“No one else knew of the place. Or the treasure’s existence.” Hamish’s voice sounded bitter, betrayed. “One small set of footprints—Rhona’s. And three larger—Gregor and two men. One of them wearing homespun. Who else could it have been? The thieves had a key.”
“Then they borrowed it or stole it—from you or Rhona and Gregor. Someone could have followed you there sometime. All those years…”
“No one followed. And as for all those years, there were things that happened in those years. Things you don’t know.”
Looking shaky, Niall took a long sip from his pewter goblet. “Such as?”
“Friends do not always get along. The four of us quarreled from time to time. Bitterly.”
The spinach pie had turned out to be sweet after all, swimming in butter with cinnamon and sugar, but the last bite turned sour in Kendra’s mouth. “What did you fight about?”
“For years now, Gregor and Rhona have wanted to sell off the treasure. The office of Town Clerk of Falkland doesn’t pay so well, aye? At least not well enough for the two of them to live as they supposed they should, their best friend being a duchess. But Elspeth and I—we always argued with them, and we always won.”
Niall ran his goblet back and forth on the pitted trestle table. “You were afraid if anything were sold, you’d be discovered.”
“Aye, that was it in part, although Gregor always talked of carting the goods to London before selling them. Among the riches in that great city, he believed the treasure would go unnoticed, and in any case, not be connected to anyone back here in Scotland.”
Kendra ran a finger around the rim of her own goblet. “But you didn’t agree?”
“Royal plate is quite recognizable. But the truth is, we had other reasons for not wanting it sold. We only wanted it returned—off our hands.”
Trick helped himself to a hunk of bread. “Could you not convince them?”
“We thought we had. Over and over. But always a few years later they would bring it up again.” Hamish cut a piece of mutton. “I can only assume, Patrick, that when you arrived, they saw their last chance slipping away. They knew Elspeth had been planning to ask you to return the treasure. So they took it upon themselves to enlist help and make off with it before it was too late.”
“Gregor and Rhona.” Reluctantly, Niall nodded. “I expect that’s why they’ve been absent since shortly after the burial. I thought they needed rest, but come to think of it, it’s odd they left you alone, Da. When they spent every day here since Mam fell ill.”
Hamish returned the nod.
Trick pushed his plate away. “So you think they’re bound for London?”
“I expect so, son.”
If Trick noticed the endearment, he didn’t react. “We found cart tracks outside the tower, heading southeast around Falkland, and then more tracks from four wagons that went due south. At the point where they crossed a wee river, we turned back. Where would they go from there?”
“Down and over to Stirling Bridge,” Niall said. “It’s the only way across the Forth.”
“Unless they were in a hurry.” Hamish dabbed at his lips with a napkin. “Then they’d head for Burntisland and the ferry over to Leith. Just as King Charles did all those years ago.”
“They’re in a hurry,” Kendra said.
The three men turned to her. “How do you know?” Trick asked.
“They crossed the river instead of heading up or downstream to a bridge. Although it wasn’t overly deep, there had to be some risk involved in traversing the water with such a heavy load.”
A new appreciation lit Trick’s eyes. “You’re right. But still and all, even taking shortcuts they cannot have got far, not with a burden like that. The tracks were visible, which means they left today.” His gaze went to one of the deep-set windows. A light mist had begun to fall as they’d headed back to Duncraven. “I imagine the trail is washed away now. And they’re making even slower progress.”
Niall nodded. “If we ride out immediately, we could make it to Burntisland before them. And wait.”
Kendra could hear the excitement in his voice. Clearly he saw this as more than a mission for right. She imagined he envisioned an adventure—he and his new older brother, off to save the world.
He rose, looking eager. “I don’t suppose it will be too difficult for the likes of we two to dissuade one old man and woman.”
“Watch your tongue, lad,” Hamish put in, a ghost of a smile transforming his grim face. “Who are you calling old?”
With a laugh, Trick stood. “I’ll fetch my cloak.” He started for the turret steps.
“Wait!” Kendra leapt up to go after him. But he was already far ahead of her, his boots disappearing around the tight curve as he took the steep staircase two steps at a time, while she could manage only one.
