The Highlander's Improper Wife by Tarah Scott & KyAnn Waters

Author:Tarah Scott & KyAnn Waters [Scott, Tarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Drakon Press
Published: 2017-03-27T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

“He did not simply die.”

Caroline jumped at the loud pop of wood that blazed in the drawing room hearth where she stood. A tiny piece of wood shot from the log, bounced off the brick wall, and landed beside the larger pieces that now simmered as red-hot coals.

Despite the warmth, she shivered. The stable master hadn’t struck her as a man given to idle gossip. Yet the idea that someone had sabotaged her father’s saddle was beyond belief. In the years since his death not so much as a whisper of foul play had reached her ears. Surely, if there were any truth to Liam’s claim that the girth on her father’s horse hadn’t worn loose as was said, but had been cut, word would have filtered down to her. And why would someone want him dead? Her father had no enemies.

She pictured the half dozen horses Liam had described galloping across the field with her father. His stallion drew ahead, the animal’s powerful strides outrunning the others’ breakneck speed of nearly forty miles an hour. He reached the trees ten seconds ahead of the pack and disappeared into the most dangerous leg of the race. She jerked at the sudden picture of him pitching from the horse. His heart jumped and he had a mere second to comprehend what had happened before his head hit the ground, his neck broken upon impact.

Caroline jarred from the vision of blood pooling around his face, sightless eyes staring heavenward. Her heart knocked against her chest. She grabbed the sherry from the mantle where she’d left it and gulped the remaining contents, then dropped into the wingback chair in front of the fire. At last, her pulse slowed. Liam may not be given to gossip, but neither was she a girl given to theatrics. She would take her time and find out what happened, but without the aid of sherry or schoolgirl emotions.

She knew several men who attended that fateful hunt, Lord Cambrooke, for one. Would he, or the others, keep silent in order to save her feelings? She recalled their encounter at the inn. He was surprised she’d spent her wedding night at the place where her father died, but that was to be expected. Caroline glanced at the empty sherry glass she still held. Damn her nerves. The hour was late—they had pushed well into the night to reach Strathmore—but, Caroline had worked herself into a state of anxiety that even two glasses of sherry hadn’t eased.

The front door to the old castle opened and Taran’s voice filled the hallway outside the drawing room. “Never mind, Patterson, we will not be needing your services tonight.” A quiver radiated through Caroline’s stomach.

“Very good, my lord.” The old butler’s voice echoed from the other end of the hallway nearest the kitchen.

“As for you,” Taran said, “go to your room and remain there until I call for you.” “Reverend Gordon will confirm the marriage,” a female voice replied.

Caroline tensed. It would seem Taran’s sister had made better use of the past few hours than she had.

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