“Of course! Any...” A look similar to that of a trapped animal suddenly appeared upon his face. “Rosamund,” he quavered.
“I need you to go to Scotland, Tom,” she said. “We must leave tomorrow.”
“Scotland? At this time of year?” he croaked. “It is cold, cousin. Scotland? It will snow, and I shall be frozen to death.”
“You cannot freeze to death until you and Logan reach Grayhaven. If I send Logan alone to speak with the master of Grayhaven he will surely lose his temper and quarrel with the man. We need Colin Hay’s complete understanding and cooperation, Tom. Logan adores Elizabeth. When he learns of her condition he will be ready to start a feud between the Hepburns and the Hays. And her attitude will only encourage him to mayhem. You must travel with my husband and see that Baen MacColl is brought back to marry my daughter. Logan cannot do this alone. He needs you. I need you. Elizabeth needs you. Besides, you were there when she began her affair with the Scot. Do not tell me you did not know what she was doing! Elizabeth is not a subtle girl.”
“My dear Rosamund, surely you aren’t blaming me for Elizabeth’s naughty behavior?” Lord Cambridge looked just slightly offended. “Your daughters, as you well know, are most strong-willed girls.”
Rosamund chuckled. “You did not answer my question, Tom,” she said.
“You must accept part of the blame for this yourself, darling girl,” he countered. “Did you not approve of Baen MacColl? Yet you did not share with Elizabeth the secret you possess for avoiding... er... um... the complications of one’s naughty behavior.”
Rosamund shook her head. “Nay, I did not. I did not believe she would bed him before marriage, Tom. If I had I should have given her the secret. Aye, I am equally to blame, but you are too!”
“We have both been too anxious to see Elizabeth happy at last,” he admitted. “And, darling girl, she is so very happy when she is in the company of her Scot.”
“Then you will go,” Rosamund said, “and promise to never rue the day we were reunited as a family, Tom.”
He laughed aloud. “Darling girl, I can barely remember the time when we were not together, nor do I wish to remember it. We have loved each other from the moment we met, and I regret naught of our time together. Aye, I will go. I will travel north, in the company of that handsome husband of yours and his brawny clansmen, through the foul winter weather. We will bring back Master MacColl to stand in Friarsgate Church before Father Mata, with Elizabeth by his side, to be united in matrimony. But I must tell you that I thank heavens Elizabeth is the last of your daughters, darling girl! I do not believe I have many more adventures left in me,” he concluded with a gusty sigh.
She laughed and blew him a kiss. “Thank you, Tom.”
“Are you hungry?” he asked her. “Of course you are. You have ridden the day long. Will, shall we show my cousin the secret of entering the main house?” Lord Cambridge chuckled. “I usually join Banon and her family for the evening meal.”
“I believe that Lady Rosamund will keep your secret, my lord,” Will said with a small smile. “And it is time.”
Thomas Bolton rose from his chair and took his cousin by her arm as she stood. “Come along, darling girl. Only one other person knows my secret, and that is Elizabeth.” He led her from the room and into the gallery, one wall of which was all windows. The facing wall was hung with portraits of Lord Cambridge, his late sister, their parents, Rosamund, and each of her daughters. The gallery appeared to have but one entrance, but at the far end Thomas Bolton reached out to touch the paneled wall and a small door sprang open. They moved through it, Will drawing the door shut behind them. “This way,” Lord Cambridge said as they walked down a narrow interior corridor that was obviously a secret passageway.
“Tom, you are wickedly clever,” Rosamund told him, and heard him chortle.
After they had gone a short distance Lord Cambridge stopped and, reaching out again, pressed his fingers against a small, practically hidden catch. A second door flew open, and they stepped out into Otterly House. “Can you see anything in the wall?” he asked her. “I believe my entry is quite invisible, darling girl.”
Rosamund peered closely at the paneling in the corridor wall. She could see nothing that gave evidence of a door in the wall. She shook her head. “It is ingenious, Tom,” she told him admiringly.
“This corridor is in what was my original wing of the house. When I lived here I was constantly besieged by Banon’s brood. They could not seem to leave me in peace. Now that I am gone they come here not at all. It allows me the perfect entry without being seen. And the servants rarely come except to clean. I believe Robert Neville hides here now and again, poor fellow. Banon is a dear girl, but she has little control over her daughters, as you will shortly see. Listen. You can already hear the shrieking.”
They entered the hall at Otterly. Banon’s five daughters, ranging in age from nine to three, were chasing one another about in a rough game of tag. “Grandmama!” they cried with one voice upon seeing her.
Rosamund held out her arms to them, laughing as they swarmed her.
“So my mother now knows the secret, but I do not,” Banon grumbled at Lord Cambridge.
“Otterly is still my house, dear girl,” he replied quietly.
“Oh, Uncle, I did not mean to be rude,” Banon cried, “but you know I hate secrets, and this is one you seem to very much enjoy keeping.”
“A man must have his privacy, dear girl. One day when your brood is grown I shall share my knowledge with you. Until then I pray you accept my decision in the matter.” He patted her cheek. “You have always been my favorite, Banon, which is why you are my heiress. Be satisfied with that.”
She sighed. “I have no other choice, I fear. Now, tell me,” Banon said, slipping her arm through his, “why has Mama come?”
He lightly swatted the little hand on his arm. “Bad child! She will tell you herself if she chooses,” Lord Cambridge scolded her.
Banon laughed.
Robert Neville came forward to greet his mother-in-law. He was a quiet man who quite obviously adored his wife and children. And he was content to allow Banon to rule their home, for it allowed him more time for gentlemanly pursuits. “Rosamund, this is a pleasant surprise,” he said, kissing her hand and bowing.
“Thank you, Rob,” she answered him. “I apologize for appearing at Otterly with scant notice, but there is a small family emergency that must be attended to. I needed to come for Tom.” She turned to her granddaughters, who had started to quarrel over some silly matter. “Girls! Girls! Stop at once!” Her usually gentle voice was sharp, and the little girls looked at her openmouthed. “Your behavior is not acceptable at all. Katherine, as the eldest it is up to you to keep order among your sisters. Instead you lead them in bad behavior. This will not do.”
