Call Of The Clan by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Format: epub
Published: 2010-02-13T07:14:20+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Dinner was a nightmare.

Cayden attempted to leave after Evan’s inopportune appearance, but Mrs. Much caught him at the door and begged him to stay and eat. Not wishing to hurt her feelings, he conceded. And so I found myself at the head of the table once again, with Evan Muncaster seated on my left and Cayden Spalding to the right.

I could feel Cayden’s eyes boring into me throughout the entire meal. I tried not to look at him. Evan kept reaching over, touching my hand and patting my leg under the table. Meanwhile, Trish was observing the entire little drama with a triumphant little smile, and at one point, I saw her raise her wine glass to me in a mock toast.

I would have cheerfully punched her in the nose, had I been able to reach her, but unfortunately she was too far away. Emily Much picked at her food sadly, sort of moving it around in circles, and even Mack Piper, who normally never stopped talking, didn’t seem to have a lot to say.

This did not bode well for my Gathering.

Mrs. Much cleared her throat behind me. “Lady Kilgraeme?”

I turned, grateful for the distraction. “I’m sorry, yes?”

She glanced around conspiratorially. “I believe my Emily has something she’s needin’ to speak to you about,” she whispered softly.

I froze. The last person who supposedly needed to speak to me was left strangled and dead on my back porch. “Mrs. Much,” I said in as steady a voice as I could muster, “we will talk about this another time.” I looked at her pointedly. “Alone.”

She gave me a barely perceptible nod, and waddled away. I glanced around. I didn’t think anyone had overheard our conversation, but I couldn’t be sure. Evan was busy chatting with Trish and, when not looking at me, Cayden seemed to be focusing rather intently on his vegetables. I had let it slip to both Cayden Spalding and Evan Muncaster that Sandie wanted to tell me something about someone, and then she had been murdered.

I wasn’t taking the same chance with Emily. I glanced down the table at the girl, and noticed she was staring at the seat which Danny Beaton usually occupied. I wondered if maybe she had a little bit of a crush on the homely gardener. As I watched her a single, fat teardrop slid down her cheek. Plop, it went, onto her plate, mixing in with her potatoes. She must have been aware that I was watching her, because she looked up pathetically at me.

Cayden Spalding leaned close to me. “Excuse her,” he said softly.

“Hm?”

“Excuse the lass. ‘Twould be disrespectful for her to get up unless you give her leave, and she’ll sit there all night unless you tell her to go. She’s miserable,” he added unnecessarily.

I glanced back to Emily, who was still looking at me. “Emily?” I asked gently. “If you’re not feeling well, why don’t you go lie down for a bit?”

She smiled then, an expression of incredible gratitude, and whispered, “Thank you, miss, I believe I will.

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