“That’s true, Papa,” Tira said as she slathered marmalade on a scone.
Royal sighed.
Ainsley took a seat next to her husband. “Darling, that ship sailed long ago. We just have to trust in Tira’s good judgment, which we know is considerably better than her great-grandfather’s.”
“Ho,Sassenach,” Angus said, “I’ll nae have ye insultin’ me at the breakfast table. And I’d still like to know why the bloody cook needs buckin’ up.”
“Not the cook,” Ainsley replied. “Elspeth, your cousin. Remember her?”
“Of course I remember her. I already told Elspeth to tell Kinloch to stop shootin’ off his mouth like an arseling, and to give booby Campbell and Sir Leslie the boot. And,” he added, pointing his spoon at Ainsley, “to ship Melissa off with Colin on their blasted wedding trip so the rest of us can have some peace.”
Ainsley rolled her eyes. “Please do us a favor, Grandda, and cease giving advice—to anyone.”
“Why? I give the best advice of anyone in this family. Not that ye seem to appreciate it.”
Kade fetched a cup of coffee from the sideboard. “I wonder why that is?”
“No sass from ye, either, laddie boy. Dinna forget that yer nae too old for me to paddle yer bum.”
Kade had been hearing that empty threat for so long that he barely registered it now.
“What events required you to consult with the cook?” he asked Ainsley as he took a seat.
“There’s to be a special picnic on Eilean Munde Island this afternoon,” Tira cut in. “We’re taking a boat ride and everything.”
Kade eyed Ainsley askance. “A picnic while the entire house is in an uproar? Seems rather dotty, doesn’t it?”
“I agree, but it was planned some weeks ago as part of the wedding festivities, and will include a few local families as well. Elspeth told me that she refuses to let Charlie’s poor behavior ruin the entire wedding.”
“I’d say it’s the rest of the family that’s been behaving poorly, not Charlie.”
“Too true,” Ainsley said, selecting a ginger biscuit from the pastry tray. “It’s all such a mess.”
Angus finished sawing away at a piece of ham and pointed his knife at Kade. “It’s up to the great spy to straighten it out, because yer the one best able to find the brooch. So what’s the plan?”
Kade thought for a moment but then decided the truth would serve best, since he would probably need his family’s help. “I’m afraid we have a bit of a problem on that score.”
“If there’s a problem,” Tira piped up, “I’d like to help. I think Miss Charlotte’s a pip.”
Kade smiled at his niece. “Aye, that she is.”
“She’ll make a fine wife for ye, lad, and that’s a fact,” Angus said.
“You’re getting a bit ahead of yourself, Grandda.”
Ainsley widened her eyes at Kade with faux innocence. “Is he?”
“Let’s return to the discussion at hand,” he firmly said. “Charlie’s problem is more complicated than we thought, because the brooch wasn’t misplaced. It was stolen by its owner.”
“Ah,” Ainsley replied. “I suspected as much.”
Royal cast her a startled glance. “You did?”
“I knew how determined she was to put Richard off. In order to do so, she had to put her parents off, too. But I suspect she didn’t think the uproar would be this bad.”
Kade nodded. “I finally picked up the scent yesterday and confronted her about the matter last night.”
Angus waggled his eyebrows. “Was that when ye were out in the gazebo together, bein’ so kissy-face?”
