A malevolent grin slid onto Malcolm’s face, causing Isobel to shiver involuntarily. “We shall see about that, me Lady.”
Chapter Nineteen
He took another step into the room.
Isobel watched as he prowled toward her. Then, suddenly, as if a breeze had blown through the chambers and sent his mood spiraling in a different direction, the look on Malcolm’s face was transformed.
He no longer bared his teeth but instead returned to playing the part of the unrushed, refined courtier. He continued to advance toward the tub, but now held his hands high, in a gesture of surrender, where she could see that he carried no weapons and meant her no harm.
“Alasdair sent me,” Malcolm said. “There’s been a… development with the fire. He needs ye moved to a safer part of the castle while he deals with it.”
Isobel looked at the corridor behind him. Dark and empty. No men. No lanterns. No sound of boots on stone or voicescalling back and forth, the way a real emergency would carry through the halls. She looked at his coat. The silver brooch at his shoulder caught the firelight. She stared at his empty palms, then looked at the corridor again.
“What development?” she said.
“I’d rather explain on the way. Time?—”
“What development?” she said again.
He held her gaze for a beat too long before he answered. “The fire spread further than we realized. There are concerns about the structural integrity of this part of the east wing.”
“This room is in the west wing,” Isobel said.
He said, “Of course. I misspoke. The west wing,” and smiled, only the smile arrived a half-second after it should have.
She held the edge of the bath with both hands and remained still. She thought about Alasdair somewhere in this castle running back toward her. She considered the empty corridor behind Malcolm.
“Where is Hamish?” she asked, thinking of Alasdair’s friend with the bright eyes and good-natured grin.
“Attendin’ to other matters.”
“What matters?”
“There is a great deal happenin’ tonight, me Lady. I daenae have every detail.” He spread his hands slightly, a small open gesture. “I only ken what I was told.”
“Who told you?”
“Alasdair.” His voice was patient. “As I said.”
“Then Alasdair can come and tell me himself,” she said. “He knows where I am. Go and fetch him.”
“He’s occupied.”
“With what?”
“With the matter I mentioned.”
“Which matter? The east wing or the west wing?”
A pause. “The fire.”
“The fire that’s been out for several hours,” she said.
“There are concerns about…”
“Structural integrity,” she hissed. “Yes. You mentioned that.” She looked at the corridor behind him again, at the dark and the silence of it. “I don’t hear anyone else. If there were real concerns about this part of the castle, there would be more than one of you.”
“I came ahead of the others.”