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“Colonel Sinclair of His Majesty’s 14th Light Dragoons, sir,” the servant announced.
“Come for a word with you.”
Curious, Ellery put off her flight. Conor wouldn’t dare come after her now. Not with this newcomer appearing, all business by his demeanor and his grim face. She watched from the hall as the colonel surveyed the room. She knew that pose. An officer getting his first glimpse into enemy territory. Reconnoitering his position.
But it was Morgan’s reaction that surprised her the most. Her eyes flashed to the man’s face, her smile dying. He nodded in her direction, but instead of returning the civility, she spun on her heel and walked away. Interesting.
Mikhal showed the man back out into the hall. Ellery drew close into the shadows, interest overcoming good manners. What did this colonel have to do with the Blighs?
“Can I help you? As you can see we’re taken up with family today.”
“I’m well aware, Mr. Bligh, and I hate to bother you at such a time, but it’s about your sister-in-law’s death that I’m inquiring.”
Mikhal raised an eyebrow. “You’ve caught my attention.”
“I’m conducting a military investigation. Five soldiers have died under similar circumstances to Mrs. Bligh’s. Unmarked. In the open. Most near hills or mounds,” he reddened, looking decidedly uncomfortable, “or close by ancient standing stones. It sounds ridiculous but I thought if I could speak with you—”
“Come with me, Colonel, into my study.” He gestured toward Conor and his nephews to join them, but Morgan was there first, her expression thunderous. “You’re not welcome here.”
“Morgan,” warned her uncle.
“You don’t understand.” And Ellery froze at her words coming from Morgan’s mouth. Thought she understood when she heard the venom in them. The hurt and betrayal. “He’s only here to cause us grief. He excels at it.”
Colonel Sinclair’s face was as remote as hers. “Miss Bligh. I hope your trip south was uneventful.”
But Morgan had already stalked off, her strides only slightly hindered by the rare gown she’d donned for the funeral.
“My study, Colonel? And you can explain yourself to us all.” The four of them disappeared behind closed doors.
“There’s a story there, I’m thinking.” Lowenna’s voice whipped Ellery around. Conor’s grandmother stood beside her in the corner, her flashing gray eyes locked on the study door.
“Do you think he’s what brought Morgan home?” Ellery asked.
Conor’s grandmother sighed. “Morgan is a confusion of wants and needs even she doesn’t fully understand. But her mother is gone. It is up to me to untangle what I can, and comfort what I cannot.”
She started to follow Morgan’s route toward the back of the house, turning back once. Her lined cheeks were pale, her lips pursed. “I’ll say this and no more. Each hour you spend in anger is an hour lost forever. Don’t wait too long.” Age settled into her eyes like fog shrouding the brightness of the sun. “We walk a razor’s edge. There is great magic to be had within the quoit’s boundaries and at the turn of the season.” She stood stoop-shouldered as if the merest breeze might topple her. “It may be enough to do what needs doing.” But even her shrouded gaze held the power to scorch. “Then again, Ellery Reskeen. It may not. And regret is a cold and cheerless lover.”
Conor found Morgan in the greenhouse, hidden between cold frames and a wall of tropical palms. The last place anyone would look for her, so the first place he’d searched. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders, hiding her face, but the way she was shredding a leaf
between her fingers gave him a good indication of her emotions.
“He’s gone. Doesn’t look like he’ll be back.”
She flicked her hair back, her expression a slash of white-hot fury. “No doubt riding home to his wife.” The leaf fell in a million tiny pieces at her feet. “If we’re lucky, he’ll fall off, break his fat head, and we’ll be good and rid of him.”
“Is that how it is? I had a notion when the temperature dropped to freezing at your first glimpse of each other.”
“It’s no way.” She broke off a palm frond as if snapping a neck. “Forget trying to comfort me. Gram’s already come and gone. It was a shock, I’ll admit, but I’m over it.”
“I can tell.”
She blasted him with her gaze.
“You don’t scare me. I know that look. And just so you know, you’ve got nothing on Ellery.”
He plucked his own leaf. Twirled it between his fingers. She sniffed. “Speaking of whom, instead of pestering me, why aren’t you trying to patch things up with her?”
Served him right. He let the leaf flutter to the floor. He’d known it was a bad idea following her. But between Ruan, Jamys, and himself, he’d drawn the short straw. He blew out a breath. Who the hell’s idea was it to draw straws anyway? “You can’t throw me off the scent by changing the subject. I came out here to talk about Sinclair.”
