The Recruit (Highland Guard #6)(107)

“Of course I do. I’m sorry. You’re right. I must be more preoccupied than I realized. I should love to see the room, when I return.”

He seemed so genuinely contrite that she smiled. “I shall put you to work. You can help me move the trunk. It’s the most wonderful thing. I think it must have belonged to Sir Adam’s father.”

He seemed to go very still beside her. “What makes you say that?”

“It is filled with the most wonderful treasures from the east. Sir Adam’s father went on crusade many years ago with King Edward.”

“And my grandfather,” he said carefully.

“That’s right, I’d forgotten. You must see the journals, then.”

The cup slid from his hand, but he steadied it before it tipped over. “Journals?” he said hoarsely.

She nodded, wondering at his strange reaction. “Aye, a whole trunk of them.”

Kenneth couldn’t believe it. Was it possible the recipe for black powder was hidden in one of those journals? Anxious to investigate, he’d hoped to return later that night. But it wasn’t until the following night that he crept up the staircase of Huntlywood tower.

With King Edward’s departure from London imminent, the preparations for war had intensified, and Percy was keeping them all busy. Moreover, knowing his time was running out, Kenneth was taking every opportunity to discover what information he could before he had to leave. He couldn’t shake the feeling that the English were planning something secretive and that Clifford was at the center of it.

Perhaps it was Striker’s warning, but Kenneth also couldn’t shake the feeling that they were watching him. The letter conveniently falling into his hands bothered him. As did Percy’s seemingly innocuous comment that he should have more care the next missive he carried did not get damaged before he arrived. There had been a small crack in the seal after he’d broken it open. It should have gone without notice, but apparently the constable thought it significant enough to report back to him via one of the other men.

Could Felton have said something to Percy? It wouldn’t surprise him.

All this added up to one incontrovertible fact: it was time to take Mary to Scotland. Only when she was safe could he extricate himself and the young earl. Her presence had become a liability. It made him vulnerable. If something went wrong, he wanted her far away from here.

The unexpected delay in Sir Adam’s journey had complicated matters, but the older knight was supposed to depart for France the day after tomorrow. As soon as he did, Kenneth would make his move.

Kenneth passed the tower chamber where Mary slept on his way to the garret. He knew it must be after midnight. He intended to surprise his wife, but after he searched the trunk.

There were two doors at the top of the stairs. He chose the one on the right and pushed it open as quietly as he could in case someone was sleeping inside. Fortunately, the room appeared empty. With the shutters closed, it was dark—and cold. The candle he’d brought with him didn’t shed much light, but it would be enough.

As there were only a few items in the room, he saw the trunk right away, heaving a sigh of relief that it hadn’t been removed.

It was clear Mary had been busy. The room was spotless: wooden floors swept clean, plastered walls cleaned and brushed with a fresh coat of lime. Even the low angled ceiling looked clean.

He had to duck as he crossed the room to the trunk. Lifting the lid, he knew at once Mary had been right about the identity of the owner. He recognized the same leather covers of the journal his friend William Gordon had that had burned in the fire all those years ago. A buzz of excitement ran over his skin, crackling like lightning when he saw the sealed pottery jars. Suspecting what they contained, he put one aside to examine later and started in on the journals. He flipped through page after page, looking for anything that might be a recipe or formula. With every minute that passed, his disappointment grew. He’d been so certain, damn it. He was on the third volume when he heard the door behind him open.

“What are you doing?”

Damn, it was Mary. He slammed the volume closed and placed it back in the trunk. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“My room is just below this one. I thought I heard something. But what are you doing up here?”

He smiled. “I thought I would move your trunk.”

“In the middle of the night?”

“I was curious.”

She immediately brightened. “To see the baby’s room? You should have woken me. What do you think?”

He felt a stab of guilt. Her happiness and excitement ate at him. He hadn’t been thinking about the child’s room because he knew it wasn’t going to be the child’s room at all. He looked around the small chamber. “It’s nice.”

She rolled her eyes, walking toward him. “Nice? It’s perfect. I’m going to put a chair over here,” she pointed to a place before the window, “the cradle will be against the far wall, and the nurse will sleep in the antechamber.”

Kenneth felt ill. “You have it all planned out.”

She gave him a funny look. “It won’t be long now. Davey came a few weeks early. Perhaps this baby will do the same.”

Kenneth hoped the sudden lack of blood in his face wasn’t visible in the candlelight. “I didn’t realize …”