Ghost Walk by Alanna Knight Page B

presents. I had been happily married before. This second formal wedding was merely to put the stamp of officialdom and the church’s blessing on our relationship. Scottish Law already regarded us as man and wife under that quaint term, ‘by habit and repute.’
    Furious that Jack had lured me to Eildon on false pretences, toget his family’s approval – or not – (the jury was still out on that one!) – he had used me and Thane’s injury as legitimate reasons for his police business in the area.
    Now he was leaving me not only to prepare for our wedding but with the investigation of a murder case. Last night I had had visions of us solving it together, now I was being told he had to rush back to Edinburgh with his security report on Verney Castle.
    I groaned. Police business was an all too familiar part of my life, from childhood days onward. I had never been first, let’s face it, in any man’s life. Certainly not with my well-beloved father Inspector Faro.
    I had moved on to discover that my rival in Danny McQuinn’s life was Pinkerton’s Detective Agency and now, back on my home territory, hopeful with Jack Macmerry, I had to contend once more with Edinburgh City Police.
    Aware of my displeasure, Jack said, ‘I’m sorry, Rose. But you know what its like when Her Majesty intends a visit to Edinburgh.’
    A sudden gleam of brightness in the gloom. Perhaps my stepbrother Dr Vince Laurie, junior physician to the Royal Household, would be with her.
    ‘Maybe she will give Vince leave to come to the wedding. If the dates are right – I wrote to him, of course.’
    ‘That would be great.’ Jack grinned. ‘Then he can give you away, as a member of the family. One problem solved.’
    ‘Or he could be your best man.’
    He thought for a moment. ‘Yes. My parents would be thrilled to have someone with Royal connections sign the register.’
    ‘When are you leaving?’ I asked.
    ‘This evening. On the train back to Edinburgh.’
    ‘This evening!’ I echoed. ‘What about Thane?’
    Jack avoided my eyes. ‘Da says he needs a day or two to get used to the splint. I was counting on you being here. You canbring him back.’
    ‘How do I do that, pray?’ A dog the size of a pony would hardly be welcome in a compartment for six persons.
    ‘In the guard’s van, as I did,’ said Jack, a mite impatiently.
    I sighed. ‘Well, I expect I’ll find enough to keep me busy for a few days, things I’m intending to look into, like murder,’ I added sweetly.
    Jack grabbed my arm. ‘Rose – are you mad? There was no murder. For heaven’s sake, the housekeeper told you what happened .’
    ‘What about the damp floor? Someone cleaned up the blood.’
    ‘Of course someone did. Mrs Aiden. Just to look at the woman will tell anyone that she’s that kind of person. Blood on a church floor. Cleanliness next to godliness. For heaven’s sake –’
    I had a lot more to add to that subject. I would have stamped my foot if I hadn’t glimpsed out of the corner of my eye Mrs Macmerry hovering about just outside the kitchen door.
    The terrible urge to scream, to throw something, was there but I wasn’t going to give her the gleeful satisfaction of reporting my appalling behaviour to his father as: ‘I told you so. She’s not the right one for our Jack.’
    So I fumed and held my peace and went through the ritual of going to the manse, meeting the minister Reverend Linton and fixing the wedding in the austere Scots kirk lurking in the shadow of the Abbey.
    June 21, on the morning of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. A quiet ceremony indeed. No best man, no bridesmaid, Jack’s parents as witnesses, before a congregation consisting of their friends.
    The minister was clearly disappointed. As Andrew Macmerry was an elder of the kirk and Mrs Macmerry big in the Guild he had expected a stylish wedding of notable proportions.
    Did we require a rehearsal? That wasn’t necessary, Jack put in quickly. No, he didn’t have a best man in