Page 47 of Highlander’s Beautiful Liar

“I doona want myself dead either,” Alec pointed out.

“The arrows had no markings or paints on them. Also, thankful, no poisons, and we found nothing in the woods,” Jamie said as his face fell. “We need to rethink yer protection.”

“We are stretched too thin as it is. Reports from the outlying villages?” Even as he relieved the border guards, they looked drawn and wary. He needed more guards if he wanted to keep his clan safe. He needed to find those that had fled Seth’s nightmare reign and hope that they had not pledged fealty to another.

“There were no disturbances, however, a few men did report a young boy racing through the lands last night. He had a letter with him, but he would not say who it was from. Only who it was for.”

“And?” Alec asked.

“‘Twas for Mary, the serving girl.”

“Must be her brother. Cora had said that she would get in touch with her about him returning, but that was sooner than I expected. Much sooner. Perhaps her brother has been in touch with her all this time. I will find out where he is. Anything else?”

Jamie and Stephen shook their heads. “All right. Connor and Grace will be here this afternoon. About Grace...”

“Doona worry,” Stephen chuckled. “We wilnae let her charm her way into mischief. We know how she is.”

A hellion is what she was. Grace could charm just about anyone with a pretty smile and a few words, and that made her impossible to handle. If there was trouble to be had, Grace could find it, and because she was the sister of a powerful ally of the King, it made her a target as well.

Alec gave the new border regiment their orders and rotated the guards patrolling the outer villages. When he got the message that his brother and sister had arrived, he was a couple of hours’ ride back to the keep.

He wasn’t worried. Cora seemed to know how to be a good host even if she preferred to be the servant. However, when he got back to the keep, she was nowhere to be found.

Connor and Grace, however, had been greeted and were escorted to their chambers. “Alec!” Grace squealed and threw herself at him. Her long dark hair was flying behind her as he caught her and whirled her around. “I have missed ye! Connor is terrible to live with now that ye are gone.”

“Tell him how ye really feel,” Connor grumbled with a grin. Alec released his sister and clapped his brother on the back. “‘Tis good to see ye, Alec. I have had a chance to look around, and ye are doing well. Verra well. How are the guards taking to ye? I would have twice the patrols around the keep.”

Grace rolled her eyes and gave Connor a scornful look. “Connor, ‘tis all about politics and duty with ye. Boring. Alec is married! Where is yer wife! I want to meet my new sister so I can beg her to extend my visit here.”

“How come ye arena asking me about an extended visit?” Alec asked with a frown.

“Because ye would say no, and most wives have a way of getting around that.”

So they hadn’t met Cora yet. Strange. She’d been looking forward to their visit. “There arena enough guards here to keep an eye on ye,” he said blankly. “And this isnae a safe place for the likes of ye, my darling sister.”

Grace just rolled her eyes. “Doona tell me that ye are going to be just as boring as Connor now that ye are a laird. Where is yer wife? I need some excitement, and I heard that ye married a lying Sassenach thief! She must be interesting!”

“Grace,” Connor growled. “What did I tell ye? Ye must watch yer tongue while Alec is still finding his hold here.”

“‘Tis alright.” Alec winked at his little sister. “I think Grace’s reputation is well-known. I’m going to change and find my wife. Dinner should be ready soon. Connor, ye can join us at the hall, but Grace, I want ye to have yer dinner here.”

“What?” Grace groaned. “Why?”

Because he still didn’t trust everyone at his table. “Because ye are too young, and this place is too rough. At home, ye have the laird’s protection. Here, my protection may not be enough. Ye can explore tomorrow.”

Connor narrowed his eyes. “There is dissent in yer clan?”

He hadn’t told them about the arrow or the brush fire, but he wanted to withhold the information until Connor got a good look at everyone at dinner. He wanted his brother’s honest opinion of the men. To see if any of them had betrayed them.

“I am still gaining their trust.”

Connor nodded his head, but Alec knew that his brother understood. Leaving his little hellion of his sister to his older brother, he went in search of Cora.

To his surprise, he found her in her chambers.

Packing a valise.

“Cora,” he said as he tried to squash his growing fear and anger. “Is there some place that ye are planning on going?”