Finally, speaking slowly and deliberately, Ewan said, “If it’s difficult to find that information, then there’s a high chance he’s done somethin’ uncouth.”
“I was thinkin’ along the same lines,” Darragh agreed, beginning his march down the hallway toward his study once more. His stomach tightened as he internalized just how much of his job now was waiting. He itched to do something, to bring this man to justice, even if he didn’t have irrefutable proof yet. “But until we ken for sure, we cannae do much. Especially at the moment. Best we observe until the fox hunt is over.”
Each step he took further into the castle felt like a step in the wrong direction. It was as if the keep was restricting him,stopping him from fulfilling the task he’d dedicated himself to. His fists clenched at his sides, his boots striking the ground harder.
If there was even a chance that Laird Mackenzie was responsible for what happened to Amelia, then Darragh would find him and tear him apart. The only thing keeping him here was the knowledge that leaving without a plan could mean searching aimlessly for months. He needed a trail to follow.
But nothin’, nae even the Lord above, will be able to save him once I’ve caught his scent.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Shouldnae ye be enjoyin’ time with our guests?” Darragh asked as he walked into the kitchen.
Amelia looked up from the pastry she’d been fussing over. There was a streak of flour across her jaw and specks of what looked like congealed sugar on the front of her apron. He didn’t think he’d ever seen a more beautiful woman.
“Shouldnae ye be enjoyin’ time with our guests?” Amelia challenged, not shrinking away from him.
Her spirit’s still intact, it seems.
“Me duties daenae cease simply because I have company,” he said, nodding at Nigell as he slipped away. A few other staff members began to silently herd themselves toward the door in what was undoubtedly an attempt to avoid being caught in another standoff between him and Amelia. “I’m makin’ me rounds.”
She watched as the staff left, a frown settling on her lips. “Yer rounds danae include the kitchens.” Her eyes met his once more. “Nae on a normal day.”
A pleasant, possessive warmth settled in Darragh’s chest. It was gone the second he tried to examine it, evasive even though he’d been experiencing similar moments of sensation around her. This, he told himself, was simply a reaction to knowing that the newest resident at Fraser Keep had begun to learn the routines.
“Nay, it’s nae part of me rounds on a normal day,” he agreed as he walked over to the counter she was working at. Smoothly, offering an excuse that wasn’t entirely dishonest, he said, “But the annual fox hunt is approachin’.”
“So ye’re tryin’ to get ahead in yer preparations,” she said, her voice a bit far away. “I do suppose ye wouldnae want things to be too chaotic.”
“They will be regardless of me preparations,” he argued as he reached forward, pinching off a bit of her pastry and putting it in his mouth.
“Ye’re a beast,” she hissed, looking between him and the new imperfection in her cake. “This wasnae for ye.”
“Ach, but it looked so delicious that I simply had to try it,” he replied, a whip of amusement cracking through him at the absolutely aghast look on her face. “Ye’ve been becomin’ quite skilled in the kitchens.”
She hooked her finger on the edge of the plate, dragging it closer to herself as she glowered at him. The effects were a bit dampened by the dusting of white on her face. He would still wager that she could intimidate a weaker man.
“Ye’ve nae a thing to say?” he asked, leaning forward with a smirk. Before he even registered what he was doing, his thumb ran across her cheekbone, clearing away the mess. As her eyes widened, he dropped his hand and said, “I’m complimentin’ ye, lass.”
Her mouth opened and closed, color rising almost all the way to her hairline. Rearranging her expression into a weak scowl, she touched the spot that he’d just cleared. When she found a few missed remnants of flour there, she groaned.
“Ye could have told me I had somethin’ on me face,” she complained, avoiding the compliment again.
“It was easier to get it for ye,” Darragh explained, not pressing further.
“Of course, it was,” she replied, straightening her posture and raising an unimpressed eyebrow. She wiped off the front of her apron, trying to look diplomatic, but the lingering blush simply made her look petulant. “Surely ye’ve observed whatever it is ye came to check.” She looked around the empty kitchen. “And ye’ve scared off me, instructor.”
“Perhaps that’s yer sign to take a break, then,” Darragh suggested with a chuckle. He dropped his voice a little lower,a little more casual. “And nay. I’m nae quite finished with me rounds.”
“Then ye should finish them rather than botherin’ me,” she huffed, smoothing the dent in the surface of her dessert. “As ye said, the fox hunt is approachin’. I shouldnae be yer priority at the moment.”
Darragh gritted his teeth, bracing himself against those words as though they were a blow. Her belief that she wasn’t the most important component in his planning sat wrong on his shoulders. He had half a mind to call the event off to keep her safe. If there weren’t already guests on the journey to the castle, he might have.
“Ye say that,” Darragh said, stepping around the counter and stopping in front of her. She tilted her head back to maintain eye contact. “But the next thing I need to do is speak with ye.”
For a moment, she seemed frozen. Her eyes darted to his jaw. Then, she seemed to take control of herself, her brow furrowing.
“Ye’re already speakin’ with me,” she retorted a little breathlessly. Her throat worked as she swallowed dry. “Are ye nae?”
