A Perilous Perspective by Anna Lee Huber

Author:Anna Lee Huber [Huber, Anna Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2022-04-19T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Contrary to what I’d expected, Lord Barbreck met our questions and accusations with sullen silence rather than loud rebuttals. Each new complaint and demand for answers was only met by more stubborn brooding. At first, I found his display as maddening as Gage, whose temper seemed to build with every unanswered query, but then I recognized our anger would get us nowhere. Not when the marquess was clearly even more infuriated with himself than we were.

I rested a hand against Gage’s chest to quiet him before he could utter another vehement challenge. He turned his scowl on me but obeyed my unspoken request.

At first, Barbreck didn’t seem to notice that we’d stopped speaking, but continued to glare out the windows of his study overlooking the formal garden. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that Gage was tempted to break the silent stalemate, so I kept my arm linked with his, determined that we wait out the older man. I knew Barbreck well enough to realize that he wouldn’t be able to keep his mouth closed for long. Not when someone else wasn’t rattling on and driving his impetus to remain taciturn.

He huffed one aggrieved breath and then another, wriggling his shoulders as if finally acknowledging the uncomfortable sensation of having been trapped in his lies of omission. “Aye, I neglected to tell ye aboot Alisdair’s cottage and his Italian friend,” he begrudgingly admitted. “But that’s only because neither is of any consequence.” He glanced at me before returning his gaze to the water-speckled windows and the gentle rain that was still falling. “And I thought ye kent aboot yer mother. How was I to ken ye didna?”

“Come now, my lord,” I replied in milder reproach than he deserved. “If your brother’s cottage and Signor Pellegrini were truly of no consequence, then you would never have felt the need to conceal them from us in the first place.”

He turned his ferocious glare on me. “Dinna try to flim-flam me, lass. ’Twas to keep ye from leapin’ to the wrong conclusion, just as you’re doin’ noo.”

“If we’re inclined to leap to any conclusions, it’s because you tried to keep it from us when you must have realized we would find out eventually.” My voice tightened as I struggled to stifle my frustration. “You’re lucky I don’t view it as an insult to my intelligence.”

I would like to think one of the emotions that flashed in Barbreck’s eyes before he turned away was shame, but I couldn’t be certain. The old curmudgeon had always been difficult to read, and that was before I’d ever been confronted with this vindictive side of him. Prior to my discovery of the first forgery, he had always been a crusty old uncle figure, prone to impertinent remarks and a dry sense of humor. But since then his cackling laugh and gentle teasing had been replaced by surly scowls and spiteful quips.

It was Gage’s turn to place a quelling hand over my own where it rested against his arm, and I made myself take a deep breath before I spoke.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.