“Closer than you’d like. I believe I’ve never seen anything more beautiful than these Highlands. I’m eager to see these hills in the daylight.” He added quickly, “But I just got a frown from Caleb. He’s afraid that I’m going to send you on the run tonight. He’s already warned me that these mountains could be dangerous in the dark. There’s no way he’ll go after you until after dawn.” He chuckled. “You have him over a barrel. I admit I’ve been enjoying it.”

“Don’t enjoy it too much,” she said. “It would be like baiting a panther. Though you may be an exception. He’s already saved you once. He might not want to spoil his record.”

“Well, tell me that you’ll hold out until dawn before you take off so that I won’t get on his bad side.”

“I’m not about to break my neck to avoid being caught by Caleb. I know these hills as well as he does,” she said. “Maybe a little better. I stayed at MacDuff’s Run long before I became close to Caleb. And I’d have no compunction about using everything I know about Caleb or the Run if I had to.”

“I guess that’s a yes,” Rodland said. “I still think you might have an edge on him. Women can be ruthless. That’s why I wasn’t sure I could trust you at Kilgoray.”

“Which you promised me you wouldn’t mention.”

“And I won’t. It will be up to you from now on. I’ll keep my word.” He went on, “But now that we’ve settled that, I should go on and do my duty by filling you in on what happened at the castle. Caleb said you’d want to know. Five dead. Two guards, three MI6, damage to the gates and the stones of the courtyard and fountain. The front door was scorched and will have to be replaced. They didn’t get inside the castle. No damage to the paintings in the gallery or any of the furnishings. The attack only lasted a short time and then they were gone. MacDuff notified the local police and Her Majesty’s Coast Guard, but Bohdan’s forces were gone before they caught up with the two yachts.” He was silent for an instant. “And we know what happened with the staff resident houses outside the gates.”

“Yes, we do.” She shivered. “The entire attack was terrible. My fault. I should never have been there.”

“Caleb doesn’t agree,” he said. “He’d staged an attack on one of Bohdan’s prime assets in Italy to lure him into a trap. He’s sure that triggered the strike on the property.”