“And why is that annoying?” she asked.
“Because I could be wrong,” he said. “Suppose Westminster’s Stone of Destiny was the authentic one, and now The Raven has it. Suppose for years I’ve been searching for something that was right before me?”
“Graeme, I don’t think so. Your theory is sound. It makes sense that the Scots would have tried to hide the real Stone of Destiny. If it is the base of the Kingmaker, then hiding it could protect the throne.”
She was right.
“It would seem we have our task set before us,” she said.
“And what would that be?”
“We must find the true Stone of Destiny,” she said with a toothy grin.
He’d wanted to find the stone and return it to the Scots. After all, it was their antiquity. Now, however, it seemed that this quest was no longer simply to appease some great void inside him. Rather, Graeme had to find the Stone of Destiny to keep the Kingmaker from falling into the hands of The Raven.
At some point, he’d have to decide if it was worth the risk of returning it to the Scots or if the damned thing shouldn’t just be destroyed.
CHAPTER 14
The Raven eyed Dougal. He was out of patience. He’d tried to mold the boy, tried to fill his head with ideas to encourage him to get rid of Vanessa, but the boy had failed and now he could potentially be a liability. But he couldn’t very well kill the boy here in this tavern. Although it was at the edge of the village, there were still people around.
“You failed,” The Raven said.
“She’s injured, but not badly,” Dougal said.
“If you knew what lay ahead of you, you would have killed her. She will bring you nothing but trouble. If you think you aren’t seeing enough of your brother now, wait; it will only get worse. Tell me, dear boy, has your brother ever offered to send you to school in England the way he was educated?” The Raven asked.
A frown creased between Dougal’s eyes. “No, he never has. And I’ve asked,” he added softly.
“I suspected as much,” The Raven said.
Dougal rounded his shoulders. “None of that matters. He’s my brother, and I can’t believe I allowed you to talk me into any of this.” The boy shook his head, his expression tight with regret. He came to his feet. “That’s all I came here to tell you. I can’t, I won’t, help you anymore.”
The Raven wrapped his fingers around the boy’s wrist. “Keep in mind, dear boy, that it was you who pulled that trigger. Once your brother discovers your part in this, he’ll walk away from you. He’ll have you arrested and imprisoned, and then who will take care of your poor mother?”
Dougal swallowed.
“Do as I say, or I’ll kill them all and save you for last so you can watch them all plead, watch them all die. And I’ll make certain they all know how you led them to the slaughter.”
Two days later, Vanessa took the telegram from the attendant. It was not from Violet as she’d expected, but rather from Jeremy.
Vanessa, first I much congratulate you on your nuptials. STOP. It is most pleasing to hear you have found happiness of your own. STOP. Your letter was most interesting, the symbols most intriguing. STOP. We have found information. STOP. Too much to include here, must write lengthier letter. STOP. Look for correspondence soon. STOP. Yours truly, Jeremy.
“Is this all that came?” she asked impatiently.
“There is this telegram for your husband,” the man said.
She glanced over the short message sent from Graeme’s friend Esme. Vanessa sent a quick response back inviting Esme and her husband to Loch Ness.
As Vanessa stepped out of the telegraph office, excitement bubbled through her stomach. It certainly sounded as if Jeremy had discovered something useful. But why was he the one responding? Obviously, her sister had run to her lover for help. Not that Vanessa could blame her; the task was probably better suited to someone more familiar with ancient texts.
Still, it was curious that he’d used “we” when referring to the discovery of information. Were he and Violet working together? Perhaps it was much in the way she and Graeme worked together, although she and Graeme were not foolish enough to entangle their hearts.
Later that day, Graeme came into the small dining room where Vanessa already sat with a plate piled high with food. He could still feel the lack of sleep gnawing at his mind, yet she appeared well rested and perfectly alert.
“They should arrive soon,” Vanessa said gleefully. She continued to enjoy her meal, taking a mouthful of quail eggs.
“Who?” Graeme asked.