“You’ll soon find out. You’re being driven to my house, and then I will tell you everything.”
“Will I at least get to see Tamsin and the baby one more time? Or am I being killed outright?”
Trevor hesitated, but when he spoke his voice sounded thick with emotion. “It’s doubtful any harm will come to you while you’re here. Not by me or mine, at least. And I hope both of us will get to embrace her and the baby soon enough.”
A shaky, relieved breath whooshed out of him. Trevor likely had no reason to lie about that. “All right, then,” he said, already recognizing he was trying to slip back into his old accent and struggling not to. “When do I arrive?”
“Less than an hour. Also, please don’t be nervous, but Lancaster has orders to make sure you’re not being followed, so he will likely take quite a long and winding route here. And if you are hungry or need anything, I’ve instructed him to stop for you and purchase it for you at our expense. Anything you want.”
“That’s nice of you. I’d rather get there and get this over with.”
“We can have a meal ready upon your arrival, if you’d like.”
Hamish barked a laugh. “Not sure what kind of appetite I’ll have, but I’ll probably want to raid your liquor cabinet.”
Trevor chuckled. “Believe me, after recent events, I am well-stocked. See you soon.” He ended the call and left Hamish staring at the phone for a moment before he dropped it onto the seat.
Then he settled in, closed his eyes, and hoped he would be pleasantly surprised by whatever awaited him.
For once.
Hamish’s eyes snapped open when the car slowed to make a turn into a private, gated drive. The driver hit a button on a remote control and the gate swung open.
He hadn’t really slept during the drive and now sat up, staring over the front seats and through the windshield as the car’s headlights swept up the long and elegantly curved drive. It was quite a large property, as much as he could see of it in the dark, and it took a moment to finally spot the house through the thickly wooded grounds.
A moment later, as they pulled into a parking area in front of the house, the front door opened.
He assumed the first man was Trevor, knew the second was Ken, didn’t recognize the third, and?—
Hamish tore his seatbelt off and flew out the door with a happy cry to embrace Peyton. “You’re alive!”
The man grinned. “Yeah, thankfully. And yes, Gillian, Badger, Dewi, Duncan, and Trent all know.” His smile faded. “But they’re the only ones of ours in the States who can know, for now. Not even Tamsin can know yet.”
Hamish didn’t understand but knew Peyton must have a good reason, so he didn’t question it.
After a quick hug with Ken and being formally introduced to Trevor and Jake, and Trevor’s wife Elizabeth, Trevor waved them inside. “Lancaster and I will bring your things in. Let them catch you up.”
Ten minutes later, Hamish was seated at the table, his appetite restored as he tucked into the best shepherd’s pie he’d had in decades, a large glass of Aberfeldy at hand, and listened to Peyton, Ken, and Jake update him.
“Your son is a wonderful man,” Hamish told Jake. “I’ve seen how attentive he and Mateo are toward Tamsin and the baby. They’re both good men. Mateo’s sister, Brianna, is brilliant as well.”
“So Ken and Peyton have told me.” He had his own glass of Aberfeldy. “And I’m damned anxious to see him again and meet my new family.”
“I’m sure you understand some of my need for secrecy,” Peyton said to Hamish. “But here’s where we’re at…”
Hamish listened as he ate, struggling to stay in the present and not let sour memories take over and distract him. When Peyton finished updating him, Hamish sat back in his chair.
“So you want me to look around the house?” Hamish clarified.
“Yes. We’ll go tomorrow. Trevor has a chopper.”
“Yay,” Ken unenthusiastically snarked.
“I want to move quickly,” Peyton said. “Trevor’s men are at the house. He’s kept a presence there ever since this started.”
“Where’s Hyacinth?” Hamish asked. “Frankly, I want to give her a piece of my mind.”
“We have her in protective custody at an undisclosed location,” Peyton said. “We don’t want anyone knowing where she is, so Faegan can’t find her.”
