MacNiall shook his head. Toni once more felt a fierce irritation. Again, the mens club was meeting, and she and Gina were entirely ostracized. MacNiall was decent enough about horses, and give him a fellow Scotsman and he could almost resemble polite.
Theres definitely a problem, Im afraid.
Aye, but they been good, Bruce, really good a fixen er up! Eban announced suddenly.
We really have put a lot of hard work into it, Ryan said.
Apparently the tourists had been loaded back onto their buses. David and Kevin came back into the hall.
For a moment, they were all a tableau, at an impasse. David moved up awkwardly. Laird MacNiall? he murmured. David Fulton, and my friend, Kevin Hart. Were only beginning to understand the gist of what went wrong, but, honestly, no group could have put more toil and loving effort into making improvements here. If youll take some time and look around, youll see what very real elbow grease has gone into our stay here.
Then, to Tonis amazement, Bruce MacNiall uttered an oath beneath his breath, and made what to him must have been a very generous statement. All right. Its Friday night. Jon is here with us and can validate who I am, but the legal offices are in town and they wont be open again until Monday morning. Until then, I believe youll have to stay.
Well have to stay because we paid a great deal of money to be here, and we have legal documentation, Toni said stubbornly.
Gina jabbed her with an elbow to the ribs. She winced, realizing that maybe she was pushing it. But she wasnt going to blindly believe this man, or even the local-yokel constable, when she had brought the agreement to an attorney, and he had read over the deal.
We do have an attorney! she murmured.
Solicitor, Thayer murmured to her softly. We have solicitors here.
I get the feeling he knows what an attorney is, Toni murmured back softly.
Jonathan Tavish cleared his throat. Ladies and gentlemen, Im truly sorry now that I didnt try to stop you. As I said, I didnt know for certain that Bruce hadnt decided to rent out the old ancestral place. But I am afraid that someone knew about the castleand how much Bruce traveledand took you for a soaking. He cleared his throat and looked at Bruce with an uncomfortable shrug.
Should I take those papers now? Not much I can do on this till Monday, though. Law enforcement spends the weekends goin after the dangerous fellows running around out there, Im afraid. All the law offices are closed.
Well keep the papers until Monday, Toni said. Gina stared at her, but the papers were all that they had. She wasnt letting them out of their own keeping.
Fine, Tavish said. When you come in Monday, bring all your papers. He cleared his throat. If you say that everything is in order for the night, Bruce, Ill be going.
Bruce MacNiall inclined his head toward the constable, as if he werent just the laird here, but world royalty. Thanks, Jon, he said. Come Monday morning, well get these papers theyre talking about into the hands of the proper authorities. Hopefully theyll be able to track down the frauds who soaked them for their money.
Hopefully, Jonathan Tavish agreed. He gave a smile that seemed to offer some sympathy to the group. Dont feel too badly. Wont be the first time Americans have been taken in. And it wont be the last. Well see what we can do.
Thank you, Thayer said.
Jonathan Tavish gave them all a nod.
Good night! Gina called cheerfully.
And thank you, Kevin added.
Ill be movin along, too, then, lest ybe needin me, Eban Douglas said, looking at Bruce MacNiall.
I think I can manage, Eban, MacNiall said.
Eban turned and left. He didnt have a hunched back, nor did he limp, but he somehow gave the appearance of both.
Do you, uh, stay here when youre in town? Ryan asked politely.
The answer was a little slow. An ironic smile seemed to twitch MacNialls lips. With the ancestral home filled with unbelievers? Indeed.
Want me to see to the horse? I did some work in the stables. He isnt usually there, is he? Ryan asked. I only ask because the stables were in serious disrepair, and this fellow is so obviously well tended.
He was boarded in my absence.
How long were you gone? Twenty years? Toni muttered.
Once again Gina jabbed her fiercely in the ribs.
Ill take him out, bed him down, Ryan offered.
Toni wanted to knock him in the head for the offer, but she knew that he wasnt being subservient. Ryan simply loved horses. And she had to admit that the animal was magnificent.
Sure, MacNiall said. Thanks. His name is Shaunessy.
