Page 108 of Claimed Highland Brides

Daividh sighed as Fiona stepped forward and put her arms around Jamesina, squeezing gently. “We’ll get tae the bottom of this collieshangie, I promise ye.”

“Aye, I ken we will.” Jamesina squeezed back, clinging a little to her sister. She felt quite lost and set adrift and all she could do was let instinct take over.

A knock at the door had them all turning.

“Aye?”

The knob turned, the door opened, and Simon Campbell poked his head in the room. He looked from one person to the next, picking up the mood, and his expression became withdrawn. “I wanted t’speak t’ye Daividh but I can come back another time.”

“No need.” Daividh waved him into the room. “’Tis fine, come in.”

Simon stepped into the room with a sigh. He looked from one to the other as if hoping that Jamesina and Fiona would opt to leave the room. They didn’t, just blinked patiently at him. He dropped his eyes, sighing in resignation. “I have some bad news.”

Daividh gestured for him to continue.

“Somebody spotted one o’ Hunter’s men? Ye recall him?” His eyes flicked to Fiona and then away.

“Aye? Where?”

“He was speaking tae one o’ yer footmen. The man came tae me, not knowing if’n we have a traitor in our midst.”

Daividh’s brow furrowed. “And?”

Simon shrugged. “I dinnae ken. We’ve been watching him but dinnae go close in case he got scairt.”

“Would ye bring him t’me?”

Simon nodded and left. The three of them exchanged glances. “This cannae be coincidence,” Fiona said, folding her arms.

“No. I suspect not. And if’n there is anyone who is consumed wi’ getting his hands on the mine, ’tis Hunter.”

“Hunter’s dead,” Fiona said starkly.

“Aye, but his men arenae. And they’ve been sneaking around the mine. We ken tha’ already.”

Fiona nodded. “And they wouldnae ken the terms of Da’s will.”

“So they would have nay trouble writing a letter tae ask for the deed,” Jamesina finished.

Daividh frowned. “This doesnae prove tha’ the Sassenach is innocent.”

“Aye, perhaps it doesnae. But at least we ken who is behind this.”

“We dinnae ken. ’Tis nothing but a guess.”

At that point, Simon knocked on the door again. “Here is the man,” he said and pushed one of the footmen into the room.