* * *
Beth lay perfectly still, listening to the sound that had wakened her. The whispering of the wind? Or voices? Voices, she decided. They sounded very near, but when she looked around, the room was in darkness except for the dim light from the hot coals on the grate.
“You promised to find someone to do the deed.” A woman’s whisper, low with anger, drifted on the breeze.
“I found a hunter.” The man’s tone was soft, placating. “I’ve secured a place for him here with the other guests. But I don’t trust him.”
“Why?”
“Now that he has seen the splendor of this place, he is demanding more gold than he’d first agreed upon. He threatens to reveal our secret unless we double our offer. I need to find another to do the deed.”
“Fool! There’s no time left. It must be done before we leave. If my debts are made public, my husband will refuse to pay. I fear he’ll leave me this time. I’ll be a pauper.”
“As will I, if I don’t soon make good on my promise to Judith’s father.”
“What foolish promises have you made now?”
“He learned that I’ve been neglecting her in favor of gambling and . . . other women. If he should tell her, and she leaves, all will be lost. I’ve given my word to give up my vices and become a dutiful husband.”
The woman’s voice lowered to a hiss. “Your hunter must finish this.”
“For double the price?”
“What do we care what price he demands?” There was a hint of smile in the woman’s words. “Once the deed is done, we’ll see that he takes his secret to his grave. That way, we get to keep it all. Ours, as well as what he demanded.”
There was a long stretch of silence before the man’s voice sounded hushed. “How clever of you. You’re right, of course. He leaves us no choice. If we’re ever to be free, we must rid ourselves of all obstacles.”
“There will be a new moon rising soon. Send your man to Stag’s Head Peak as soon as it appears in the sky.”
“’Twill serve the beast right. All his grand talk about honor. He values his family lands more than his family’s needs. I’d gladly trade both honor and land for the gold it will bring us.” The man’s voice was chilling. “Soon it will all be ours. And no one will be the wiser. Even while they mourn their loss, our clansmen will cheer the death of a beast that fills all their hearts with terror.”
“And all will hail the day that they were finally set free of the Beast of the Highlands.”
CHAPTER THREE
Beth jolted upright and felt a moment of panic at the shadows leaping and dancing across the walls of her room. When she realized they were caused by the flames on the grate, she let out a sigh of relief.
Had she really overheard a plot to kill Colin Gordon? Or had it all been a bad dream? After that fall, and the crazy night she’d put in, she couldn’t be certain of anything. She decided that, at least for now, she would store it away, along with all the other strange nightmares that had plagued her sleep. They’d been so disjointed, so terrifying, they couldn’t possibly be anything more than bits and pieces of nonsense. It had to be as Colin Gordon had told his housekeeper. The fall had affected her mind.
The dawn sky outside the balcony was awash with ribbons of pink and gold and mauve. If she moved quickly she might still be able to repair the damage she’d caused by her embarrassing introduction. That awkward fall on the way to the lodge had ruined any hope of making a grand entrance. On the contrary, she’d made a complete fool of herself the previous evening. She’d not only barged in on a party, but had angered her host.
At least he’d been gracious enough to permit her to stay the night. But he’d been angry enough to let her know he felt he had no choice. No matter what arrangements had been made by the firm, she feared she would not be welcome to remain another day. She needed to meet with him as soon as possible and present the firm’s offer, before she lost her best, her only, chance to make a deal.
She touched a hand to her head, where a dull ache was a reminder of just how hard she’d fallen.
She shoved aside the bed linens and got to her feet.
She could find no light switch. What in the world . . . ? Could Colin Gordon be so determined to honor his family’s history that he’d refused to switch his hunting lodge over to electricity?
And where were her clothes? Apparently the housekeeper had taken them away to be cleaned. In their place lay a very old-fashioned costume. Some sort of gown of unbleached ivory wool, along with a soft chemise and knee-length drawers that appeared to be hand-embroidered with delicate rosebuds.
Was this intentional? Was she being informed that the masquerade party would last the entire weekend?
Feeling foolish, Beth washed herself in a basin of rose water she found on a nightstand and dressed in the costume the old woman had provided, then pulled on a pair of soft kid boots. She crossed to a mirror and couldn’t help laughing at the sight that greeted her. She looked like one of those characters in the fairy tales her grandmother had enjoyed reading to her. It was a far cry from the chic image she’d learned to project at work.
Without hairspray and pins, she wasn’t able to fasten her hair in its usual no-nonsense knot at the back of her head. Instead she was forced to run her fingers through it and let it fall long and loose to spill past her shoulders.
“All right, all you lords and ladies,” she said to her reflection in the mirror. “Two can play this game.”
She stepped out of her room.
A youth was lounging against the wall. At the sound of her door opening he straightened, while his hand went to the sword at his waist.
Beth tried to cover her surprise. “Good morning. I wasn’t expecting to see anyone up at this hour. And in full costume, too.”
The boy looked around rather wide-eyed before saying, “The laird’s belowstairs. He said I was to report to him as soon as ye showed yerself.”
“Fine. I’ll let you lead the way.”
Instead of walking in front of her, he waited until she reached the staircase before falling into step beside her, darting quick glances as they walked.
“And just where is the . . . laird?”
“In the library, m’lady.” As they reached the lower level he indicated a hallway, and Beth moved along at his side until they came to huge, intricately carved double doors.
The lad knocked and the voice from within called, “Come.”
“The lady is here, m’laird.” The youth stood aside, allowing Beth to precede him.
“Thank you, Jamie.” Colin Gordon appeared distracted, staring out a window and frowning.
In the dancing light from the fire on the hearth he was even more darkly handsome than he’d seemed the previous night. He wore the same length of plaid over some sort of full-sleeved, saffron shirt. His long hair was tied back with a narrow strip of hide.
His eyes reflected the firelight, gleaming like a cat’s as he turned to study Beth. He looked, she thought, exactly like a Highland warrior about to do battle. He was perfectly suited to play the role of lord of the manor.
“Shall I wait, m’laird?” Jamie stood just inside the door, his hand at his sword, shooting nervous glances at the young woman beside him.
“Nay. I’ll summon you when we’ve finished.”
When the door closed behind the lad, Colin Gordon watched in silence as Beth crossed the room to stand in front of him.
He was wearing the same frown he’d worn last night every time he looked at her. Still, with so many guests here, this may be the only time she would have his undivided attention. She seized the opportunity.