Page 38 of A Virgin for the Beastly Highlander

“Dae ye remember the servants who were present when my maither and sister were here?”

Damon’s eyes widened as he plopped down into the chair in front of Conner’s desk. Slowly, Damon rubbed his chin as the wheels in his head turned.

“Why dae ye want to ken that? Dae ye think one of them may have been responsible?”

“I daenae ken. But Olivia stated how the servants hear and see all that goes on in the castle. She gave me the idea of inquirin’ from them about that night’s events.”

Damon nodded approvingly. “Clever lass. I can see now why yer smitten wit’ her.”

Conner dropped his gaze as he felt heat rushing to his head.

“Then again, maybe it is more than that, aye? Are ye fallin’ in love wit’ yer wife now?” Damon asked as he propped himself onto his elbows and stared at Conner accusingly. The crooked grin on Damon’s face made Conner grow hotter under the collar. Although Conner was aware of what Olivia did to him, he wasn’t about to spill his darkest secrets to Damon. That information was sacred.

Rolling his shoulders, Conner leaned back into his chair and focused on the parchment before him. Although, there were only two names on the sheet, he studied them with absolute scrutiny. “I have Alex Blane and Joseph Gregor.”

“Yer avoidin’ the question,” Damon teased with a light laugh. “But aye, I remember them. They would nae have been in the castle at the time though. Were they nae yer maither’s footmen?”

Conner nodded. “Aye. That means they would have been outside, near the stable durin’ that time.”

“What about Henry Dursely?”

“Who?” Conner looked at Damon as the name was like faded memory he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

“He was posted at yer maither’s door, was he nae? The lanky man that always looked as if he’d been struck by lightning. He was the guard yer maither always chided for tardiness and bein’ disarrayed all the time.”

Tapping his finger on the desk, Conner racked his brain trying to remember the man. “Was he the one that ruined her green dress by spillin’ wine on it?”

Damon rubbed the stubble on his chin as his eyebrows scrunched to the bridge of his nose in concentration. The straightness of Damon’s lips relaxed as they stretched into a smile.

“Aye, I remember that,” Damon answered. “Yer maither was entertainin’ guests that night and he was told to fetch her drink. The goblet clattered on the ground and the contents went everywhere. It looked as if someone had been murdered that night.”

Damon slapped his hand to his knee as he bowled over in laughter. “What a buffoon. How that man managed to stay in service for as long as he did is beyond me. Whatever happened to him? He could have been the court jester.”

“That’s the strangest thin’ though, isnae it? After my maither and sister vanished, he was around for a few months more before he was kicked out. I remember bein’ told he was nay longer capable of his duties. Seems maither wasnae the only one who had issues wit’ him.”

“Well, where dae we find him?” Damon asked as Conner dropped the parchment and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Shaking his head, Conner sighed, “I daenae ken. He was sent away, dismissed. It’s nae like we keep records of all the staff that come and go. Nae to mention it’s been several years now. Who even kens if the man is still alive. Wit’ him bein’ such a hazard, it’s possible he’s buried six feet under in some pauper’s yard.”

“Well,” Damon said, slapping his hand to the table. “I shall hunt him down for ye.”

“I cannae ask ye to dae that.”

“And why nae? Dae ye nae want to find yer maither and sister?”

“Of course I dae. But daenae ye have somethin’ else to be doin’?”

“Nothin’ is more important than seein’ justice,” Damon said as he jumped to his feet. “Besides, I’ve been lookin’ for an excuse to get outside the castle for some time. This place has grown a bit borin’ wit’ ye preoccupied wit’ yer bride and what have ye.”

“Go then,” Conner said with a smile. “Find me Henry Dursely.”

“Wit’ pleasure,” Damon said. Conner watched as Damon bowed swiftly and bolted to the door as if the man’s feet were on fire. He leaned back in his chair and let out a heavy sigh. A huge part of his soul wanted to hope this would lead to something more, but he knew what would come of hoping. Conner exhaled as his chest tightened.

I’ll find out what happened to ye, Maither. I swear, if it is the last thing I dae.

Chapter 16

Olivia glanced around the library, noticing the tiny details she added to the room. For the first time since she stepped foot in Ó Riagáin Castle, she finally felt as if it were her home. Letting out a sigh, she smiled as her heart swelled with joy.

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