"What is wrong?" Angelique rose to her feet.
"They were in the library—Lachlan and Rebbinglen—and heard me," she whispered loudly, gasping for breath. She pressed a hand to her thundering heart. "They're on their way up here."
"Oh!" Angelique glanced about wide-eyed. "Go into the nursery and close the door," she whispered. "I doubt they'll look in there."
***
Rebbie followed Lachlan quickly up the narrow spiral stairs and toward his bedchamber. Who on earth could've been spying on them from the hidden passage? It wasn't as if they were discussing secrets of the monarchy or anything of vital importance. Lachlan burst into his sitting room, then rushed into the connecting chamber. He charged to the tapestry and drew it back.
"The door is open!" He turned around, a furious frown upon his face. He stormed from the room into Angelique's sitting room. Rebbie followed but stood at the open door.
"Was anyone in here?" Lachlan asked Angelique.
Sitting on a floral, padded settle near the fireplace, she frowned up at him. "What do you mean?"
"Someone was in the secret passage, spying on us in the library. They exited into our bedchamber. The passage door was open."
"Oh." Angelique wore a surprised expression. "Who could it have been?"
Lachlan narrowed his eyes. "There better damn well not be more clan traitors wriggling from the stones like wee worms."
"I doubt that,moncoeur," Angelique said. "The traitors were weeded out last November."
"Aye, but who else would want to use the passages?" Lachlan said as if to himself. "I'm going down in there and see if they left anything."
"I'll go with you," Rebbie offered.
Lachlan nodded. "We'll get to the bottom of this, one way or another! In the meantime, bar the doors," he told her.
***
Edward Claybourne opened the small pouch and poured a few silver coins into his palm, then glared at Hobbs, the messenger who'd brought them. "This is all she sent?" he demanded.
Hobbs shifted his worn out boots upon the cobblestones outside the front door ofClaybourne'snew mansion. "Aye, sir."
"Or are you skimming most of it?"
"Nay, I swear I didn't open the pouch since she placed it into my hand."
"Well… this just won't do," Claybourne muttered. The lady owed him over fifty thousand pounds. At this rate, he'd be an old decrepit man before he received the final payment. Besides, there was something he wanted far more than silver—he grinned—the lady, herself.
Aye, if she would agree to spend a few nights in his bed, he would consider the entire debt paid in full. Aside from that, her husband had wagered her. Claybourne chuckled. He deserved what he'd won, fair and square.
Hobbs' eyes grew wide and he took a few steps back.
Claybourne glared. "What are you afraid of, old man?"
He shook his head and gave a hint of a shrug.
"Where is she?" Claybourne demanded.
"Pray pardon?"
"Don't act daft with me. Where is Lady Stanbury?"
"Travelin'. I know not where she will be next."
"That is a lie. How else would you know where to pick up her next payment?"
