Highland Sanctuary by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

partners."
     
"And because of today's feast, I'll accept yer flattery." She smiled, aware that the pad of his thumb now circled over the top of her hand.
     
"Gavin!" Iain strode up. "Father Tomas told me about the kirk incident."
     
"Aye." Gavin nodded. "Serena, I enjoyed dancing with ye, but I regret that duty now calls."
     
"I understand." She turned to go, but Gavin didn't yet relinquish her hand. Instead, he lifted her fingers to his lips and placed a kiss upon the top of her knuckles and bowed. "Thank ye, my lady."
     
Her heart swelled with tenderness for this man. He knew very well that she wasn't a proper lady, but he understood that she had wanted to pretend just this once—and he had joined her in the the game—because he understood her.
     
 
     

 
     
Gavin told Iain all he knew about the fire at the kirk and then relayed the cow murder incident. Leith had joined them in Iain's library.
     
"I don't understand why someone would do this against the villagers." Iain shook his head as he paced in front of the unlit fireplace. "It doesn't make sense. What would anyone gain by it?"
     
"That's why we're so addled," Leith said.
     
"Do ye know if any of the villagers have enemies in the town of Braighwick? Mayhap someone from there could be doing all these strange things." Gavin peered at Iain, hoping something would bring about his memory. He crossed his booted ankle over his knee.
     
"I confess. I don't know as much about the villagers as I probably should," Iain said, rubbing his mustache in thought. "We may have to take Father Tomas into our confidence. I canna think of anyone who would know more about them."
     
"All right," Gavin said. "We'll visit him on the morrow." He cleared his throat. "What about this cousin who tried to dispute yer uncle's will? Do ye think it would benefit us to meet him?"
     
"Aye, he wrote a letter chastising me for not introducing him to the heir of Clan MacKenzie." Iain leaned his elbow on the mantle. "I suppose I'll have to invite them over."
     
"Does he live close enough to send someone to the village to do these things?"
     
"But why would he? It's my estate and castle he wants. What would the villagers have that he could possibly want?" Iain raised his hands and began pacing again. "Hogan Lennox is the Earl of Caithness. He already has a sizeable estate, but he only has a cozy stone manor. A castle like Braigh would make him look even more mightier than he already is."
     
"Granted, the issue with yer cousin could be unrelated to what is happening to the villagers." Leith scratched the side of his dark head. "I'm only sorry the two who stayed behind didn't see aught."
     
"'Twas an excellent plan, Leith," Gavin said. "We canna get discouraged and give up. The answers are somewhere around us. We must find them."
     
"The villagers may be a wee slow, but they aren't complete simpletons," Iain said. "They are bound to know something is going on by now—and mayhap frightened. And they have every right to be."
     
"We could station a few men to stay in the village on rotation." Leith leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and linked his hands. "That might ease their fears and instill a little more security. The rest would be here working on the castle and making sure things are fine here."
     
"Let's do that." Iain nodded, walking over to a chair and taking a seat. "I'll work on an invitation to bring my cousin and his family."
     
"And we'll talk to Father Tomas and see if there are any villagers who might have some enemies in Braighwick." Gavin stood. Leith followed.
     
"At least we have a plan to move us forward," Iain said. "Let's pray naught worse happens in the meantime."
     
 
     

 
     
The laird wanted to see her. The moment Doreen came for her, Serena fought a nervous foreboding. She fretted all the way up the stairs, wringing her hands like a lass in trouble. She searched her memory, but couldn't think of a task she'd neglected.
     
Her worn soles made no sound as