Days of Gold (Edilean 2)

“After Prudence shot James she began to kick him, and Shamus was the only one big enough to hold her. But then I guess you know all about the size and shape of her, being as you spent so much time in bed with her.”

“And lived to tell of it,” Angus said under his breath.

“What?”

“Nothing. I’m just trying to think how I’m going to dispose of a body in a town the size of Boston. Where did she shoot him?”

“I told you. In my parlor.”

“No! Where on his body?”

“In his head. Dead center. A perfect shot.”

“I’m glad she wasn’t shooting at me,” Angus mumbled.

“Does that mean you think she’s a better shot than I am?”

“No, dear, I’d never think that. Edilean, why did you leave that poor, distraught woman with a ruffian like Shamus?”

“You know, as far as I can tell, you’re the only person who thinks Shamus is bad. So what happened? Did he thrash you when you were children?”

She was too close to the truth, and as they were approaching the house, he didn’t answer her.

25

THE FIRST THING they heard when they opened the door was laughter. Under the circumstances, it was an incongruous sound, and Angus looked at Edilean in question.

She shrugged. “I think it’s love. It seems to be everywhere around me, not for me, but around me. Surrounding me. Like a disease that I can’t catch.”

Angus rolled his eyes, and went to the room where just three weeks before Edilean had come close to shooting him. When she started toward the kitchen where the laughter was coming from, he grabbed her hand.

“I don’t want to see... him again.”

“If you want my help, you have to stay with me.”

“And why is that?”

“Because if James Harcourt is dead, then I plan to do my best to get you to forgive me for every bad thing I’ve ever done to you.”

His words nearly took her breath away, but she would have died before she told him that. “I’ll never forgive you,” she said.

Angus smiled. “Funny how your words say one thing but your eyes another.” He pulled her into the sitting room.

Lying on the floor was indeed James Harcourt, and he had a bullet wound in his forehead. Under his head was a big, green wax-covered canvas.

“Harriet must have done that,” Edilean said, smiling fondly. “I complained about my floor, so she protected it.”

“I think you should have a little respect for the dead,” Angus said, looking down at the man.

“Not for him. I guess you knew that James was blackmailing Harriet.”

“I was told only recently, and I can assure you that I wasn’t told much.” Angus bent down to look at the body. “I tried to find out—” He was interrupted by a loud burst of laughter from the kitchen. “Who’s in there?”

“I’m not sure, but I assume it’s Malcolm and Harriet, and Shamus and Prudence.”

For a moment, Angus’s mouth opened and closed. “They’ve paired off like that?”

“Why not?” Edilean said. “It’s a normal thing to do. In fact, I just met a young widow who I think would be a perfect match for Tam. She’s a few years older than he is, but I think they’ll like each other. I’m going to invite her here. I know Tam’s going back to Scotland to be the laird, but maybe she’ll want to go with him.”