“Yes, thank God,” he said. “You say Tommy knew something was wrong?”
“Aye, he’d been sitting in front of the cottage smoking his pipe when he spied the carriage going to Kinglas this morning and then you subsequently riding past like a madman. When the carriage came out again, heading toward Arrochar, he rousted me from bed. Said something didn’t feel right, especially with the laird riding out like a demon, as he put it.”
“So, you just decided to take a little ride and see what was happening?” Nick asked skeptically. “Dressed in your nightshirt?”
Logan shrugged his massive shoulders. “Not like I have anything else to do at the moment.”
Except run a massively successful trading company, as Nick well knew.
“And there was the sound of that pistol shot,” Logan added. “That rather clinched the deal. Tommy and I arrived to find Gilbride facedown in the dirt, and some nasty buggers holding everyone else hostage.” He jerked his head toward the coach. “We’ve got them tied up behind the carriage, by the way. The constable is keeping an eye on them.”
“Where was Victoria when this was going on?” Nick asked.
“I was dragged into the woods, to where Fletcher was waiting for me.” She squeaked. “I’m fine, sir. Truly.”
He grimaced and loosened his suddenly tight hold. “Sorry, love. What happened next?”
“Mr. Fletcher couldn’t bear the idea that I might not be convicted, so he said he decided to take justice into his own hands.” She paused, as if collecting herself, then mustered a smile. “Fortunately, Mr. Kendrick came charging out of the woods just in time, pistols blazing. He was absolutely heroic.”
Logan snorted. “Yes, that’s me all over.”
“You are heroic,” Victoria said earnestly, touching his arm. “I will be eternally grateful to you.”
When Logan gave her that warm, charming smile of his, Nick did his best not to scowl. Apparently, he failed, since his brother glared at him.
“Stop being an idiot,” Logan said. “She’s mad about you.”
Victoria patted Nick’s chest. “Of course I am, even when you’re acting like an idiot. But, sir, how did you know to come back for us? We didn’t expect to see you until Glasgow.”
He briefly explained the circumstances. “Ben’s grooms and the coachman can help Constable Gow with the prisoners. I suggest we get on our way to Arrochar before it gets much later. That wheel looks like it’s fixed now.”
“I think you’re forgetting something,” Victoria said.
Nick frowned. “I am?”
“She means me,” said Logan. “She’s wondering if you’re going to send me away again.”
“I’ll just go help Gow,” Alec said, backing away.
Nick sighed. “A family discussion on top of a kidnapping and an attempted murder. What fun.”
“We are not leaving until this is settled,” Victoria said in a firm tone.
“But Sergeant Blair—”
“He’ll be fine,” she said.
Nick gave her a sheepish smile. He was being a stubborn thickhead, and they all knew it.
“Listen, Nick, I can never do enough to wipe clean my terrible failure,” Logan said in an earnest tone. “I will live with it for the rest of my days. But you need to know how sorry I am.” He paused. “This isn’t easy for me to say, but I’m begging you one last time to forgive me—for both our sakes.”
“For your entire family’s sake,” Victoria added softly.
Nick stared into his brother’s eyes, ones that were a reflection of his own.
Those eyes were like Cam’s, too. Nick’s little boy had adored his big, brash uncle, and Logan had fiercely loved Cam. His brother would have given his life to save the boy—he would to save any member of the family. But for years Logan had lived in exile, separated from the people he loved.
And he’d done that because of Nick.
