Page 36 of The Empire and the Wolf King (Kaitlyn and the Highlander #21)

CHAPTER 35 - KAITLYN

THE PHYSICIAN’S OFFICE - CHARLOTTESVILLE 1775

I had my hands clasped and tears running down my cheeks. “Dammit, that was really, really hard.”

“Aye.”

There was a knocking on the front door down a narrow hall and we heard Doctor Everett and his servant whispering as they went to answer it. I said, “Here they come.”

Magnus sat in his chair. “We ought tae get our stories straight as we are goin’ tae need tae speak tae the constable. I will explain we were beset upon by highwaymen. They were robbin’ us because they saw us meet with Thomas Jefferson in Coachman’s Rest.”

“Good, name dropping. They followed us all the way here?”

“Aye, it means they were relentless. They caused all the trouble and we are merely an innocent Duke beset upon by bandits.”

“Why did the man we were with drag the body outside, where’s the body?”

“I daena ken why he did that, what dost ye mean where has the body gone? Tis there in the darkness — dost ye mean tis missing? Did a bear take it?”

“Good answer, also why did we flee the crime scene?”

“I dinna ken what else tae do. M’wife, the Lady Kaitlyn, a Duchess , was injured and I was out of m’head tae get her tae the doctor. She has been recovering, my apologies, law officer, I was verra concerned about Lady Kaitlyn. I planned tae speak tae ye as soon as she was rested enough tae move.”

“That sounds good, who was the man with us?”

“He was our son, he helped subdue the highwaymen, terribly afraid for our safety. Alas, we had a verra important meeting in…” He rolled his hand. “With…”

I said, “Washington in Philadelphia…”

“Aye, so we stayed behind tae speak tae ye and allowed the Duchess time tae recover, while he went…?”

“North.”

“North for the meeting in our stead — sound good?”

I said, “Good enough.”

Magnus stood and went to seek out the physician to ask him to bring the constable to speak to us.