Shaunessy? Toni couldnt quite help herself. Not Thor, Thunder or King? Ginas third strike against her rib cage nearly caused her to cry out. She winced. Shaunessy, she said. Great name.
Ryan came to lead the horse out. Ill give you a hand! Kevin offered quickly, and they departed.
Theres tea! David said suddenly into the awkward silence. And scones. Great little scones.
Wow, tea! Id love tea! Gina said. Youd love tea, too, Toni! Gina grabbed Tonis hand. And wed love for Laird MacNiall to join us so we can explain about how and why we rented the place talk about all the work weve done here, and find out about Laird MacNiall, while were at it? She looked at him hopefully.
Since youve been so kind to let us stay while we get to the bottom of this, would you be willing to join us, Lord MacNiall? Thayer asked.
Thanks. I had a long flight in today, a lot of business and a long drive, only to find out that the castle had been inhabited, MacNiall said. Ill just retire for the night, if you dont mind. Please feel free to enjoy your tea, however. And the hospitality. Until Monday.
Until Monday? Toni said, and her reward was a final jab from Gina. This time she protested, staring at Gina. Ow!
Good night! Gina said, And thank you.
Your papers, MacNiall said, handing them back to Gina.
Thank you, Gina said again. And thank you for for letting us stay until Monday. Until this is all straightened out. I dont know where wed go, especially at this hour.
He inclined his head. I sympathize with your situation, he said. Good night, then. He took one long last look at Toni and turned away.
Toni opened her mouth, about to speak, but Gina clamped a hand over her mouth, desperately whispering, Just say, Good night, Laird MacNiall!'
MacNiall looked back, all six feet three inches of him. His eyes now appeared to be more of a true blue, and as sharp as a summers sky. Something strange
ripped through Toni. She was caught, frozen. She felt as if she knew him, knew the way that he looked at her. Had known him before. And would know him again. A tremor ran down her spine. Ice. Fire. She had invented him!
He was just a man, she told herselfirritating, superior and angry that they were in his house.
Not true. If his hair were a little longer, his clothing a bit different, just a bit different Good night, he said.
The ice and fire, and a feeling of foreboding so intense she trembled, became too much, far too intense. She turned herself and hurried down the stairs. Ran. Yet a voice whispered to her all the while. You cant run away. You cant run away. And something even softer, an afterthought. Not this time
He was just a man, she told herselfirritating, superior and angry that they were in his house.
Not true. If his hair were a little longer, his clothing a bit different, just a bit different Good night, he said.
The ice and fire, and a feeling of foreboding so intense she trembled, became too much, far too intense. She turned herself and hurried down the stairs. Ran. Yet a voice whispered to her all the while. You cant run away. You cant run away. And something even softer, an afterthought. Not this time
2
Gina caught up with Toni at the bottom of the stairs.
What are you doing? she asked in dismay.
What am I doing? Toni echoed. Now that she was away from him, from the way that he looked at her, the trembling had stopped. The strange moment was gone. He was just a man. Tall, wired, muscled, imposingand irate that they were in what he claimed to be his property.
Gina! she said, determined that they would not be groveling idiots, no matter what the situation turned out to be. Do you hear yourself? Youre thanking him for throwing us out on Monday, after all this!
Shh!
Gina pulled her along, anxious that Laird MacNiall not hear any more of her comments. They moved from the great hall, through a vast dining area and then through another door to the kitchen, a large area where a huge hearth with antique accoutrements still occupied most of the north wall.
There were concessions to the present, however, including the modern stove, freezer, refrigerator and microwave. The huge island counter in the center of the room, set beneath hanging pots and pans, was surely original, and at one time had certainly hosted huge sides of venison, boar and beef. Now cleaned and scrubbed, it was a dining table with a multitude of chairs around it.
The fact that MacNiall hadnt joined them had opened the floodgates of emotion. Thayer, Gina and Kevin all accosted Toni immediately.
How the hell did this happen? Kevin demanded.
We all saw the agreements! And signed them, Toni reminded them. She looked around. These were her friends, her very best friends. Gina and Ryan, whom shed met three years ago while working at a Florida tourist attraction. And David Fulton! Tall, dark and handsome, with the deepest dimples and warmest smile in both hemispheres, David had been Tonis friend in college. Brokenhearted by the loss of a lover, hed quickly rallied when he and Toni had gone to a concert with Gina and Ryan, and he had met Kevinwho had immediately fit in.
