that.’
With a slight sniff, Moira nodded. A flicker of relief fluttered in Bex.
‘Come on in. Sit down. We should shut the door.’
As Bex looped her arm into Moira’s to help her into the room, Duncan cleared his throat.
‘I guess I should leave you to it,’ he said. ‘The photo of my ma, though. If I could get it back from you?’
Bex shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, Duncan. I don’t think you should go anywhere just yet. You need to hear this, too.’
His mouth twitched, as if he was going to say something, but instead, he nodded once, then followed them into the room.
‘Can you close the door?’ Bex added as she lowered Moira into the armchair. ‘We don’t want to be interrupted.’
Wordlessly, Duncan closed the door, then moved silently into the room. Gordon had already taken a seat and Bex considered doing the same, only to find that she didn’t want to sit down at all. She needed to move. She needed to keep moving.
‘Okay, we’re all yours,’ Gordon said. ‘What have you found out?’
Her heart was pounding and her throat was so dry she wished she’d brought a glass of champagne in with her. Not that she needed any more Dutch courage. She’d drunk enough for that already. But what she had seen, what she had figured out, wasn’t because of the alcohol. She was sure of that. Clenching her fists at her sides, she drew a long breath. She was right. She knew she was.
After one more steeling breath, she opened her mouth, still not sure where exactly she was going to start.
‘The thing is—’ That was as far as she got as her words were cut short by the study door swinging open.
It felt as though the air had been sucked from the room as every pair of eyes turned to look at the man standing there in the doorway. A man who only a few minutes ago had been beaming at her. And yet now he was scanning the group with a look of mystified annoyance.
‘Well, what exactly have we got going on here?’ Kieron said.
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Kieron moved further into the study, his expression relaxing slightly into a soft smile.
‘There is a party going on, you know. And I was hoping to get another dance, Rebecca.’
The nerves Bex had been feeling multiplied a thousandfold, the adrenaline coursing through her veins so powerfully she could hear her pulse thrumming in her ears.
