“You’ve indeed been through hell, but you should know that Father died of natural causes,” Hawk assured him. “Skylar was with him,” he added.
“It was his heart,” Skylar said quietly.
David’s fists clenched at his sides. “So, he died, and I never saw him again, and he endured the pain of believing until the last day he drew breath that his eldest son had burned to death.”
“Father was a fighter, remember that,” Hawk told him. “He was busy manipulating my life with his last breath, so he was assured that his line would continue, at the very least.”
“He didn’t stay here,” David said grimly. “He chose to live more completely in America—and since then the MacGinnises have ruled here.”
Hawk set a hand upon his brother’s shoulder. “David, we will find out the truth.” He hesitated. “Is Shawna guilty in this?”
“Shawna was guilty of bad judgment.”
“No more?”
“She’s yet to prove her complete innocence.”
“But she’s part of this now, she knows you’re alive, and she has kept the secret?”
“So I believe. I’ve managed to keep an eye on the MacGinnises when they don’t know I’m about.”
“We’ll find the truth,” Hawk repeated determinedly.
“Aye.” David clasped his brother’s arm. “Aye, that we will, and yet I am nearly sorry that I sent for you. I didn’t know at the time that you had a wife or that you would bring her here. I pray I haven’t put you in danger.”
“He is forever determined to put himself in front of someone’s gun or bow,” Skylar commented about her husband. “He can surely be in no greater danger here than at home.”
David smiled at her. “But what of you, Skylar?”
“I shall be careful, I swear,” she promised.
“And that you will be,” Hawk warned.
She sensed or saw something in his eyes. For a long moment, she stared at him, then seemed to draw her gaze from his and clear her throat. “So, this is where you sleep as well. We shall have to make some arrangement?—”
“No arrangement, Skylar. I apologize again for so rudely interrupting you. I’ve business elsewhere tonight.”
“But—I believe others may still be about. You can’t just walk out if you wish to keep yourself hidden?—”
“The castle is riddled with secret passages, Skylar,” Hawk told her.
“Oh!” Skylar said.
Hawk studied David. “You’ve business with Shawna?”
“I keep an eye on her. The night I returned, she was hunted by a man and nearly killed.”
“What man?”
“I didn’t know him, and I was forced to kill him.”
“What did the constable say?”
“I didn’t leave the corpse to be found.”
“But Shawna refuses to see that she’s in danger.”
“She refused to admit a MacGinnis could be involved. Now that you are here, however, I will have even greater freedom to search both castles and try to discover what was done.” David studied his brother, drawing in a long, deep breath. “I’ve kept up with the newspapers. I know what is happening in America. And I thank you for coming here. When this is solved, if I can be of any help, I will gladly go to your Sioux lands with you.”