Toni had been the loner in their group, but in a strange way that had changed when they had come to Scotland together six months ago. They had visited a castle bought by some of its clan members, who had then opened the house to visitors for whatever money they could bring in, thus affording to restore the place. And their wild scheme had hatched. If others had done it, why couldnt they? It was possible if they pooled their resources.
And that was where Thayer had come into the picture to complete their group of six. Thayer was her cousin, a Fraser. A distant cousin, Toni assumed, since their respective grandfathers had been cousins, which made Thayer exactly what, she wasnt sure. He was certainly intelligent and attractive, but he was something even more important to their enterprisean authentic Scot. Not only was he fluent in Gaelic, he understood the customs and the nuances of doing business in the small community. He acted as their interpreterin more ways than one.
Her friends and her kin stared at her, almost accusingly. She stared straight back.
Think about it! Maybe he doesnt have a right to be here. We just dont really know, do we?
Well, not positively, David murmured, but he spoke without conviction.
That MacNiall might be in the wrong, and they were the ones with the right to the place, was a nice hope. Unfortunately, none of them really seemed to believe it. Toni didnt even believe it herself.
The constable said that MacNiall owned the place, Thayer reminded her wearily.
So? Constable Tavish is a local. He has loyalties to an old family name. We really dont know the truth. Our lawyer may be American, but he still knows the law. We need to get more serious legal advice, and get it fast.
Legal advice from the States may not help us now, Kevin reminded her. Thayer? Toni said.
He shrugged, shaking his head. I saw the ads for the place in Glasgow, and I saw the same thing on the Internet that you did. And yes, I read the rental agreements, just as we all did. Gina, can I see the papers? he asked.
Gina set them down before him.
Even Laird MacNiall said that they look real or proper or whatever! Toni murmured.
Yeah, they look legal, Ryan said bitterly. Tons of small print.
We actually rented from Uxbridge Corporation, Thayer murmured. Were going to have to trace it down. When you sent the euro-check, Toni, was there an exact address?
She groaned, sinking into one of the chairs.
What? What is that groan for? Ryan demanded.
The address was a post office box in Edinburgh, she admitted.
Okay! Kevin said, reaching over to squeeze her hand and give her some support. That will give the police a trail to follow, at least.
It will help the police, David said softly, offering Toni a half smile despite his words. But Im not real sure what it will do for us.
Toni, why didnt you want the constable to take the papers tonight? Gina asked, frowning. Wouldnt it have been better for him to have gotten started on this as quickly as possible?
Those papers are all we have, Toni said. What if Im right and this man has lost his family castle yet still has illusions of grandeur in his head? If the constable is his loyal subject, our papers could disappear.
She has a point, David said.
She has a point, but this fellow isnt broke. You cant be broke and own a horse like that, Ryan told them.
Sorry, but it looks like well have to suck up to this guy if we want to make it through the weekend, Thayer said.
Maybe he borrowed the horse, Toni said.
Oh, honey, come on. Youre just getting desperate here, David said softly.
Well, hell, it is desperate! Toni said.
Everything weve saved has gone into this! Gina breathed, sinking into a chair, as well.
Maybe we can arrange a new rental agreement, Toni said.
With what? Thayer asked. We put a fortune into this. Unless one of you won a lottery before you left the States ?
No. But I still say we have to have some rights! Toni insisted.
The sad thing is, Kevin told her, unfortunately, people who have been screwed dont generally have a right to anything. Theyre just
Screwed, David said.
Toni shook her head, rising. She felt a pounding headache coming on. Im going to go to bed. Tomorrow afternoon, Im calling the lawyer in the States. He can give us some advice, at the very least. She started toward the door, then turned back. I am sorry, so very sorry. At best, this is really a mess.
Amazing, Gina said suddenly.
What? Toni demanded.
That he looks just like your MacNiallthe one in your phony family history. I mean its incredible that you could invent a man who existed down to the last de tail.