Page 19 of The Valiant Knight (The Ravensmire Chronicles #2)

“I can lower you down, and help pull you back up when you have it.”

That worked for her.

Luckily, they weren’t that deep. Since it was a stone-like vault, carved years ago, they didn’t have the whole ‘six feet deep’ rule.

Climbing over the side of the crypt, she took Tony’s hands, and he lowered her down, so she landed softly on her feet. Then, he shined the flashlight into the abyss so she could retrieve the paper.

It was a good thing she wasn’t freaked out by spiders. There were a few in there.

“Ignore my new friends,” he said. “They are coming back with me.”

She stared up at him.

“Elizabeth will murder you,” she said, knowing that was exactly why he was doing it. He busted her, and she threatened to commit spider homicide.

“I gotta be me. She’s my sister from another mister,” he stated.

Gabby worked on getting the letter out, but it was stuck on some of the stone. She didn’t want to rip it.

“You guys go way back, huh?”

He laughed.

“I was there when she was a young lass who fell in love with a young ME. They are my family. They were my only family until we found my mother’s grave, and I learned I had a father and siblings.”

Gabby wiggled the paper, and it came out, but it was brittle.

“Bag,” she said.

When an evidence bag dropped down, she slid it in, to preserve the continuity of the paper so that they could study it.

The note was no good to them destroyed. It might help them figure out who was lurking now.

Once it was secured, she handed it up to Tony.

After he put it down, he pulled her up, and she got out of the crypt.

“What’s it say?” she asked, as Tony handed it back to her, and she read over the paper.

It was definitely a letter. The handwriting was pretty, feminine, and from long ago.

‘Ravensmire Castle

Scotland

September 1593

My Dearest Duncan,

I love you and miss you. I can’t wait until you are back at home in our castle. I don’t think I’ve ever thanked you, so I will. I love our home. I can’t imagine not being here.

Something does concern me though, and I’ve had to think about this for a while.

It’s about your friendship with Ciarán Begbie. He’s always around, and I have hope that when our child is born, you’ll have him leave our home.

He makes me uncomfortable, and while I know you two are close, and enjoy each other’s company, I am not.

Truthfully, my Lord, he stares at me with discontent, as if I’m in his way.

I don’t understand it, but I can feel it.

Again, I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but he scares me. Maybe it is my imagination, but we are going to have to talk about his role in our lives.

I don’t mind him staying in a smaller house on the outskirts of the castle, for I know how you rely on him in battle, but in our home…

Can we discuss this?

I hate to bother you with such trivial things, but this is a deep concern of mine.

We shall talk later.

Until then, know that I am always standing in the tower, waiting to see you ride over the highlands to come home to us.

Forever,

Your Ceit.’

Oh, they were definitely learning new things with this note. No one had mentioned that name before.

When she looked up, she was confused.

“Who is Ciarán Begbie?” she asked. “I read two letters with Graham, and that name wasn’t in it.”

Tony considered it.

“Well, what I can tell you from an anthropological standpoint is that back then, Scottish lords in battle had people they trusted around them. They were fighting against the British king to keep their land, and if they didn’t have someone trustworthy near them, they could be killed easier.”

She let him talk.

“Each Scottish knight or Lord had a man-at-arms by his side. He made sure the troops were handled, and that anything the Lord needed, he had. Food, clothing, and weapons.”

She pointed to the part where it said they were close.

“How close were they?”

He was honest.

“They were loyal to a fault. They’d die to protect their Lord or the knight.

If he was with Duncan, and by his side, he was not only a friend, but a brother-in-arms. He’d trust him implicitly.

Maybe Ceit was getting that vibe because he didn’t trust her.

Remember, it was an arranged marriage—mostly to sire children—nothing more. ”

That was a good point.

“From what Graham mentioned to us, she was suicidal. Maybe she was also a danger to Duncan, and Ciarán Begbie stood between them out of necessity.”

Again, another good point.

Gabby looked at the date.

“I really need to see what Gryphen and Ian found. I want to see the timeline for this note, and the other ones that turned up today.”

On that, he agreed.

“That’s probably a good place to start. I wouldn’t read too much into it,” Tony said.

“I mean, that sounds like jealousy from Ceit, and like the man was always up in their business. We should probably figure out who it is. Maybe the historical records in the local church?” Tony suggested. “Or online?”

Well, she was planning on going to the village tomorrow, so she could kill two birds with one stone and stop at the church.

“How about this? I’ll go research, and you keep doing the bone thing. We really don’t have much more physical things to do. You have Duncan out of his grave, and we’re moving Ceit in.”

She was right.

It was all scanning and paperwork to prepare reports for Callen and Chris, plus the local law. He was pretty sure that the village council wanted the details to ensure they respected the bones.

“Divide and conquer?” she asked.

That worked for him.

