Lured to the Night (The Brotherhood 4)

“You’re right. It is identi

cal in every way.” Ivana cast a sidelong glance, excitement evident on her face. “We are related to the people buried here. Perhaps not by blood, but certainly by circumstance.”

Isla’s thoughts drifted to the small skeleton in the stone coffin: a woman killed because of her blood affliction. “Do you think Talliano’s need to find a cure stems from a promise made to his ancestors?”

Ivana shrugged. “There is nothing to say that Talliano was not hundreds of years old and knew the lady personally. She must have been important to him. He found her grave and brought her here instead. Perhaps they were persecuted for their affliction, and he managed to escape.” She sighed. “As we’ve already said, we will never know. But it is still incredibly fascinating.”

Isla glanced at the stone covering the entrance to the burial chamber. “The gentlemen did not do a very good job of resealing the tomb. With a little effort, we could squeeze through the gap.”

Ivana shook her head. “It will be far too dark down there, and we do not have a lantern.”

Isla suppressed her disappointment. For some reason, she felt drawn to the lady with the bracelet. Perhaps it derived from knowing they had walked a similar path. “We could stroll to the hunting cabin and take a lantern and tinderbox from there,” Isla said. She knew Ivana would be leaving soon and wanted to make every effort to repay the lady’s kindness.

“Is it far?”

Isla shook her head. “No, just a few minutes’ walk across the field.”

Ivana smiled. “I would like to take one last look inside the chamber.”

They strode through the meadow towards the cabin. Ivana waited while Isla searched inside and returned with the necessary items.

“I decided to light the candle here,” Isla said holding up the rusty lantern, “but I’ve brought the tinderbox, too, just in case.”

They trudged back to the burial site. Ivana spoke of her vivid dreams about the Highlands and the reason she chose to make the arduous journey.

When they reached the entrance to the tomb, Ivana asked, “Had you been at the hunting cabin with Lachlan before you found us inside the burial mound?”

Isla felt the blush rise to her cheeks. “Yes. I … I thought it might be last time I would see him.” Good Lord, she sounded like a naughty child explaining a misdemeanour to her parents.

“I understand,” Ivana said offering a knowing smirk. “You love him. Why wouldn’t you want to lie in his arms when Nikolai’s interference has robbed you of the opportunity for so many years. Now you’ve taken the cure you need never worry. Now, you can live your dreams.”

The mere thought of the time she’d spent alone with Lachlan caused her heart to beat wildly. “I cannot prove Nikolai’s bigamy, but I pray your testimony will be enough to convince the appropriate authorities that my husband is dead.”

Ivana placed her hand on Isla’s arm. “My husband is a marquess. Both an earl and a viscount witnessed Nikolai’s death, too. There will be no issue when it comes to acknowledging your status as a widow. I can guarantee that.”

Isla breathed a sigh of relief. To know there was still a chance for her to be Lachlan’s wife was all she needed to hear.

With a renewed sense of optimism, Isla gave Ivana the lantern. “I’ll squeeze through the gap first.” She shuffled past the large boulder, took the lamp from Ivana so she could do the same. “I’ll ensure Lachlan comes back later to seal the entrance properly.”

Once down inside the square chamber they spent a few moments examining their surroundings.

Ivana put her hands on her hips. “No doubt at one time there would have been various artefacts in here. Items of jewellery, furs, basic objects they believed necessary to succeed in the afterlife.”

“The fact that they are no longer here means someone deemed them necessities to succeed in this life, too.”

Ivana turned to face her. “Those desperate for money often resort to immoral means when all other options have been exhausted.”

“What, like extortion and theft?”

“Yes.” Ivana’s eyes widened. “And murder.”

“Murder?” Isla shivered. A sudden wave of foreboding rippled through her. For a moment, she thought she had imagined the sound of footsteps on the dusty floor behind them. She turned, held the lantern aloft and scoured the shadows. “Who’s there?” All this talk of theft and murder had made her delusional. She turned to Ivana. “Forgive me. I did not mean to cause alarm. It’s just so dark down here that I cannot help but feel a little anxious.”

“No. I heard someone, too,” Ivana whispered, stepping closer until the sleeves of their dresses touched. “We should not have come down here on our own. Perhaps we should leave.”

“I’m afraid I can’t let that happen.” The deep masculine voice resonated through the chamber.

What first appeared as a black shadow suddenly took on the form of a man. With her thoughts a little wild and chaotic, Isla presumed she had seen a ghost. But as he stepped into the chamber, she realised she knew him.