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“All right. I’d send men as reinforcements, but I don’t want anyone else stranded. Just keep me informed. Let me know when you reach the Stewarts’ manor house.”
“Aye. Don’t worry about Ethan and Oran. We’ll pick them up on the way.” Cearnach ended the call and then punched in another number. “Jasper, we’re returning to the Stewart manor as soon as we pick up our stranded men. Keep a lookout. We might have company—and it won’t be the good kind.” He explained all that had happened as Guthrie stroked Calla’s wet hair.
“Ask if they still have electricity,” Guthrie said to Cearnach.
Cearnach asked, then shook his head at Guthrie.
“Does the manor have a gas water heater?” Guthrie asked Calla.
“Aye. Two of them.”
“Great. I’m sure we could all use a hot shower,” Guthrie said.
“All of you can borrow some of Dad’s clothes, I’m sure,” Calla said.
After picking up Oran and Ethan, they weren’t sure they could all fit in the car. All of the men were around six feet tall. Calla was about five and a half, but Guthrie didn’t want her sitting in the trunk.
“I’ll sit in that,” Oran said, winking at Calla.
She opened her mouth to say something, but Guthrie quickly said, “Good idea.” He wasn’t letting her sit back there, being chilled to the bone already, not when he wanted to keep her tucked against his body. Even at that, it was a tight squeeze, but that helped to warm them up a bit.
They were steaming up the windows, though, and Duncan had to turn the defroster on high, along with the heat, as wet as they all were.
When they finally reached the manor house, Cearnach hurried to open the hatchback to let Oran out. He’d practically been curled up in a ball, sleeping on the floor of the trunk. Cearnach laughed. “Now I know why you wanted to sit in the trunk.”
Jasper and Heather rushed outside to greet them, wearing their jackets and gloves and looking much warmer.
“So I take it we’re staying here for the night?” Jasper asked. “Even though we have no electricity.”
“Aye. It’s the same at Argent Castle,” Guthrie said. “It would be safer starting out tomorrow after the ice has melted off.”
“We have lanterns and candles,” Calla said, the day already turning dark. Though as wolves they could see well at dawn and dusk. “We can still cook something. We have a gas stove.”
“We’ve got the fire going in the den too,” Jasper said.
Guthrie was more concerned about sleeping arrangements and speaking to Calla in private. He really wanted to stay with her in the carriage house alone. But his brothers were already looking at him like they knew what he was thinking. They were ready to disagree with him on splitting up their forces, though they’d give him the chance to make that decision on his own.
“We all stay in the manor house,” Guthrie conceded, knowing that it was the safest thing to do.
Everyone eagerly concurred.
Inside the house, Heather said, “I’ll take everyone’s wet clothes and hang them to dry by the fire.”
Jasper asked, “Is there anything that we could cook that I can start making?”
“You can cook?” Calla asked, sounding surprised.
“Aye. Not sure about your fancy Scottish dishes, but I make mean Texas chili with the right ingredients.”
“You’re welcome to anything in the fridge or the cupboards.” She turned to Guthrie. “Can you cook?”
The brothers laughed.
“Well, it was a much-guarded secret that my brothers and I could cook, but I think the truth is out,” Guthrie said, taking her hand and leading her to the stairs. “Let’s get out of these wet clothes.”
She let out her breath in frustration. “You only moved things that needed to come here. So my clothes are still at the carriage house, packed in boxes to take to Argent Castle.”
He frowned.
“We can get the boxes,” Cearnach said.
“Wait, I packed them. So I know which ones she’ll need.” Guthrie hugged her and kissed her lips. “I’ll be right back.”
“Okay, I’ll take a shower while you’re gone,” Calla said.
“I’m going with you,” Duncan said to Guthrie. “You realize we’re not going to be able to return home tomorrow without another vehicle.”
“Aye, we barely made it here with the number we had already. And we also have Jasper and Heather to take home. We wouldn’t be able to carry any of Calla’s things with us, either.”
Guthrie and Duncan ran to the car in the sleeting rain, slipping a little on the cobblestone drive. They climbed inside the vehicle, then drove back to Calla’s place. As soon as they parked, they raced to the covered porch. Guthrie tried the doorknob, figuring they hadn’t locked it in their rush to rescue Calla. Sure enough, it twisted open.
He felt wary all at once. It was completely dark out and the same inside. He smelled Baird’s angry scent and Calla’s angered and fearful scent, and that made Guthrie’s temper rise. Even though he knew the man couldn’t be here, Guthrie couldn’t help but feel that Baird was in the house again.
“Come on,” Duncan said, nudging Guthrie to go with him to Calla’s bedroom.
They both were taking deep breaths—scenting the air to make sure no one else had been in the house while they were gone or was here now—as they stalked down the hallway to her room. Guthrie found the right box, then lifted it and carried it back down the hall.
“Is Calla all right?” Duncan asked. “Shelley had some trials of her own, but every lassie deals with them differently.”
“Aye, she’ll be fine.” As soon as they ate, Guthrie was taking her to bed, snuggling with her, and talking.
“We’re all here for you,” Duncan said as they drove back to the house.
Suspicious, Guthrie said, “Why are you bringing all this up?”
“Just, if she’s upset about you trying to kill Baird, all of us will help you and Calla deal with it.”
“I’ll talk to her privately later about all of it.”
“Aye.”
Sometimes Duncan surprised Guthrie. His younger brother tried to pretend he was all warrior all the time. But at times like this, Guthrie saw Duncan for who he really was—concerned about others’ feelings and ready to step in and help out.