“I have to catalog, and go over everything we find when we dig up Ceit, so you’ll have to find a new partner in crime for that. Hey, I know! You should take the detective inspector.”

She snorted.

Oh, here was another friend trying to entangle them. She had bad news for them.

Gabby didn’t need help and neither did Finn. They would figure this out themselves.

“Speaking of bones,” she said, changing the subject. “What do we know about Duncan?”

Since they were done in there, for now, Tony led her toward the storage room, and inside, on a table, there were the bones.

And they were OLD .

“I can say he’s definitely male,” he admitted. “He was about six foot seven. Back then, that would be something that would be important for a Lord. It would show power, prestige, and he likely used that to his advantage, or his family did when they earned their titles.”

Gabby listened.

“He was a big man,” he said. “Look at the circumference of this bones. He wouldn’t be tall and skinny. Think more…Michael size, or Gryphen. The dude had some bulk to him, and that tells me that he had nutrition throughout his whole life. He had access to good foods.”

Yeah, she could see that.

“I bet that brought all the ladies to the yard,” she admitted. “If he was big and strong, back then, that would matter, right?”

He nodded.

“Absolutely. Our sole purpose is procreation to keep the species going. Without a doubt, the ladies would be attracted to his virility. Keep in mind, the average height of a man in Scotland in the sixteen hundreds was about five foot five. Towering over the peasants, and the other citizens would give him the advantage. There’s no doubt why his bloodline was given a lordship. ”

Gabby shook her head.

“You store a lot of information in that skull of yours, Doctor.”

He shrugged.

“I mean, I’m a forensic anthropologist. It’s my job to know.

Just like it’s my job to know you’re going to sleep with the cop.

You flush pink when you’re around him, and your eyes dilate.

He puffs out his chest, and hovers over you like he’s protecting you.

He whispered in your ear to show proprietary ownership of the new relationship.

I was the other male in the room, and he wanted to ensure I was well aware that you were taken. ”

She stared at him.

Why did that make her giddy?

“Okay, well, we don’t need to go there,” she said, wanting to go there. It made her feel special that he was already circling and planning.

It was nice for a change.

He wasn’t done.

“I can also tell you that a man doesn’t shower in someone’s bathroom with an audience unless he’s posturing to attract a mate. He most definitely wants you.”

God.

She wanted him too.

Keeping her voice down, she borderline whispered.

“I’m going home when we’re done, Tony. Is it wrong to start something?”

He patted her cheek like a big brother.

“It’s wrong to shut yourself out when you could find an amazing adventure. What do you have to lose?” he asked. “He seems like a nice guy. For all you know, he might not mesh with you when you do the mattress mambo.”

She only caught one word.

Nice?

“Tony, he dove into a freezing lake and saved me. That’s more than nice. That’s damn special. That is a lake and there was nothing down there but darkness.”

Well, that and the voice she heard pulling her down.

On that, he agreed.

“I say have fun. Life is short, and you deserve to let your hair down and have a good time, Gabs. What’s the worst that can happen? You get some mind-blowing sex and have memories you cherish forever? Or you decide he’s worth staying for and you start a new life?”

She knew what could happen.

“Or I can fall in love, and he waves goodbye, and I never see him again.”

He hugged her.

“Don’t be negative. Love pops up when you least expect it. I wasn’t looking for my wife. I’d given up on love, and then, I met her. I mean, I had to get shot in the chest, and chase her down, but it all worked out.”

That it did.

“I like him. He has kind eyes, and that matters,” she admitted. “I’ve stared into cruel eyes, and I can’t do that again.”

He kissed her on the temple.

“If he yells at you, I’ll beat his ass and stick him in a crypt. I may be a doctor, but Elizabeth taught me how to defend myself long ago. I can hold my own.”

She laughed.

“Anthony Magnus, you’re non-violent. You cry when you have to blend your beetles. What you can do, and what you would do are two different things.”

He sighed.

“Don’t remind me. I have attachment issues. Sue me. I won’t beat his ass, I’ll call Elizabeth, and she will beat his ass. Better?”

Then again, Tony would kill for his wife and children, or his family, so maybe he would do it.

Gabby nodded.

“Absolutely.”

“Live it up, and let your heart lead. What he broke in you, can be fixed,” he said, knowing she’d know who the ‘he’ was in this situation.

Her ex.

Tony hoped she was going to have some fun. With Gabby, it was all FBI all of the time, and they knew she did that to hide.

From life.

“Go into the village tomorrow, and lure him to a hotel or something. Bang him in a car. Just have a good time and make a memory.”

She kissed him on the cheek.

“Like I already said, you’re a good egg, Anthony Magnus.”

They kept saying that.

As she walked away, Tony hoped she took his advice. Life was definitely too short.

Look at Duncan.

From the age of his bones, and the wear and tear, he didn’t live past fifty-five.

Someone had a damn hard life.