Amanda Scott by Reivers Bride Page A

since. Ye’ll find their members everywhere, and sithee,
     they canna help forgetting. It be their nature, just as it be your nature tae—”
    “I dinna forget things,” Fergus interjected crossly.
    “D’ye recall my Claud?” Maggie asked.
    “Aye, o’ course, I do,” he said.
    “Well, he’s gone missing, and we’ve got tae find him,” Maggie said. She glanced at Catriona. “The case be just as I expected,
     lass.”
    Catriona grimaced. “Jonah Bonewits cast him into the mor—”
    “Aye,” Maggie said, cutting her off before she could finish the sentence and casting an oblique, warning look at Fergus. Then
     she stared. “Here, Fergus, ye’re fading away nearly tae nowt,” she scolded. “Pull yourself together, ye foolish man.”
    Clearly struggling to obey, he said, “Did the lass say Jonah
Bonewits
?”
    “Aye, she did. What d’ye ken o’ Jonah?”
    Fergus was trembling. “He doesna like me.”
    “Jonah dislikes everyone,” Maggie said. “That be
his
nature.”
    “Aye, but when he were last vexed wi’ me, he said I’d forget me head if it were no tied on, and he threatened tae prove it
     did I vex him again,” Fergus said, nearly in tears. “If ye mean tae cross him, I dinna want tae be near ye.”
    “Ye poor wee man,” Catriona said, patting his knee.
    “Pish tush,” Maggie said. “Ye’ve nowt tae fear. I can manage our Jonah.”

Chapter 5
    T ell me more about this wedding,” Sir Christopher said abruptly.
    Anne smiled, certain he could see no more of her expression than she could see of his.
    “Why does such a simple request amuse you, lass?”
    Startled, she looked sharply at him. “Can you see my face?”
    “I have excellent night vision,” he said. “My long vision is likewise very good. Why did you smile?”
    Still surprised, because she could make out only the strong lines of his profile against the starlit heavens and nothing more,
     she answered honestly, “I am just pleased that you are curious enough to want to know more.”
    “My uncle has had me declared dead and has usurped my lands and titles. Now I leam that he intends to marry the woman to whom
     I was betrothed. Surely, you will agree that I am entitled to a certain measure of curiosity.”
    “To be fair, sir, he does believe that you are dead.”
    “Does he?”
    “Why, yes, of course. He must.” As she said the words, though, his question stirred thoughts deep in her mind. Could Eustace
     know that his nephew was alive?
    Sir Christopher did not speak. It was as if he knew that his curt question must stir her to think and was giving her time
     to do so.
    “Where were you,” she asked, “to make everyone think you had died?”
    “Away.”
    “It is over a year, sir, nearly eighteen months by your own count, since anyone in these parts had word from you. There were
     rumors, too. My aunt does not speak of them, nor my cousin, but I did hear that… ” She paused, biting her lip.
    “Go on. What did you hear?”
    “Only that something dreadful had happened, that you had done something wicked and that many believed that, in your guilt,
     you had taken your own life or died of remorse.” She watched him as she spoke and saw him nod. “Is that so, then? I mean,
     clearly, you did not die, but did you disappear voluntarily?”
    Instead of answering the question directly, he said, “If I told you that I had done nothing dreadful or wicked, would you
     believe me?”
    “Yes.”
    “Just like that?”
    “Yes, of course. You can have no cause to lie to me.”
    “Perhaps I would lie merely for the sake of lying, or because it is expedient.”
    “Many people do that, I know, particularly if by ‘expedient’ you mean you might do so to protect yourself. But I do not think
     you are of that ilk.”
    “A man never knows what he is capable of doing until the time comes to do it,” he said bitterly.
    “Perhaps.” She waited a beat, but when he did not continue, she said, “I know that such curiosity is