Page 14 of Fall of a Kingdom

FLYNN

I strodeinto the kitchen the next morning and asked, “Has anyone seen my wife?”

Ash gazed at me in confusion as she reached for her mug of tea. “I thought she was still asleep. We were up late and had a lot of wine.”

“Aye, I know.”

Barrett had climbed into bed and turned toward me, sliding her body over mine. Her skin glowed in the moonlight as we came together in a fit of passion.

I’d fallen asleep with her in my arms and woken up to find her gone.

“She’s probably out at the stables,” Duncan suggested. “It was a bad storm last night. No doubt she wanted to comfort the beasties.”

“Good thinking.”

I strode outside, not bothering with a coat, and trekked to the stables. Old Hugh was brushing a gray Highland pony, but he looked up when I approached.

“Good morning, Mr. Campbell,” he greeted in a thick Scottish burr.

“Morning, Hugh. Have you seen my wife? Did she come out to spend time with the horses?”

Hugh shook his head. “No, sir. I haven’t seen Mrs. Campbell.”

I held in my sigh of frustration but couldn’t ignore my gut reaction that Barrett was no longer on the grounds.

Patting the gray pony, I spent the next few minutes talking to Hugh, which was no easy feat considering the man was tacit on a good day.

And today was not a good day.

“Was she there?” Duncan asked when I came back inside.

“No.” I exhaled and rubbed the back of my neck.

“Maybe she just went for a drive?” Ash speculated. “Isn’t that a possibility?”

I looked at Duncan and his expression tightened in understanding.

“I don’t think she went for a drive, Ash,” I muttered.

“Wait, do you think she justleft? With us here? Without a note or a phone call?” Ash shook her head. “I don’t buy it.”

“She did seem a bit distracted during dinner last night,” Duncan pointed out.

“Do you think…” Ash began, and then ceased speaking.

“What?” I commanded.

“Is this about her wanting another baby?” Ash blurted out.

“I don’t know. Maybe.” My brow furrowed. “This baby thing… It feels like it came out of nowhere.”

“We’ve all been through a lot the last several years,” Duncan remarked quietly. “Is it possible the stress of it has finally gotten to her and she just needed some time to herself?”

“It’s possible, but why didn’t she call or text?” I pondered everything that had led us to this point in time. “It’s not just the baby thing. She’s been…restless. I thought with enough romantic getaways, enough hotel openings, enough time with the bairns, it would go away.” I met Ash’s gaze and found truth in her eyes. A truth that could not be concealed or brushed away like dust on a fireplace mantle.

“You noticed it too,” I stated. “Her changing?”

Ash nodded.