Page 33 of Heirs and Graces at Highland Hall
‘Right, yes,’ Bex mumbled. Somehow, she had forgotten all about the corner office that would be waiting for her when she got back to London.
‘I would,’ she said, already knowing what the girls’ response was going to be. ‘But I’ve got so much work to do tomorrow. It’s probably best if I get an early night. Besides, I’m guessing Tuesday’s going to be a big one.’
The smirk on Lorna’s face said it all. ‘Oh, it’s going to be a very big one. Averybig one. You should probably give your liver a warm-up by having a couple of drinks tonight.’
Bex narrowed her eyes. ‘I’m not sure that’s how it works. Actually, I think that’s the opposite of how it works.’
‘It’s fine,’ Eilidh said, placing a hand on her shoulder. ‘You have an early night. I’ll see you soon.’
‘See you soon,’ Bex replied.
Five minutes later, the girls had gone, and Bex was on her own, though somehow she knew an early night wasn’t going to happen.
For over an hour, she stared at the selection of photos she had taken from the study, but she kept coming back to the same one. The one with Duncan’s grandfather and the woman between him and Fergus. There was no denying the way the men looked at her. They loved her. Both of them. She was sure of it. Yet neither of them had ended up with her. She had died before Fergus had a chance to propose. Duncan’s grandfather, Bex already knew, had disappeared for several months, then returned to LochDarroch with a woman no one knew and a newborn baby. Possibly a response to losing the love of his life, too?
She studied the woman. Why did it feel like there was something familiar about her? Was it just because she wanted there to be? Right now, her head going around in circles, wasn’t helping at all. Tomorrow she would talk to Gordon and they would speak to Moira together. And this time they wouldn’t take no for an answer.
27
The next morning, Lorna was in no fit state to drive Bex to the castle. Unsurprisingly, one drink had meant starting with one bottle of wine between the pair of them, then one shot, then one of whatever they fancied or someone gave them. Lorna had come in at two singing and wanting to teach Bex highland dancing. Insistent was a nice way of putting it, and it had taken a fair amount of persuasion for Bex to convince Lorna that while she would like to learn at some point, it wasn’t the right time. Finally Lorna had relented and headed to her bedroom where, within a matter of seconds, she was snoring and was still doing so when Bex got up and dressed several hours later.
Lorna had said on countless occasions that Bex could borrow her car, but it didn’t feel right. Not when she was passed out and unable to tell Bex if she needed it or not. As such, she was walking to the castle again.
The temperature had definitely dropped, and swirls of snow were drifting down from dense grey clouds that entirely obscured the sun. Still, it was a light enough flurry that barely settled on her coat as she made her way down the path towards the castle.
Her first instinct was to make a coffee and warm up her hands, but given how Gordon’s car was already parked outside, she headed past the study first to see if he wanted one, too. Inside, Gordon was already seated in an armchair, not a scrap of paper in his hands. And considering it was only just gone nine, he appeared absolutely defeated. His skin was grey, and he looked like he hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in days. Given how this task of theirs could well go on for months, Bex couldn’t help but think that perhaps Kieron had been right in suggesting that Gordon wasn’t up to the task. Or at least that he needed to bring someone else in to help. She would do what she could, of course, but she wasn’t a lawyer. It was still a mystery to her why Fergus had even wanted her here.
‘I’m grand,’ he said, noting the way Bex was looking at him. ‘Honestly, just been dealing with a lot of questions, you know.’
‘From Kieron?’ Bex guessed.
‘Aye. Wants to know exactly what the hold-up is and why he hasn’t been able to see the will yet. Threatened to get his own lawyers up here, like I don’t know what I’m doing.’
Bex bit down on her lip. Perhaps suggesting he needed to get extra help wasn’t a good idea after all.
‘Well, I spoke to Moira last night,’ Bex said, wishing she could give him a little more positive news. ‘I didn’t take the photos, but she knows who the other woman Fergus was in a relationship with was.’ Gordon’s eyes widened. ‘She didn’t give me a name, but she knows it. I’m sure. I think we need to tell her about the will.’
His lips pursed. ‘I’ll have to draw something up for her to sign. You know, so that she can’t mention it to anyone.’
‘Right,’ Bex said. Legal implications like that hadn’t even crossed her mind.
‘Come on,’ Gordon said, adjusting his glasses as he stood up. ‘I’ve had my wallow. We should get on. The last thing I need isthe so-called laird poking his head around the door and thinking I’m not working.’
‘Would you mind if I leave you to it for a minute?’ she asked, still standing in the doorway. ‘I was going to make a coffee. And I need to go talk to Kieron about something.’
Gordon’s eyes flicked up to meet hers.
‘Should I be worried?’
‘Not at all. It’s about London. I’ll be back in a minute,’ she added quickly placing her bag down on the floor. ‘I just need to thank him for something.’
‘Okay,’ Gordon said, returning to his work. ‘Oh, and we’re out of coffee pods. Sorry. I used the last one before I realised.’
‘No worries,’ Bex said, trying to look like she meant it. Any workday without coffee was tough, but one where Lorna had had her up at 2a.m. was a different matter entirely. She’d have to work something out if she was going to make it until the afternoon.
Like Fergus, Kieron had taken to spending his days in the drawing room. He had even moved a small desk in there to work at, and she couldn’t help but wonder if it had been a less than subtle hint that he wanted her and Gordon out of the study, or ideally, the castle, as soon as possible. Though, however brusque he’d been with Gordon, he’d been nothing but polite to her. And now, with this new promotion, she really did owe him.
She had just reached the grandfather clock in the hallway when the front door of the castle opened. A gust of cold air blew inwards and before she realised what was happening, a red blur came bounding towards her and leapt up at her legs.
