‘I think maybe you should lay low,’ Duncan’s stepmum said, steering the conversation back to the group. ‘Hunker down for a couple of days. I mean, I don’t know Kieron personally – I don’t hear bad things about him – but he’s probably very, very angry right now. Not to mention hurt. You have to remember, if this is right, his uncle’s been egging him on for years, making him believe he was going to get his inheritance.’
Bex wasn’t sure that was entirely true. Now that she thought about it, she had memories of Fergus mentioning Kieron in passing, normally after a few whiskies.I’ll leave it to the dogs’ home before I leave it to him, she remembered him saying once. She doubted Fergus had ever directly told Kieron he was going to inherit Highland Hall. But Duncan’s stepmum wasn’t wrong, either. Fergus hadn’t said he wouldn’t inherit it, which wasn’t quite the same, but was more than enough for Kieron to get his hopes up. Especially with all the shoots and fancy parties Fergus used to let him throw at the place.
‘I really think you need to hunker down,’ Carrie continued. ‘Just stay here. Don’t go into the village. You know what gossips are like. Please, just stay here.’
‘You’re seriously overreacting,’ Duncan said, rolling his eyes at his stepmother with a trace of teenage exasperation. ‘Nobody’s even going to know about it. As far as I’m aware, no one outside this room besides Kieron, Gordon and Moira knows. Kieron’s definitely not going to let people know. And Gordon’s a professional.’
Guilt rippled through Bex. Was he saying that she wasn’t, and that was why she’d spilled the beans to Lorna? She doubted it, but she couldn’t help feeling that way about herself.
‘At least wait until we sort out a lawyer for you,’ Carrie tried again. ‘Until we get a DNA sample sorted and sent off.’
As Carrie spoke, Lorna’s phone buzzed, once, then again and then a third time straight after. She glanced down and swiped across the screen. A moment later she let out a low hiss.
‘What is it?’ Bex asked.
Lorna turned the phone so Bex could see the screen. A similar hiss escaped Bex’s lips.
‘What?’ Duncan asked, his gaze bouncing between them. ‘What is it? Why are you both making that noise?’
‘It’s Eilidh,’ Lorna said. ‘She’s just sent me a message asking if it’s true that you’re the new laird.’
Duncan’s stepmum let out a satisfied tap of her hand on the coffee table in front of her. ‘I told you!’
‘How?’ Duncan asked, his complexion draining.
‘It doesn’t matter how,’ Carrie replied. ‘What matters is that it’s out there now, like I said it would be. So please stay inside and out of trouble until we know what’s happening. We’ll get you anything you need. We can keep you company if you want.’
Duncan’s jaw locked, and for a moment Bex was sure he was going to put up a fight. Or worse still, say that it didn’t matter anyway because he didn’t want the inheritance. Thankfully though, that wasn’t an option he’d mentioned, and no matter how much Kieron threatened him, it wasn’t something she was going to suggest either.
‘Fine. I’ll stay in, when I can. I still have a job to do, remember? And I don’t need any company.’
The mood in the room had changed. The weight of what this all could be pressing down on them. Now the truth was out, and Duncan knew they were there if he needed them, but what it looked like he needed at that exact moment was space.
After a few moments of working to catch Lorna’s eye, Bex finally managed it. She nodded towards the door.
Lorna tipped her head to the side. ‘What?’ she mouthed loudly.
Bex sucked in a breath as she widened her eyes and made what she felt was a less-than-subtle nodding motion towards the door. Thankfully, before Duncan or any of the others saw what she was doing, Lorna finally understood.
‘Well, you’ve got a lot to think about,’ Lorna said, jumping to her feet. ‘And I’ve got a shift at the pub to get ready for. But you can ring us at any time. And don’t worry, I’ll tell anyone who asks that it’s just gossip. Assuming that’s what you want?’
‘Thanks,’ Duncan replied, standing up and giving his little sister a hug. By the time they’d broken apart, Bex had managed to convey her point that they should be leaving too and both Duncan’s parents were on their feet too.
‘We should get off as well,’ Keith said. ‘Unless you want us to stay?’
‘I’ll be fine. Promise.’
Carrie didn’t speak at first. Instead, she just squeezed Duncan’s hands and sniffed. ‘You’re a good boy, you know that? Your ma would be very proud of you. I’m very proud of you.’
All of them were standing, but there was only one more person left for Duncan to say farewell to. Only Bex didn’t want an audience when he did.
‘Just give me two minutes,’ she said. ‘I’ll follow you out in a second.’
The three members of Duncan’s family exchanged a look, and Bex could have sworn there was a slight smirk on their lips. As if they thought they knew what was about to happen. But they didn’t.
This wasn’t a romantic reconciliation she was about to attempt. It was an apology.
12
