Chapter 9
Brandon MacAlister took to the news of Jessica's danger more readily than the Foggs had expected. He had not been told all the details, just enough to make the situation clear. He helped them convince Jessica to leave the Macaulay estate.
"If these people know you are here, they will come for you here," Brandon said forcefully. "There is no way to make this house secure. There are too many people coming in and out. I say you make a show of leaving. It would take the danger away and move you to a safer venue."
"But Daniel…" Jessica started.
"Daniel is in the mountains safe as can be," Brandon said. "Not even I could find him up there easily. George is guiding. I will leave word for him to bring the boy to my father's instead of coming here when they get back to Oban."
"Your father's home will be safer?" Rebecca said. "Are you sure you want to risk that?"
Brandon laughed. "Father lives in the keep this time of year. It is a smallish stone tower with only one entrance, with fewer people coming and going. What's more, it sits on an island. Secure enough for you?"
"That will do nicely." Phileas said.
"You will have to leave your dirigible here," Brandon said to Phileas. "There is no place on the grounds large enough to land it near the keep. Actually, there is little in the way of grounds on the island that is not taken up by the keep."
"Agreed then," Phileas said. "The Aurora would announce our presence."
"If we leave quickly, we can be there by dark and before the earliest train arrives. Your assassin couldn't get here faster by any other means," Brandon said.
That decided; Brandon had things packed by servants and ready to leave within an hour. Passepartout had Rebecca and Phileas's bags finished at the same time.
Phileas ordered Passepartout to remain with the Aurora, at least for a few days. "Move her from the grounds to hide on the moors. I will need you to help keep watch for strangers with Squire Macaulay."
"If inquiries are heard in the village, we will send your man with word," Squire Macaulay promised. "With luck, the local constables will take the man into custody."
Phileas did not have that much confidence in country constables, but did not voice his reservations. He nodded and thanked the gentleman for his help.
The carriage ride north was subdued. The four were lost in their own thoughts. They crossed water twice by ferry, and once more by private barge to get to the MacAlister keep. It was an impressive old place. The wall around it was roughly round following the shoreline of the little island it sat on.
"Its five stories tall, has twenty rooms in use save one or two where the ghosts live," Brandon said.
"You are teasing," Jessica challenged skeptically.
Brandon grinned broadly. "Let us just say that is where the ghosts are supposed to be. I personally cannot vouch for any. Generations of the family swear they exist and a few of my relatives will not stay here overnight because of it. A few say the ghosts are particularly cross and territorial old knights. We could have extra help keeping strangers at bay," the Scotsman said, looking pointedly at Phileas.
Phileas gave a snort, making plain what he thought of help from such sources. "I do not think I will count on that, if you don't mind."
"Probably wise," Brandon said with a playful grin. "If they catch on to your being English, it could be you the ghosts come after. The ones I mentioned started haunting the place before unification."
Rebecca stifled a laugh at that and turned to see the enormous gates to the keep open to admit them when the barge reached the shore. "Your father?" She asked, nodding toward a tall man standing in greeting.
"That's him," Brandon said. "I should warn you to watch yourself," he said to Rebecca. "You may not know the full story about us heading south all these years. My father saw you in your debutant year in London. You made an impression enough to send four of us to win you." Rebecca's head came back around in surprise and then looked back at the man standing in the dark with more interest.
"When you did not accept any of his offerings, he was fit to be tied." Brandon grinned remembering the tirades. "Father lashed out at all of us and swore he would win you himself one day just to show us pups how it was done. Father was newly married to his third, so it was an idle threat. But he is widowed again. Watch yourself."
Rebecca laughed. "I will keep on my toes."
When the carriage had moved through the gates and stopped, their new host opened the door himself and handed the lady's down. "Welcome to my humble home," Angus MacAlister's deep voice rang out in greeting. "Tis good to see you again, my dear," he said to Jessica and kissed her hand.
"May I introduce Jessica's relatives from London, father?" Brandon said. "This is Phileas Fogg," Brandon said, extracting his intended from his father's attention. "And this is–"
"You do not have to tell me who this beauty is," the old man said, cutting him off.
The old Laird called out with an enthusiastic devastating smile. "Rebecca Fogg. You grow lovelier every time I see you." The gentleman took her hand and kissed it, then claimed the right to lead her in beside him.
The others followed close behind.
"I arranged for your dinner when my son's message arrived," he informed them. Moments later, they were in a dining hall set with a table groaning under a feast.
"No need to stand on formalities this night," Laird MacAlister said good-naturedly. The two ladies were seated on either side of himself at the head of the long table, leaving Phileas and Brandon to sit at either end beside them.
The rest of the evening went like an informal dinner party. Laird MacAlister told stories and entertained the ladies while his son looked on in amusement and Phileas in irritation. Occasionally, Rebecca would kick her cousin under the table, prodding him to join the conversation. At nearly eleven, Rebecca and Jessica both claimed fatigue. The guests were allowed to go to their rooms and were bid goodnight.
Rebecca slipped into Phileas's room a little later to confer with him. "From what I could see, this place is as impenetrable as Buckingham Palace, with all its guards."
"Quite likely," Phileas said. "We will have to get the full tour tomorrow."
"Did you notice how Brandon managed Jessica into leaving Argyll?" Rebecca said awestruck. "I never expected to see anyone have that much influence on her. Especially with Daniel being left behind in someone else's care."
"Quite," Fogg said. "Our cousin will be off the prospect list soon."
"You seemed to succumb to MacAlister charm as well this evening," he said pointedly. The words came out of their own accord. Phileas mentally kicked himself for speaking. Watching Rebecca openly flirt always irritated him, but to do so with a man old enough to be her father had been more than he could tolerate.
Rebecca thought she had been getting teased until she turned to see her cousin's face. Phileas had that blank disapproving expression he got whenever she did something he did not like, and as naturally as breathing, she bristled. "The laird is quite a man," Rebecca said, retaliating. "Interesting to know I was so coveted, and still am. Good night," Rebecca said over her shoulder, heading for the door.
That will teach you to needle me.
Before Rebecca made it three steps, she was whirled around and locked into a kiss a few other women over the years had told her about. Phileas knew how to kiss. It had an effect, and Rebecca was no more immune to it than anyone else.
Phileas took in her response with satisfaction. To have her taunt him like that had been more than he could bear. They had just recently acknowledged what had been under the surface for years, and Phileas would be damned if he would stand by at the brink of opening that door to watch her encourage a charmer twice her age.
When Phileas ended the kiss, Rebecca stared at him for a moment as though she had never seen him before. Then she turned and left the room as fast as she could. This Phileas she did not know and could not face right now. She slipped into her room to safety, slamming a mental door on the confusion his kiss brought her.