“Angus is still busy and asked me to escort you to the receiving room.He’ll be at least half an hour, so I’ve ordered us tea.”Her green eyes twinkled.“You look familiar.Have we met before?”
“I thought that,” Sienna said while she willed herself to calm.“Were you at the last gathering?”
Sienna barely registered the surrounding grandeur.Ancient swords gleamed under modern lights, and tapestries whispered of centuries past as the woman led her deeper into the castle.The receiving room’s mix of medieval stone and contemporary comfort should have been reassuring.But all she could focus on was the enormous fireplace, looming over her like a judge’s bench.
The woman laughed.“I was.”
“Me too.”Sienna swallowed hard.“Your accent.Where are you from?”
“Ah, I come from New Zealand but live in Scotland now.I married the castle owner.My name is Suzie, by the way.”
“Sienna.”
“Ah, here’s the tea,” Suzie said.“Thanks, Moira.Please tell Steve I’ll be late for my cooking lesson and to go over the menus for the upcoming function.”
Moira, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt depicting a coat of arms, shook her head.“He’ll shout.”
Suzie rolled her eyes, her gaze full of mischief.“No doubt, but tell him I’m determined to perfect my shortbread, and I’ll be there soon.”
“I will, Miss Suzie.”Moira unloaded the tea things off her tray and bustled away, humming.
Suzie picked up the teapot.“Do you take milk?”
“No, thank you.”Sienna wasn’t sure she could swallow tea.Her stomach was in knots, but holding a cup might give her hands something to do.
Her mind sharpened.She recognized the woman now—she’d seen her with Liam and his friend at the start of the gathering.There had been a larger group then, their number slowly dwindling.
Sienna swallowed hard.“I know Liam.”
Suzie almost dropped the teapot before setting it down.“Liam?From the gathering?”
Sienna nodded, unable to meet her gaze.She’d expected this to be hard, but Suzie’s stare pinned her like a leopard ready to pounce.
“I… ah.”Her voice cracked.Tell her.
“I took him,” she said.“From the castle.I drugged him and—”
Suzie’s sharp intake of breath cut through the air, and the physical noise stabbed at Sienna.
“I kidnapped him.”Her throat tightened, and she didn’t dare touch the bone china cup, given the tremor of her hands.It looked valuable.A cold draft sent a shiver through her, but it might have been her conscience rather than the castle.
“Tell me,” Suzie said, her gaze narrowing, all good cheer fading away.“Have you seen Liam?”
Sienna nodded, and Suzie jumped to her feet.“Niall!”she hollered.
A loud growl rumbled down the nearby stairwell, and an instant later, a massive man filled the doorway.He moved with surprising stealth for someone of his size, and his presence made the spacious room seem smaller.
“What’s wrong?”His deep voice carried a calm authority as he strode to Suzie, one large hand settling protectively on her back.“Tell me.”
“She knows Liam and his location,” Suzie said.
A tall, thin man burst through the doorway—probably from the kitchen.Gray hair, lined face, and yet he moved with surprising speed.Sienna balled her hands into fists.Mr.Falconer, the castle steward.
“What’s all the kerfuffle about?I can’t see blood.”
Suzie pointed at Sienna.“Angus, she knows Liam.”
All three stared at her, and Sienna trembled.She had to do this.Tell them the truth.They were studying her as if she’d committed a terrible crime, and it was true.She had.She’d upended Liam’s life.
