Part 22 (2/2)

His fingers knotted around his winegla.s.s.

He could see the two of them, Toni, with those eyes on him, his eyes somewhere else. h.e.l.l, the great MacNiall, the fellow with the castle, the t.i.tle, the f.o.o.kin' bulging biceps and cast-iron chest.

Suddenly the gla.s.s snapped in his hand.

”Thayer!”

Toni was the first to jump up with alarm, running to his side, her napkin in her hand.

”It's all right, it's all right!” he said quickly.

Her eyes were on his, deep with concern. ”Must have picked up the handle wrong!” he muttered.

”You're bleeding. Let me make sure there's no gla.s.s in it,” Toni said.

”I'll get the first aid kit,” Gina said.

”No!” he said, standing.

It had been a bark, he realized, for everyone in the room was staring at him. And was there suspicion in the eyes of the great Detective Inspector Chamberlain, and those of the even greater Laird MacNiall?

He forced a wry grin. ”Sorry, I'm feeling the worst fool, such an oaf,” he muttered.

”Thayer, it's all right,” Toni said, still concerned. ”But you are bleeding.”

”A scratch. If you will excuse me, I'll just see to it. Ach, I hope I didn't get gla.s.s in any of the food,” he said, causing them all to look at the table.

”None of it even near any food, old chap!” David said cheerfully.

That d.a.m.ned David, always working to make everything f.o.o.kin' copasetic! he thought.

”Thayer, are you sure you're not cut deeply?” Gina asked, concerned.

He shook his head. ”Embarra.s.sed is what I am,” he said. ”I'll be back in a moment.”

Gina and Toni were picking up shards of gla.s.s.

”I really don't think we have to worry about any of the food,” Gina murmured. ”I think we're getting it all.”

”Aye, don't worry none,” Robert said. ”If there's a shard there, your host will be seein' it.”

”Good eyes, eh, Bruce?” David said.

Thayer found himself pausing just beyond the doorway, ignoring the blood that dripped from his hand.

”His eyes are the best,” Robert informed them all. ”h.e.l.l, when he was with the force, Bruce was run ragged. We dragged him in on everything.”

There was a startled silence.

”You were a cop?” Ryan said to Bruce.

”Aye, for a time,” Bruce said. There was a slight edge to his voice, as if he hadn't particularly wanted the information known.

Thayer remained in the hall, feeling as if he was very nearly baring his teeth. Aye, the fellow was a copper! You never knew, you fools. Never suspected.

But how would they have known? Only a Scotsman would have read all about it.

*11*

Gina tidied up the business area in the bedroom she and Ryan had chosen. She'd liked it especially because of the large expanse of window it offered, looking out on the valley. Probably, at an earlier date, the room had been the domain of a chief guard, or something of the like. The window--evidently put in sometime after the turn of the nineteenth century--looked out over the hillside. From this vantage point, any invader seeking to come upon the castle would have been in clear view.

She stacked the copies of their doc.u.ments and at last turned off all the machines.

Ryan was already in bed. She gazed at him with a deep and abiding love. She had known from the moment she met him that he was all she wanted in life. He could be fun, sweet--and aggravating at times. And though it appeared he deferred to her, it was only because she really did have an incredible business sense. But beneath it all...Ryan ruled the roost. He always had.

His hands were folded behind his head as he lay on his pillow staring up at the ceiling. The white sheets of their bed were drawn to his waist. His shoulders and chest were bronze, and she felt the thrill that she always did when looking at him. She truly loved everything about him.

It should have been their day for total relaxation, but it just hadn't gone that way. She was tired, anxious to crawl in beside him. He was pretty d.a.m.ned cool beneath the sheets, as well.

She walked to the doorway and turned off the main light. With the moonlight that filtered in, there was just enough light to...

She paused at the foot of the bed, feeling the need for intimacy, and ready to play with it. In that mood, she slowly shed her s.h.i.+rt, then her bra, and made a real act of shedding her jeans and panties. Ryan should be both amused and t.i.tillated.

Coming around the bed to crawl in, she realized that he hadn't even glanced at her--not once.

He turned to her then, frowning.

”Just what the h.e.l.l are we going to do?” he demanded.

”Do? We're 'doing' it,” she reminded him.

He shook his head.

”What the h.e.l.l are we going to do about Toni?” he demanded.

She felt her blood grow cold.

”What do you mean.. .about Toni?” she said with a swallow. ”She's--she's just Toni. There's nothing to do about her at all.”

”There has to be!” he insisted angrily.

”Why?” she whispered, frightened by his tone, knowing it all too well.

”Because she's dangerous,” he said flatly, harshly.

The chill in her bones deepened, and it seemed that her blood turned to ice.

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