“Perhaps I don’t have to leave. I can stay and we—”
He stopped her right there. “There will never again be a moment’s time when there is such a thing aswe. What there will be is a divorce proceeding—”
“Divorce!” she gasped. “No! Think of the scandal!”
“Think of the scandal of yer bigamy trial, Lady Etteridge,” he countered. “I suggest ye prepare yerself as best ye can.”
Finn spun on his heel and walked away. This time when she called for him, he did not stop. It was time he put the past with all its hate and grief and vengeance behind him and look toward the future with a lighter heart.
And he had much to look forward to.
Bugger it, Ian would be pleased with himself.
Chapter 34
“I cannae believe ye jumped down here.”
Aila climbed down the ladder to join Rab in a tunnel about six feet tall and dark as pitch beyond the radius of light from her phone. Finn would have to duck his head if he were to come down. As would Ian or Tris. Besides that, it was creepy as fuck. She’d been right to wait for the others to join her before searching for the treasure.
Rab ran a few steps ahead until the blackness swallowed him and panic flared. “Rabbie! Come back!” Relief flooded her when he did just that. “Oh, thank God. I cannae do this right now, laddie. Sorry, insulting I ken, but I need more than ye to stomach this.”
She glanced back at the ladder and to the German shepherd. She really did need to work on these stupid impulses. Rab had to weigh between five and six stone if not more. There was no chance she could lift him off his feet much less heave him over her head.
“What were ye thinking? Better yet, what the hell was I thinking?” Putting the poor lad’s need above her own, she set her phone on the ground so that the light shown upward. Better than leaving him in the dark. Going to the ladder, she put a foot on the bottom most rung. “I’m sorry, baby. I’ll go find one or two of the men to get ye out. Stay p—Och, of course, ye’ll stay put. How about try no’ to panic?”
“Don’t fret, Mistress Marshall, you’ll not be leaving him alone.”
Aila gaped up through the opening into the ominous face of one Mr. Derne, then to the equally chilling barrel of the gun he had aimed at her. Gah, she knew he didn’t like her, but this was a bit much. He could not possibly know of her suspicions.
Of course, it was Derne. A child could have made the connection. Frankly, she was surprised no one had seen it. The way he harassed Boyce with his visits to the mill? He had to be the one behind the miller’s death.
Dismay chilled her. If he did suspect that she knew the truth, what better way to get rid of her? “Please dinnae lock me down here.” She couldn’t hide the desperation in her voice.
“Stupid girl, I’m not going to lock you in. Now step aside.”
Keeping the pistol pointed in her general direction, Derne descended the ladder. Rab’s vicious bark reverberated through the tunnel and he lunged forward, snapping at the old man’s heels.
“Control your beast, Mistress Marshall,” Derne called above the uproar and trained the gun on the dog. “Or I will.”
Panic flared, brighter than it had when he’d aimed the weapon at her. Aila caught Rab around the neck and dropped to her knees to anchor him in place. Another aspect of Donell’s plan occurred to her. To take Rab for protection.
If that old dobber knew this had been coming, she was going to kill him.
If Derne didn’t kill her first.
“Rab, stop!” He continued to snarl, trying to lunge out of her grip. She buried her face in his scruff and held on. “Please stop.”
Because she had no doubt Derne would do it, the vile man.
“Did I not warn you?” he sneered as his feet found the floor. “That if I saw that beast in the castle again I’d have him on a spit?”
“Actually, as I recall it, yer threat was that if he saw him again, ye would see me sacked,” she retorted, having subdued Rab to a menacing growl. “The other was a separate warning entirely.”
“Yes, right you are. How fortunate for me you did not heed my warning. And lucky for you I came prepared.” He tossed her a length of rope. “Tie him tight. If he gets loose, I will not hesitate to shoot him.”
Taking it, she looped it through the metal ring on Rab’s collar. His tags jangled as she did so. Aye, she’d be ugly crying if she lost her dog, more if she were responsible for his death. She should never have come down here alone.
“I knew the moment I saw you at Boyce’s mill that you would solve my dilemma for me, Mistress Marshall.” The despicable man glanced around the small space, at her phone, and then squinted down the obscured tunnel. “I’ve been following you for days waiting for you to lead me here. I must thank you for accommodating me. Should you choose to cooperate further, I may even decide to let you live. Now pick that up.”
