The odd intensity in his voice she attributed to the difficult events of the evening. But he was right. She had to tell him. Lachlan had better answer her missive soon. Maybe she should have sent the bracelet, but she hadn’t wanted to alarm him. She didn’t want to ask Alex to return to the Guard without first clearing the way with what was sure to be one of his biggest hurdles: her stepfather.

As Alex seemed to be waiting for her response, she nodded.

He waited for another moment, almost as if he hoped she was going to say something more. She thought he looked disappointed when he turned to leave.

Frowning, Joan almost called him back. But it was late. Instead, she opened the door and slipped into the darkened room.

Almost immediately, her cousin lifted her head from the pillow sleepily. “You’re back. Good. I feared I would have to send someone to make sure you hadn’t fallen off the ramparts.”

Cousinly concern apparently extinguished, Alice pulled the pillow over her head, rolled over, and went back to sleep.

Joan smiled and crossed the darkened room to her chamber. Someone had kept the small brazier going so she was able to light a candle. After making sure the window had not been disturbed, she started to remove what remained of the pins holding her veil in place. She never removed her bracelet—it was too risky—but she took off the small pearl earrings and matching necklace to put in the wooden box she used to store her jewelry that she kept in her trunk.

But after taking off the lid, she stilled. There, sitting in her jewelry box, tucked into the MacDuff broach given to her by her mother—a broach she never wore—was a piece of parchment. She looked around, half expecting Lachlan to materialize from some shadow. Had he put it there earlier? Had Margaret?

Carefully, she took it out to read. Her heart was pounding as she slowly unfolded it. The handwriting was not familiar, but the words turned her bones cold and sent chills racing through her blood.

You are in danger. They suspect the truth.

Chapter 21

21

IT HAD TAKEN two nights, but Alex had his answer. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the one he wanted.

As he approached the stones just after dusk for the second night to wait, he felt the sharp press of a knife against his back that confirmed his worst fear. There was only one man who could sneak up on him like that. He didn’t need to turn around to know that the man behind him was Lachlan “Viper” MacRuairi.