Page 64 of A Scandal at Stonecliffe

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

AFTER JANET SHOWED Nathan to his bedchamber and he again reassured the woman that Verity would manage not to reveal her help, he went outside. There was a stone bench that looked out over the loch, and he sat there waiting for Verity.

When Verity emerged from the house, he stood up and went to meet her halfway. “I trust Mrs. McCready is still in good health.”

Verity smiled and patted his cheek. “I didn’t harm a hair on the woman’s head. I’m not entirely a barbarian, you know.”

“Mmm. Only half of one?” He cocked an eyebrow.

“Nonsense. No more than a third, I’m sure.” Verity was clearly pleased at Nathan’s hearty chuckle and gave him an answering smile before continuing. “Anyway, I didn’t need to resort to anything so crude as violence. I simply pointed out how very distressing it would be to Mrs. McCready and her brother if the British Foreign Office came to investigate their aid to the French.”

Nathan choked. “Their what?”

She lifted a shoulder. “I had to have some reason for already knowing what Janet told us. So I told her we already knew about the suspicious circumstances of the Douglases residing here.”

“You do know that Malcolm was born before the war with Bonaparte.”

“Oh, the Scots are always conspiring against England.” Verity waved away that problem. “And England is always at war with France.”

“Actually,” Nathan said in a musing tone, “I suppose we were at war. His birth would have been during that first little spat with the colonies.”

“You see? So I went on to say that we had hoped that she might provide us information that would clear up the reason she was housing known Anglophobes like Flora Douglas, and I was going to give her another chance to tell her side of the story.”

“As always, I bow to your wisdom,” Nathan said, offering his arm. “Now why don’t we take a stroll along the loch and you can tell me what you learned. I think it’s better to discuss it away from all the ears in the house.”

Verity linked her arm with his. “You are wise, as well. Unfortunately, Mrs. McCready had little to tell that we didn’t already know. Margaret and her mother came here to conceal the birth of Margaret’s illegitimate child. She didn’t know the exact circumstances, such as who the father was. All she cared about was that she was getting several months of paying guests in return for not asking or answering any questions about the whole thing.” She paused for a moment, then said, “I did learn one piece of new information, though.”

The tone of her voice made Nathan stop and turn to look at her. “Good information?”

Verity nodded. “Well, not good for Margaret, but definitely good for you. Apparently Margaret died only a few months later. Mrs. McCready didn’t know the details, unfortunately, but she was positive it wasn’t longer than a year after the birth.”

Nathan let out a long breath. “Then my parents’ marriage was legal. I’m very glad to learn my father didn’t deceive Mother like that.”

“It also means your birth is legitimate. And since we now know that Malcolm was born before George Dunbridge married his mother, he is not legitimate and therefore has no claim to your estate.”

“None?”

“Remember the day you spoke to Robert Douglas at his club? I went to talk to an attorney.”

“Yes, I remember. We never talked about it, did we?”

“No. Your discovery of Gairmore was far more interesting. The lawyer told me that if the parents marry after the child is born, the child can share in the personal property but not the real estate. And since the thing you have of value is the real estate, he would get nothing.”

Nathan frowned. “That seems rather unfair. I mean, he’s older and my father did do the right thing and marry her, even if it was a bit late.”

Verity chuckled. “Only you would feel sorry for the man who is trying to steal your estate from you.”

“Well, he is my brother, despite all that.” They began to walk again. “I can’t help but think how different my life would have been if I’d grown up with a brother.”

“I think with a brother like him, it would not have been an improvement.”

He glanced at her and smiled faintly. “You’re probably right.”

“I, um, I suppose our case is over now,” Verity said.

“I suppose.” A fist clenched in Nathan’s chest at the thought of not being with Verity all the time, of leading separate lives. It didn’t mean he would lose her, but... Anyway, there were things that needed to be done, loose ends to tie up—surely there were. He cleared his throat. “But first I think...I think that we should go to Edinburgh and talk to the Douglases.”

“Why?” Verity stared at him, and Nathan had a swift pang of doubt—does she not feel the same desire to stay together that I do?