“Oh, yes, we do,” Chloe rebutted immediately.

Dageus scowled. “There is no way we’re taking the two of you in there—”

“Then just take us to London with you,” Gwen said, managing to sound both soothing yet obdurate. “We’ll stay in a hotel nearby, but we will not remain here while you two go traipsing off into danger. This is not negotiable.”

Drustan shook his head. “Gwen, I willna have you takin’ risks with either yourself or our bairn, lass,” he said, his burr thickened by tension.

“And you should trust that I wouldn’t either,” Gwen said levelly. “I’m not going to let anything happen to our babies. Chloe and I will stay in the hotel, Drustan. We’re not stupid. I know there’s not much a woman as pregnant as I am could do when it comes to stealthily breaking in and searching. But you can’t leave us here. If you tried to, we’d only follow you. Take us with you, settle us safely in the hotel. You can’t shut us out. We’re part of it too. It would drive us both crazy sitting here and waiting.”

The debate went on for well over half an hour. But in the end, the women prevailed and the men reluctantly agreed to take them to London the following day.

“He’s back, Father, as is the woman,” Hugh Barton-Drew informed Simon, as he spoke softly into his cell phone. “We saw them return late last night.”

“Any idea where they were?” Simon asked.

“None.”

“And there’s still been no sighting of Trevor?”

“No. But we can’t get in the castle. Even if it weren’t warded, I’m not certain it would be safe to try,” he said quietly. Hushed tones were unnecessary, as far from the castle as he and his brother were, watching through binoculars, but Dageus MacKeltar made him uneasy. This Keltar castle, unlike the other one atop the mountain, was in a vast vale, and the surrounding forest-covered hills provided excellent cover. Still, he felt exposed. His brother had complained of the same sensation.

“Report in to me every two hours. I want to be kept apprised of every move they make,” Simon said.

Chapter 25

25

It was late at night, long after everyone was asleep, that Dageus slipped stealthily from the castle.

The day had seemed to drag on endlessly, while he’d struggled to conceal from those he loved what he was planning. To keep his gaze mild, his impatience in check. It had worn him down, comporting himself as if he were in complete agreement, betraying no telltale sign, however minute, to the brother who knew him too well, that he had no intention of going along with the plan they’d spent the rainy afternoon meticulously formulating.

The plan wherein they would all go to London and all be in jeopardy.