Page 52 of Return of the Scot
“Aye.” A clock chimed from somewhere within the house. “Oh, how I wish I could stay longer, but I must get going. My aunt will tear apart Edinburgh looking for me. She’s decided that I need a chaperone, but only when it’s convenient for her.” Jaime gave a slight roll of her eyes. “Please let me know if ye find out anything more.”
“Of course.” Lorne led her toward the door but then paused. “Are ye all right leaving this way, or shall we arrange an escape?”
Jaime smiled and let out a short laugh. “I already came in this way. Better for them to see me leave than think me here all night.”
“True.” He lifted her hand to his lips, placing a kiss on her knuckles. “Until next time.”
12
Jaime was preparing to play a game of cards with Aunt Beatrice after dinner when a loud knock sounded at her front door.
“Who could be visiting you at this hour?” Aunt Beatrice gave her a warning look that set Jaime’s nerves on edge as if she’d spent the last two years entertaining gentleman callers or some such.
“I assure ye, I have no idea.”
MacInnes appeared a moment later in the drawing room. “A Mr. Bell here to see ye, miss. I reminded him of the late hour, but he seems to think ye’ll want to see him anyway.”
Aunt Beatrice narrowed her gaze. “Mr. Bell? Who on earth is he?”
“An investigator,” Jaime explained. “I sent him to find Shanna.”
“Shanna? I thought she was at Dunrobin?”
“She never made it, Aunt.” Jaime wasn’t in the mood to tell her aunt the entire story of Shanna’s duplicity, so instead asked MacInnes to show the man in.
Mr. Bell looked thoroughly dusty as if he’d ridden all the night through. He bowed before her and Aunt Beatrice.
“This is my aunt. Feel at ease to speak freely, as I would tell her what has happened anyway.” Which she wouldn’t normally, but since the woman was there, she might as well.
“Very well. It appears your sister has fled to Ireland aboard the Dueling Brothers.”
Jaime nodded, not wanting to confess this was information she already knew, for then she’d have to explain how she came by such evidence, and well, that only made her think of Lorne’s hands on her as he bent her backward, his grin wide and satisfied. And the great, cold dousing of Aunt Beatrice’s chagrin, should she find out.
“I sent a man in that direction, miss, in hopes of finding her—and to be on the lookout for Master Gille, as it appears they were on the ship together.”
Jaime pressed her hands together in front of her heart. “And Gordie, please tell me ye know something of him?”
“It appears he was acting as the couple’s porter but did no’ appear in distress.”
“A porter,” Aunt Beatrice exclaimed, clearly distraught as she whipped out a fan, waving it rapidly as she sank deeper into her chair.
“Are they married?” Jaime asked. This was the one thing Lorne had not yet been able to find out.
“That’s where I’ve come from, miss. The traveling inn where I found the governess—
I checked the vicarage there and did find a marriage license for a Mr. Gille Gordon and his bride, Shanna Andrewson.”
How much easier it was to marry in Scotland than it was in England. If they’d been across the border, the two of them would have had to wait for three weeks while the banns were read, for they’d not have been able to get a special license, or at the very least, it would have been difficult. But in any case, she would have heard of it, had that been the case. Not in this instance, however. They’d simply walked to the nearest priest they could find and exchanged vows.
Jaime let out a long sigh, trying to keep the frown from her face. Trying to ignore her aunt’s increasing breaths.
“Married, my god.” Beatrice seemed due for a fit of the vapors from all the tut-tutting she was doing.
Jaime rose and went to the cellarette, pouring her aunt a thimble of whisky and one for herself. “Can I get ye anything, Mr. Bell?”
She handed her aunt the whisky, and Beatrice drank with vigor.
“Nay, thank ye, miss. I need to be getting home. Ye were my first stop on the way, and I’ve my family waiting for me to return. As soon as I hear from my men, I’ll be sure to let ye know what we’ve found.”
