“Yes, but Vivianna likes that room and Abby can stay away from the stairs and the windows,” Angus replied. “The gallery is huge, we’ll have plenty of room to move in there.”
Cash took a moment to consider this then he jerked his head in a nod. “The gallery.”
Mrs. Truman spoke up. “You can’t be anywhere near.”
Cash looked at her. “I get that,” he said then continued, “but I’ll not be far.”
“You can’t be anywhere near,” Mrs. Truman repeated.
“I’ll not be far,” Cash repeated in turn.
“Cash,” Cassandra put in, “she may not appear before the master but that doesn’t mean she can’t see him. You can’t hide from her.”
“Abby’s not going up alone,” Cash returned.
“No, she isn’t. Me and Cassandra will be there,” Angus said.
“If she can see me, she can see you,” Cash retorted and Angus shook his head.
“She can’t see me, lad, not unless I want her to,” Angus replied softly.
“And how does that work?” Cash asked, his voice dripping with disbelief.
“Glamour,” Cassandra answered and Cash turned to her and raised his brows in question so Cassandra went on, “The McPhersons have a cloaking glamour. It’s magic, handed down for generations and hard to explain, just trust me, it works.”
With visible effort, Cash allowed this to pass then he asked Cassandra, “And where will you be?”
“I’ll be close,” Cassandra told him.
“You’ll be very close,” Cash told her and Cassandra nodded then Cash turned to Angus. “How will you get her?”
“Can’t say. Family secret,” Angus replied.
Cash looked at him a moment then said with soft menace, “I’m sure everyone in this room will take your secret to their grave.”
And Abby was sure too. The way he said it, anyone in that room would be stupid not to.
Cash went on. “Now, tell us, how are you going to get her?”
Angus looked at Cassandra then Jenny then Mrs. Truman and Abby noted that they all shifted uncomfortably in their seats.
Finally, Angus’s eyes went to Cash and he spoke, “Witch’s trap.”
Cash waited for more, Angus didn’t give it to him so Cash demanded, “Explain.”
Angus glanced at Cassandra then back to Cash. “I’ll set a witch’s trap in the gallery. To be trapped, she has to form, which Abby will get her to do. Then I’ll drive her to the trap. She won’t see it, she won’t feel it, but once she’s in the circle, she won’t be able to get out of it.”
Cassandra took over. “Once she’s inside the trap, I’ll be there. Angus and I’ll fold her up and take her to a coven in Cornwall for a vanishing ritual.”
“Fold her up?” Cash enquired.
“Yes,” Cassandra answered, “literally. I’ll fold her up using magic and insert her into a case that Angus’s family has been using for centuries. The case is protected and no matter how strong she is, she won’t be able to get out. Transport will be safe but I’ll go with Angus to make the delivery just in case. The coven in Cornwall is powerful and they’ve been alerted. They’re ready. They’ll perform the vanishing ritual the minute Vivianna is delivered to them.”
“And that’s it?” Cash asked.
“That’s it,” Angus replied.
“She’ll be gone?” Cash pressed.
“Straight to hell,” Cassandra stated.
“You’re certain?” Cash pushed.
Cassandra and Angus both nodded.
Mrs. Truman butted in and her eyes were on Abby. “Honor and Fenella have finagled invitations to the party Saturday night for Jenny and me. We’ll be there too.”
Abby saw Cash’s body get tight so hurriedly she suggested, “Perhaps you should leave this to the experts.”
It was Jenny who spoke next. “We’re not going to be there to help.”
Mrs. Truman finished for Jenny by declaring, “Moral support.”
“This doesn’t get better,” Cash muttered.
Mrs. Truman’s eyes narrowed on Cash and she snapped, “Cash Fraser, Abigail is not going to face this peril without what’s left of her family at her side.”
Abby felt a jolt shoot through her belly at Mrs. Truman’s words and then her eyes moved to Jenny.
She had no idea when Mrs. Truman became family but since she’d known her for as long as she could remember, and since Jenny had been in her life for more than half of it, she realised Mrs. Truman wasn’t wrong.
Therefore, her gaze going from Jenny to Mrs. Truman, Abby whispered with feeling, “Thanks guys.”
“Pah!” Mrs. Truman exploded and Abby waited for more but there wasn’t any.
Abby smiled at Jenny. Jenny’s eyes moved to Cash and Abby thought she looked weirdly pensive. Then she looked again at Abby, the strange look left her face, and she smiled back.
“Are we done?” Honor asked.
“We’re done,” Angus boomed and Abby looked at Cash to see if he agreed.
“Good, I’m getting seconds,” Honor announced and Abby watched Cash sit back in his seat and he crossed one arm on his chest but brought the fist of his other hand to his mouth. “Abby, can I make you a plate?” Honor called.
“Yes, please,” Abby called back but her eyes didn’t leave Cash when she told him quietly, “It’s going to be okay.”
Cash was contemplating the top of the conference table but at her words, only his eyes moved to hers and he regarded her from under his brows.
Then, even after all that, clearly unconvinced, Cash growled in his rough burr, “It better fucking be.”
And Abby thought, bloody hell.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Abby Helps Cash Celebrate
Abby stood by their big, four poster, curtained bed at Penmort, rubbing lotion into her hands and thanking her lucky stars that she was still alive and breathing.
They’d arrived at the castle sometime after seven for the family celebration that went off (almost) without a hitch. No earthquakes. No eerie screams. No ghosty she-bitch hauntings. No running for your life through the castle.
Nothing.
Apparently Angus and Cassandra’s guess had been correct. Throughout the evening an on-edge Cash had glued himself to Abby’s side and Vivianna didn’t show. There wasn’t even a cold draught, much less a murderous spirit appearing over the dining table wreaking havoc while they ate their pudding.
In fact, once Abby, Fenella and Honor stopped glancing at each other with expectant doom and, later, a very tense Cash relaxed (somewhat), it was only Nicola and Suzanne who made the evening uncomfortable.
Nicola, because she was unusually quiet in a way that made Abby concerned.
Suzanne, because she was not unusually being a screaming bitch in a way that made an obviously edgy Cash furious.
And he had absolutely no problem letting that fact be known.
He did this by actually calling her a “lying, fucking bitch” right at the table.
At his words, Abby and everyone had been shocked speechless, even though Abby and (likely) everyone thought she deserved it.
Suzanne had, of course, been unrelentingly bitchy throughout the meal, not only to her sisters, but also to her mother and even, although subtly (she was a bitch but not a bitch with a death wish), to Abby.
And knowing his patience was wearing thin, in what Abby thought could only be desperation to press a reaction, any reaction, from Cash, Suzanne had cattily alluded to the fact that she’d serviced him in bed.
No joke, serviced him in bed!
She didn’t come right out and say it but her inference wasn’t lost on a soul at the table. It earned horrified gasps from Fenella and Honor, Alistair rolled his eyes wearily to the ceiling and Nicola jerked out of her quiet reverie to turn a sharp gaze on her daughter.