The Return of the Sailor Highlander by Olivia Kerr

Author:Olivia Kerr
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Published: 2020-08-07T16:00:00+00:00

When they got home, the butler was waiting for them with a letter in his hand.

“A note came for you, sir,” the butler said, and bowed as he handed it over to Jacob, who winced as he opened it. Surely his cousins couldn’t have known that he was up at their former estate so soon, and had already sent a note ahead?

The contents of the note were not what he expected at all. Instead of warning him to stay off the estate, it was a warning message of a different kind.

Stay away from Hannah, or danger will come to those around her.

He paused and then flipped the letter over. Sure enough, it was addressed to him.

“What is it?” Dathers asked, seeing his face. Jacob took the letter over to Archibald who had settled in a chair by the fire.

“I am sorry to show this to you,” Jacob said, as Archibald took the note. The other man raised his eyebrow.

“Well, that is interesting,” he said.

“Is it from Thomas?” Jacob asked.

“No,” he said. “At least, not as far as I know. That is not Thomas’s handwriting.”

“Thomas?” Harold picked up on that and moved over to the two of them. Once he saw the note, his eyebrows shot through his hairline. “Well, if it’s not from Thomas, then who would have written it?”

“Someone who has eyes in this household,” Archibald replied. “That concerns me more than anything.”

“Not necessarily,” Jacob said. “They could have seen us together at the market.”

“No,” Harold replied. “We were barely in the market when we were nearly run over by a carriage. There wasn’t enough time to plan such an attack. I do believe Archibald is right. There is someone in this household who has eyes on the situation.”

“Who though?” Dathers asked. “The many times we have been here, your household has been nothing but loyal and kind.”

“I know,” Archibald replied. “Everyone who has worked here has worked here for years. In addition, they have kept the secret of my...illness hidden for many years. No one outside of these walls knows about it...so if they kept a secret so damning close to their chests, why would this be the rumor they spread?”

“Perhaps because it does not benefit them to see you fall,” Jacob said. “But it would benefit them if someone else wanted to marry Hannah.”

“Interesting,” Archibald said. “Someone who wasn’t Thomas? Or someone connected to Thomas who wanted to make sure that you were out of the picture?”

“I just want you to know…” Jacob tried to put the words delicately. “That I would never...Hannah is your sister and she is betrothed. I would never betray you like that.”

“I know,” Archibald assured. “I do not harbor any ill feelings towards you.”

“I appreciate that,” Jacob said. “And I promise you, I will get to the bottom of this.”

“I know you will. You always do.”

Jacob wasn’t sure how he was going to solve this, but he trusted the ability of his mind. At least, he hoped that he could.

“Tomorrow is Christmas,” Archibald said.

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