A Perilous Perspective (Lady Darby Mystery #10)(15)

“Yes.”

While she busied herself on the other side of the room, Gage sank down beside me, his face creased in concern. He knew how angry men unsettled me. How my body still reacted instinctively even when my rational mind knew I had nothing to fear. I wondered how long I would face the repercussions of my marriage to Sir Anthony.

“I’m fine,” I told him as he took hold of my hand, not realizing until it was too late that my right one was smeared with charcoal.

“Yes, well, I’m afraid I may have given you bad advice,” he replied sheepishly, reaching into his pocket for his handkerchief.

“No, you were right. He needed to be told. And besides, you couldn’t have known how he would react.”

“Well, clearly, there’s more to his reaction than simple outrage if he’s accusing this Miss Campbell of being involved.”

I nodded, accepting the handkerchief from him to wipe off my own fingers.

“Speaking of which.” His pale blue eyes sharpened. “Lady Bearsden said she’d remembered something about her.”

“Did she?” I replied, perking up in interest.

“But she said she wanted to give the matter a bit more thought.” His mouth quirked wryly. “Or rather she didn’t want to be disturbed from her predinner nap. She said she’ll speak to us after dinner.”

I smiled in half-hearted amusement. If she was prepared to wait until after dinner to share it, then it must not be that intriguing, for I had never known Lady Bearsden to be able to keep a juicy morsel of gossip to herself if it was something that should be known.

Then another thought occurred to me. “Perhaps she wants to confront Lord Barbreck and give him the opportunity to tell us himself first.”

“If so, I’m afraid she’s going to find that difficult. Lord Barbreck climbed into one of his carriages and set off at a spanking pace not a quarter of an hour ago.”

At this pronouncement, Bree straightened from where she’d been searching through one of the drawers and turned toward us. I nodded for her to speak.

“I forgot to say, m’lady, but Callum also told me his lordship had ordered the carriage be brought around.”

I felt less irritated that she’d forgotten to share this detail than I was curious about this Callum she kept referring to. His being a second footman, it wasn’t unusual that she should be speaking with him, but I also couldn’t help but question whether I detected a subtle undercurrent to her tone when she spoke about him. If so, I wondered what Gage’s valet, Anderley, thought about it. After all, not four months ago he and Bree had been romantically linked, even though they had since decided to revert to merely being friends. Though their relationship had been rocky and awkward for a time, things had since smoothed over, returning to the teasing comradery they had exhibited before. However, I wasn’t convinced their feelings toward each other were entirely platonic, and if one of them were to become romantically involved with someone else, I was afraid there might be a great schism.

“Where was he going?” I asked.

Gage shook his head. “No one seems to know.”

Bree simply shrugged.

I contemplated this for a moment. It was a little over an hour until dinner, so wherever Lord Barbreck had set off to so precipitously, it must be urgent for him to abandon his guests. As such, there was only one possibility I could think of.

“Where do these Campbells of Poltalloch reside?”

Gage’s eyebrows arched as if he was surprised he hadn’t thought of that, and then lowered almost in disapproval as he considered the question. Or perhaps it was irritation with Jack. “I would wager at Poltalloch Castle. Rye pointed it out to us in the distance from the top of one of the summits we climbed looking for some ancient hillfort Jack was determined to find. The castle stands along the shore of Loch Craignish about four or five miles away, as the crow flies.”

But as rocky as the terrain was, that didn’t mean the roads from here to there led directly to it. More than likely, the distance by carriage was double that. Which meant Barbreck would never return before dinner. Unless he regained control of his temper, came to his senses, and turned back before he reached Poltalloch.

“Well, I suppose we shall find out one way or another at dinner,” I replied with as much sangfroid as I could manage. Then we would confront whatever Barbreck had to say whenever he arrived to say it. If he chose to disregard my concerns about the Van Dyck, then there was really nothing I could do about it. It was his painting. He was free to believe whatever he wished about it.

Unless he tried to sell it. Then we might have a problem. But I didn’t foresee him doing such a thing anytime in the near future. No, he was much too attached to it. Much too attached to its provenance. As such, I didn’t hold out hope of his giving any credence to my concerns. Whatever the case, I had a sneaking suspicion it depended on whatever happened at Poltalloch Castle.





Chapter 5




Aunt Cait asked the staff to hold dinner for half an hour while the rest of us waited in the drawing room, but when there was no word from Lord Barbreck, she decided the meal could not be delayed any longer. As such, our party’s procession across the Great Hall into the long formal dining room was more somber and subdued than on previous nights. And while everyone tried to ignore the empty seat at the head of the table, it was impossible not to be conscious of it. Or at least, impossible for me, my eyes being drawn to it of their own volition.