Page 16 of The Secret Castle in the Highlands

I gripped the wooden handle of my broom. He hadn’t even introduced himself. ‘Why are you asking about him?’

He brushed a stray honey-blond lock of hair away from his forehead. ‘As I understand it, I’m not the only one.’

He must have been referring to Mason. Another thought tripped through my head. Hold on. Was this the same man whom Caleb mentioned the other night? The one who’d been hanging about down by the harbour, trying to speak to the locals about the Scarlet Highwayman? But why? I tried to disguise the apprehension in my voice as I took in his navy-blue suit, starchy white shirt and sliver of claret silk tie. ‘Sorry, who are you?’

He answered my question with a tight smile. ‘I’m keen to find out more about this highwayman character. He was a real charlatan, by all accounts.’

‘They’re just unsubstantiated rumours,’ I defended, noting his pointed chin and hooded eyes. ‘It depends on who you talk to.’ I willed Katie and Caleb to appear, but there was no sign of them yet.

He leaned against the doorframe and folded his arms. ‘And who are you talking to?’

Growing unease spread through me. ‘Sorry, but I don’t see how that’s any of your business, Mr …?’

His gaze was uncompromising.

‘Look, I’m going to have to ask you to leave now.’

‘Oh, so you can help an Australian historian, but not me?’

I swallowed, my knuckles paling as I clutched harder at the broom handle. If he came any closer, I’d whack him with it. ‘How do you know about that?’

He didn’t reply. He just flicked his thin eyebrows. ‘A word of advice, Ms Summers. If I were you, I would think very carefully about assisting Mr Cooper again, especially when you’re trying to get a new business off the ground.’

I flinched. ‘Is that a threat?’

‘Everything all right, sis?’

I jumped at the sound of Caleb’s voice. He and Katie had materialised and were studying the stranger with suspicion.

The man regarded the height of my big brother and started to retreat. ‘Bear in mind my warning, Ms Summers.’

Caleb took a step forward.

The stranger dodged past him and Katie, before disappearing in a black Audi TT.

‘Who the hell was that?’ asked Katie.

I lowered the broom and wrapped my arms around myself. ‘I’ve no idea. He wouldn’t tell me his name. But I’m guessing he’s the same man you saw interrogating people down by the harbour, Caleb?’

‘Aye. That’s him all right.’

‘Well, I’m glad you both turned up when you did, though. He was pretty intimidating, whoever he was.’

Caleb stared after the departing car.

‘He was very interested that I’d spoken to Mason Cooper,’ I explained.

‘And he didn’t say who he was?’

‘No.’

Caleb rubbed his chin. ‘I’ve got a feeling I know him from somewhere.’ I could almost see him searching his brain. Then he clapped his hands together. ‘No way! Bloody hell! That’s him! He used to hang around Port Starr with some of his stuck-up mates when he was a teenager.’ My brother squeezed his hazel eyes shut in concentration. ‘Oh, what was his name? He used to have dirty-brown hair and a real attitude problem even then. He used to delight in taking the piss out of the rest of us and flashing his cash around.’

Katie bit her lip for a moment and then raised one finger triumphantly into the March air. ‘Hang on! I think I might know who you’re talking about. Did he used to have a bit of a monobrow thing going on?’

Caleb nodded. ‘That’s him.’

I suddenly remembered too. ‘Oh, you have got to be kidding me!’ I half laughed, clamping a stunned hand over my mouth.