“Oh no,” Robert MacPherson said, casually flicking a speck of dust from his coat sleeve. “To tell you would lead to nothing. You would try to kill the person in a rage, and I would still be left with doubts. No, I will speak to my father. I will tell him about this person who accused you. I will listen to what he has to say. Ask no more, Colin.”
“I wouldn’t kill your damnable informant!”
“If you didn’t, then your bloodthirsty wife would.”
“I surely would,” Sinjun said. “He’s right about that, Colin.”
Colin suddenly realized they were all standing in the entrance hall. He didn’t want MacPherson in his home but he had come for Serena. He had to be somewhat civil, but that didn’t mean taking him into the drawing room and giving him a cup of tea. They would remain in the entrance hall. Colin said, to break the uncomfortable silence, “You know the wives, do you not?”
“Oh yes, bloody savages those two. Ladies,” Robert MacPherson added, and gave them each a deep bow. “And their husbands, I presume. I’m relieved that you both are here. These two charming females should be kept under lock and key.”
He turned back to Colin. “Now, your letter said you wanted me to remove Serena. May I ask why, at this particular moment in time?”
“Aunt Arleth died last night. Hung in her room.”
“Ah, I see. You lured me here to accuse me of murdering the old witch. Fortunate that I brought my men with me, isn’t it?”
“Don’t be a fool, Robbie. It was made to look like a suicide, but Douglas rightfully pointed out that Arleth wouldn’t have had the strength to tie the rope knot so tightly to the chandelier. No, someone killed her, perhaps this informant of yours was her accomplice. Perhaps he feared she’d talk and did away with her.”
But Robert MacPherson just looked at him. He did move a bit closer to the open front doors, closer to his men on the steps outside, all of them at the ready.
“Dammit, Robbie, that means someone got into the castle and murdered her!”
“Perhaps she was strong enough with the bloody knot,” he said. “Arleth was more robust than she appeared.”
Colin gave it up. He fetched Serena. She looked at him as he walked beside her down the wide staircase as if he were her lover. She looked at him as if he were Romeo to her Juliet.
“I’m very relieved that she’s leaving,” Sophie whispered to Sinjun. “She frightens me, be it all an act or not, it doesn’t matter.”
“Me too,” Sinjun said.
“Sister,” Robert MacPherson said, nodded briefly at her, and motioned for his men to fetch the two valises from Colin.
“Hello, Robbie,” Serena said. She stood on her tiptoes to kiss her brother on his mouth. “You’re more beautiful today than you were even six months ago. I pity your wife. She will have to compete with you for beauty. When we go to Edinburgh, you must promise not to escort me anywhere.”
He sucked in his breath, and for one horrible moment Sinjun was afraid that he would strike his sister. Then he smiled and said easily, “I will grow a beard.”
“I’m pleased you are able to,” Serena said. She turned to Colin, stroked her fingers over his cheeks, then rose onto her tiptoes and kissed him full on the mouth, just as she’d done her brother. “Good-bye, my love. A pity you prefer this one. A pity she is kind, but I am pleased that you married her because she was an heiress.”
Without another word, Serena walked past her brother out the front doors.
Colin simply nodded to Robert MacPherson. He walked beside him outside. The day was overcast and chilly. He watched Serena mount a mare her brother had brought for her. He watched one of Robbie’s men fasten her valises to the back of his saddle. He watched them all mount, watched them ride down the long tree-lined drive of Vere Castle.
“You will come to me once you’ve spoken to your father,” Colin called after him.
“I will certainly do something,” Robert MacPherson yelled back over his shoulder.
“Actually,” Colin said to his wife as he turned back into the entrance hall, “I’m glad I married an heiress as well, particularly this heiress.”
Sinjun grinned up at him, though it was difficult. He was trying to lighten everyone’s mood, but it was tough going.
Sophie rubbed her hands together. “Now,” she said, “we have a mystery to solve. Sinjun, I want to hear more about Pearlin’ Jane. Why do you think she came to you and told you about Aunt Arleth?”
Douglas turned on his heel and left the castle. He said over his shoulder to Alex, who was standing there staring at him, “I’m going riding. I’ll return when you’re done chewing over this damnable ghost nonsense.”
“Poor Douglas,” Ryder said. “He’s a man who must maintain his stand once he’s taken it.”
“I know,” Alex said. “I can talk him around to just about anything, but not the Virgin Bride. Sophie’s right. It’s time to discuss this fully.”