CHAPTER 13
Vanessa was sitting up in bed, leaning against the massive wooden headboard, when Graeme entered the room.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
“Fairly well, all things considered,” she said.
He came toward her and sat on the edge of the bed.
With one leg folded beneath him, his kilt revealed a fair amount of his thigh. Well-muscled legs with dark hair covering the tanned skin. Legs she knew were strong enough to hold her up against a cavern wall. Her face flushed, and heat crept up her chest to settle in her cheeks. She had not wanted a husband. Especially one with such… legs.
Even without his touch, she found his very presence distracting. This confirmed her belief that for the time being, there should be no more touching. Touching of the sexual nature, that was, because certainly he had been most kind to treat her wound.
“It wasn’t precisely a serious injury,” she continued. “Not certain why I fainted.”
“I suspect you fainted because you’ve never been shot before,” he said.
“I suppose you might be right,” she said. And if she were completely honest, she’d admit that she was terrified. It helped to have Graeme by her side; his presence had a calming effect. Still, someone had tried to murder her. “Do you know who was trying to kill me?”
“I have my suspicions,” he said.
“And?” she asked.
Graeme stood up from the bed and loomed over her. “I will look into these matters.”
“You can try to intimidate me, but I am not afraid of you. Besides, I should think I have a right to know considering it was my life in jeopardy.”
He scowled at her. “I’m not trying to make you afraid of me, but damnation, woman, you should be afraid of something. Anything.” He exhaled. “I have reason to believe that you weren’t the intended target.”
Vanessa paused and considered his words. But if she weren’t the target, then who was? She’d been standing directly next to—she pushed the covers back and swung her legs off the bed. “You?”
He nodded once.
“Who would want to kill you?” She came to her feet and moved to stand beside him. Without thought, she placed her hand on his arm.
“A bastard.” His jaw tensed, revealing a flicker of anger that seemed to simmer right below his surface.
“Oh, so generous with your details. Have you considered being a poet?” she asked, infusing her tone with a dose of sarcasm. She crossed her arms over her chest and did her best to glare at him.
“Very funny,” he said.
“Was it Niall? Are you trying to protect him?” she asked. There had to be a reason why Graeme was behaving so evasively.
“No. Suffice it to say I don’t think my cousin held that pistol,” Graeme said. “But I do believe he is part of this somehow. He’s involved with the wrong man. A deadly and ruthless man.”
“Those men from the cave?” Vanessa asked.
“I don’t believe they’re connected.” His eyes narrowed, and he looked as if any moment he would slam his fist into something. “But you remember what I told you about those men? That they’re treasure hunters for hire? This other man is like that, only he’s the worst of them. He’s deadly and cruel.”
“But this other man, is he after the treasure of Loch Ness? Perhaps using Niall to get to it?” she asked.
Graeme forked his fingers through his hair. The unruly mane curled to just below his shoulders. She knew that it was soft and thick, and she longed to plunge her own hands into it. But touching Graeme was far too dangerous, letting him touch her more dangerous still. She could forget anything in his arms. Forget her fossils, forget her research, forget why she wanted it all to begin with. And then wouldn’t she be just like any other woman in London? A wife who lived for her husband but had no joys of her own? That was terrifying.
“I think this goes beyond the Loch Ness Treasure. Those other men, now this.” Graeme shook his head. “I think they’re all after the bloody Kingmaker. The lot of them.”
“Ah, yes, I read those notes. Interesting theories, but I still don’t believe that a supposedly mystical object is somehow going to allow them to dethrone Queen Victoria,” Vanessa said.
“I’m not certain how the Kingmaker is supposed to dethrone the queen,” he said. “But if this man is truly involved, then he will have no qualms about killing Her Majesty.”
