Page 122 of A Rogue in Firelight

He chuckled as he took up the oars and pulled hard to disengage from the land bar. Looking over her shoulder, Ellison saw the mist thin to a vapor. The little isle was revealed in the moonlight—a narrow, shallow hump of earth and scrub that was hardly visible on the glittering water surface.

“Ronan, look. It is all but gone now. Surely the fairies watched over their own.”

“And over my love too, who believes in fairies, much to their delight.”

She smiled, weary, chilled, and so glad he was with her. When they reached the shoreline, he nudged the vessel in among the reeds, then Ronan lifted a hand to wait.

“They are gone,” he said finally. “Do you see them far off, riding away? They are not heading for Invermorie, but into the hills.”

They left the boat and went toward the grove of trees. He stayed in front, an arm out protectively. Then he stopped, and she bumped into him in the dark. Hearing the thud of hooves and creak-creak of wheels, she peered around his arm.

“Is that Donal riding? And Aleck in the cart?”

“So it is. Good lads. Come ahead, my girl.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Invermorie’s great hall,warm and shabby, was bathed in candlelight in the hour before dawn. Ronan sat back, a cup of hot tea nestled in his hands, and gazed at the others there—Mairi, Ludo, Donal, Aleck, Rabbie, and the love of his life beside him, nibbling at buttered toast.

The table was scattered with dishes nearly empty now of scrambled eggs, sausages, toast, fruit, and more, as if this was a normal hour for breakfast. Somehow Mairi had managed to produce simple comforts quickly, and he was grateful.

Even better, Donal and Aleck had just returned, having rescued and moved the whisky casks and crates, lumbering back to Invermorie in the cart.

“So, you had quite the adventure,” Mairi said.

“We did,” Ronan replied. They had explained what they knew during the meal. “But we should not stay for long.”

“Aye, thank you for your hospitality,” Ellison said. “At Strathniven they will worry when they find we did not return last night.”

“Do stay and rest if you can. We can send the stable boy over to Strathniven to say you are here and safe after—an incident on the road last night. Aleck?”

The young man nodded, rose from the table, and hurried out the door.

“We could stay for just a bit,” Ronan agreed, seeing Ellison’s look of relief.

“Will you need to leave immediately for Edinburgh when you reach Strathniven?”

“The viscountess wants to leave today. When she returns from Duncraig, she will be eager to take to the road, knowing her.”

“All Scotland is in a mad rush to reach Edinburgh this week, I think. I wish we were also leaving for the city,” Mairi said.

Sir Ludo shrugged. “I would like to witness the festivities, but every nook and cranny is full, they say. Will you stay in the usual hotel, Ronan?”

“I am generally at the Waterloo when I am in the city, but my friend Hugh Cameron says it is full. Fifty rooms were reserved in July as soon as word was out. Barrie’s, The Crown, Davidson’s—all the hotels are full by now, he said.”

“I hope your friend has a spare bed,” Ludo said as he buttered an oatcake.

“I am sure you could stay with Lady Strathniven,” Ellison said.

“Mr. Cameron found a room for me, I think,” he replied.

“Good.” She sipped her tea, but Ronan sensed something troubled her.

“What is it?” he asked quietly.

“I do not want to see Mr. Corbie,” she murmured.

“If he is smart, he will not come near us. If I see him, we will have words.”