Godfrey tutted. ‘What was it you were saying? Just because you’ve not seen something before doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.’ He turned to Xanthe with an oily smile. ‘These have been added to aid the grip on the hilt. It was quite common in battle, when blades were slicked with blood, that a sword might slip out of a warrior’s hands, so they customised their grip, rather like tennis or squash players put towelling grips on their racquets these days.’
Izzy heard Ross cough, with a distinct ‘bollocks’ contained within the cough.
Xanthe tucked a hand through Godfrey’s arm. ‘Would you like to come through to the drawing room and you can tell me all about it? Bill left a fine selection of malt whiskies and I’m sure you’d love to try one.’ She drew him away, shooting Izzy and Ross an admonishing glare as she left.
‘Pompous arse,’ said Ross as soon as they were out of earshot.
Izzy began to giggle. ‘I thought he was going to fall flat on his back when he first picked it up.’
‘I thought he was going to take my heid off,’ said Duncan.
‘It was close,’ agreed Jim.
‘Silly sod had obviously never held a Claymore in his life. They weigh a ton and were designed to be held two-handed. God, he talks some nonsense. I’ve never heard such rubbish. A Claymore like this would have a plain leather grip.’ He indicated the hilt. ‘I’m not sure what’s going on with this but it’s a much later addition and whoever did it wants shooting. They’ve potentially devalued a fine piece. No wonder your uncle didn’t want it leaving the family.’
He picked the sword up and returned it to its rightful place above the fire. ‘Still, you could probably frighten off a potential burglar with it.’
‘I’ll bear that in mind,’ Izzy said with a grave smile.
‘I must go and do some work. Thanks for dinner.’
‘Thanks for the help.’
‘Night, Izzy.’
She watched him climb the stairs, stopping halfway up to stare at the Claymore with a puzzled frown. He saw her studying him and raised a hand in farewell before disappearing from view.
Izzy sighed, her heart fluttering a little too much. The more time she spent with him, the more she liked him. He was a steadying ballast in a choppy sea. Calm, sensible and solid … while they didn’t sound like terribly attractive characteristics, after a lifetime of living with Xanthe’s mercurial barometer they were a welcome relief. But then she was again reminded of that hot thrust of physical attraction, which was bad news. After all, she knew better than most that physical attraction didn’t always end well.
Chapter Fourteen
Izzy’s feet crunched through the heavy frost to where Ross’s smart green Range Rover was parked, the engine running with exhaust fumes billowing out in the cold, early morning air. Behind her the castle was dark and silent beyond a solitary light beside the front door. Six thirty was far too early to be up but it would give them a whole day in Edinburgh before the drive back this evening.
‘Morning,’ she whispered, conscious that the rest of the house was probably still sleeping. ‘I’ve brought you a coffee.’
‘You angel. Are you all set?’
She ignored the quick buzz that the word ‘angel’ gave her. He was being complimentary; it didn’t mean anything.
‘Yes.’
‘Hop in then. It should be nice and warm.’
It was and she sighed as she nestled her bottom into the heated leather seat. This was a very swish car, in fact it might be the poshest one she’d ever been in. Who knew they paid history professors so well?
The drive took them down into the valley through Kinlochleven, which was just stirring, lights appearing in windows here and there. Then they were pitched into blackness again as the car headlights sent their light sweeping through the night, occasionally catching glowing, yellow eyes of some rabbit or vole scurrying away to safety. Izzy leaned back into the seat, warm and content. It was a very comfortable car and it was nice to let her brain switch off for a while. She let out a small sigh.
‘This was a good idea,’ she said, feeling the tension draining from her shoulders.
‘Good,’ said Ross. ‘Without being rude, you look like you need a rest. Why don’t you have a bit of sleep? Then I could look after you for a change?’ He brushed his knuckles across her cheek in the most unexpected gesture. ‘Give yourself a break, you’ve taken on quite a lot, recently.’
She nodded, feeling a little punch drunk. She had been doing everything in the castle and this was the first proper time away she’d had in ages. She realised he was looking at her intently and she felt her breath catch in her throat at the concern she could read in his eyes.
‘Thank you,’ she said, her voice soft with unexpected emotion. It was a long time since someone else had worried abouther.
‘There’s going to be a glorious sunrise,’ she observed when they crested the top of a hill two hours later. The sky spread out before them, glowing pink with shades of peach, indigo and cobalt dispersed across the horizon, promising a whole new day.
‘Shall we stop for a moment? There’s a parking place up ahead and I could do with some of that coffee you promised.’
