Days of Gold (Edilean 2)

She pushed at him harder, but his arms still held her on top of him. “Will you stop it! I’m serious. James Harcourt is in my house and he’s dead.”

Angus opened his eyes and looked at her. “Harcourt?”

“Oh, so you can hear me.”

“I heard you leaping about upstairs. Edilean, it’s one thing to shoot at me while, of course, being careful to miss, but it’s something altogether different to actually kill someone.”

“You idiot!” she said as she gave a major push that got her off of him so she was standing by the bed. “I didn’t kill him.”

He rose up on his elbows. “But you seem to enjoy shooting at people. All right,” he said at her look. “Who did kill him?”

Edilean put her hands on her hips. “What do you mean, that I was careful to miss you? I tried to hit you but you kept leaping around. You’re worse than our goats!”

“Goats?” Angus ran his hand over his face. “Edilean, what in the world are you talking about?”

“I’m trying to make you listen to me. It’s never happened before, but I’m still trying. James Harcourt is dead, and he’s bleeding on my parlor floor. We have to get rid of the body and Malcolm sent me to get you. He said that you know how to do every underhanded, lying, sneaking, illegal thing there is, so you’d know what to do to keep Prudence from being hanged.”

After staring at her in silence for a few seconds, Angus threw back the blanket, got out of bed, and began to dress. “Prudence? Is she one of your slave girls?”

“They’re bound girls, not slaves. But no, she’s not in my employment. You should know who she is, as you tussled with her in bed.”

Angus groaned as he pulled on his breeches. “Not your jealousy again!”

“Jealousy?!” Edilean’s fists clenched at her sides. “I have never been jealous of you, no matter how many women you’ve had.”

“Oh? Then why did you hire Tabitha if not to keep her away from me?”

“Why you vain, arrogant—” She started to kick his shin, but he moved back.

Angus smiled. “You won’t catch me like that again.”

Edilean put her hands over her face as though she were crying. “Oh, Angus, I’m so very frightened. James was... It was awful.” The minute Angus stepped near her, she kicked him in the shin, and he yelped in pain.

“I’m tempted to turn you over my knee for that.”

“Try it,” she said.

“It would be too easy.” For a moment they glared at each other. “Who is Prudence?!” he said at last.

“James’s wife.”

“His wife?” Angus looked puzzled for a moment, then understood. “Oh, yes, his wife.”

Edilean gave him a cold little smile. “So you do remember her. I remember that you wouldn’t let me see her, but you let me believe she was so beautiful that you envied James.”

“I did not!”

She glared at him.

Angus tried to suppress a smile. “Perhaps I did. Would you like to kick my other shin? It’s not bleeding.”

“You’re not going to get ’round me, Angus... What is your name now?”

“Harcourt.” He shrugged. “It was easier than thinking up a new name. Shall we go? Or do you want to stay here and argue some more?”

“I don’t want to do anything with you.”

Angus opened the door to his room and let Edilean leave ahead of him. In the close quarters of the room he’d not been able to see her clearly. “What in the world are you wearing?” he asked, his voice showing his shock.