“Indeed.” Duh, did I look stupid?
“Has this happened before, Miss? Have you any idea of who might want to break in, or why?”
“I’ve only been here a short time and it’s been quiet. No problems, just people stopping by to offer condolences,” I lied. No sense in giving him a chance to doubt my sanity by telling him I’d been visited by gaunt folks, that reminded me of the walking dead, who tried to take the dragons off my hands, and the watcher in the woods would sound paranoid, for sure. It sounded unbelievable, even to me. I caught Cullen’s quick glance and winced when he secured the bandage to my foot.
“It’s been said there are those who would like to acquire your dragons, lass. Is that what this is about?”
“I have no idea. When you catch the intruder, you might ask him that very question.” Okay, so I was being bitchy, so what? He’d stated the obvious. The perpetrator wanted the dragons, or one particular dragon. I wasn’t sure which case it was, but one thing was certain, he’d been about to steal from me. I glanced at Drake and then at his fellow creatures. I could feel my eyes narrow and the anger that lay just beneath the surface at the thought of being robbed was difficult to control. Was this experience a portent of what my future held? The alarm installation couldn’t happen fast enough for my liking.
The constable walked around the room, checked this and that, then turned to me and said, “You might want to have an alarm system installed. We could have it sound at the station if you like.”
I explained an Aberdeen company would be in next week and that I’d be happy to have them wire it to the police department. Constable Wakely smiled, said they’d check with the local hospital to see if someone was treated for any injuries and then took his leave. He, and his assistant, who’d made notes of my explanation, walked toward the door. Wakely looked back and said he’d let me know if they found out who the intruder was.
I frowned as he left, and shook my head with a sigh. “That was pretty useless. I did better at protecting myself with the bat than he could have done with an army of officers,” I remarked as the police car disappeared from view. “I think I might have broken the man’s arm. I heard a snap when the bat connected as he swung his arm toward me. Thank goodness he didn’t hit me first.”
A chuckle from Cullen brought a laugh from me. My adrenalin had receded and I was shaking, but calmer than I had been.
“You played softball at the academy, and were MVP, right? I’d forgotten you were athletic in high school. Not so much in college, though, were you? More bookish by that point.” Cullen chuckled again.
Perplexed by his knowledge of my school years, I said, “You’ve done your research on me, haven’t you? I’m quite adept at research, too, Cullen.”
His laughter rang out, I stared at him and then rose to get a dustpan and brush to clear away the debris that littered the floor. Gently, he pushed me back onto the sofa, said he’d do the clean up and left me on my own.
I favored the injured foot and limped over to the dragons. I whispered to Drake, “We must be better prepared for intruders. It’s important to protect you all. Any suggestions?”
The glow in his eyes reminded me of banked coals in a campfire. “Find the book, your problems will be solved.”
The book, the book, is that all he could say? “What else, other than the book would you recommend?”
I got no answer and heard a light cough behind me. I swung around, lost my balance and knocked over the stand, catching Drake as he fell. We landed with an oomph and I cradled the dragon in my arms. A humor-filled look and raised brows were Cullen’s response to what had happened.
He reached out a hand to haul me and the dragon off the floor. “Let me help you up. You should have stayed put.” He would have taken Drake from me had I allowed it, instead he set the stand upright. I placed Drake in his rightful spot and hobbled over to the sofa.
The glass cleaned up, the broom and dustpan put away, Cullen returned to the living room and sat beside me. “I’ll stay the night, but your alarm system must be installed immediately. If not, I’ll move in for the week and take care of those who dare enter without invitation.”
Good grief, the last thing I needed was Cullen on my last nerve every minute of every day for a week. I’d be a dithering idiot by then or one of us would be in danger of being killed by the other. I didn’t care to be ordered around, nor instructed as to what I should and shouldn’t do, let alone have him, as confident as he was in his abilities, handle whatever situation might arise. On my own for so long, it irked me to have such a person a constant presence, even if I did find him handsome and sexy.
“That won’t be necessary. I’ll sleep down here from now until the alarm system is set up.”
“You should have protection, Linty,” he insisted.
“Not necessary, I can handle myself, thank you,” I remarked.
“Yes, I can see that. You made quick work of the intruder tonight, but who’s to say if he’ll return with reinforcements the next time?”
“Bring them, I welcome it.”
“You can’t be serious?”
“I am,” I said with an even stare into his doubtful eyes.
“You’re being unreasonable, or is it my charm that has you worried? You might succumb to that without wanting to.” Cullen smiled.
The challenge in his voice was unmistakable. Wide-eyed and laughing, I gave him a slanted look. “Really? Oh, yeah, wait a minute. You’ve been so freaking charming that I could spit.”
His laughter rang out and I grinned at him.
“Point taken. I’ve done nothing but try to boss you around since you arrived. Sorry about that. I’m used to having my orders followed, not challenged.”
“Get used to it. I take no orders, but I do consider well-meant advice. “
“What security company is doing the installation? Maybe I can move things along for you.”
I mentioned the name. He gave a nod, and we both fell silent for a while until I related the issue I’d had with Charles and Elizabeth. “Imagine, he had planned to take the dragon and leave.”
“Do you know that for certain?”
“I entered the room, he stood at that case,” I pointed to it, “with the gold and red dragon clutched in his hands. What would you think?”
He ignored the question by asking another. “What was his explanation?”
“He said he wanted to study it. Yeah, right. That might have been after he’d left the house with it. When I looked the case over, I noticed he’d moved another dragon forward so I wouldn’t see it was missing.”
I got a nod and another question which strained my nerves.
“Did he willingly put it back or did you threaten him?”
“I did not threaten him,” I remarked haughtily. “I merely told him to put it back and not to touch the dragons again.”
“Hmm, was he alone or was Elizabeth with him?” His eyes held a keen glint and I wanted to know what was on his mind.
“Before I tell you, what do you think of his actions? Why would he choose that particular dragon?”
“A buyer is seeking that one, and maybe another, I’m not sure which other, though. It’s gossip, so I don’t accept it as truth, you understand.”
“Elizabeth hovered about wringing her hands. I think she was nervous about him snatching a dragon in the first place. She said I shouldn’t have to worry about the dragons and this estate. I didn’t care what she said at that point, and asked them both to leave.”
“Did they?”
“When I opened the front door, Charles knew he’d lost his advantage and they couldn’t get out fast enough. You see, I had gone walking and had locked the doors, so was dumbfounded to find them in the house.”
“Locked is safer than unlocked, but as we now know, even that won’t keep thieves away. Could it have been Charles who broke in?”
I gave a hoot of laughter. When I’d stopped laughing, I said, “Uncle Charles couldn’t have fit through the window or
run that fast without having a coronary.”
Pensive, Cullen said, “I take it that you mean a heart attack?”
I nodded. “I’m sure his cholesterol is at an all-time high. Good grief, have you seen that man eat?”
“Sorry to say, I have. You should get back to bed, I’ll watch over the house and the dragons,” Cullen advised.
My father’s words ran through my head. Before I could stop my train of thought from running off the tracks, the words popped out of my mouth. “Are you a dragon collector?”
His stillness alarmed me, but I refused to allow it to take over. Holding my breath, I stared at him.
“Yes, I am. You have naught to worry about, lass. If I’d wanted your dragons, I’d have had them long ago. They’re not my interest at the moment.”
For a second I wondered if I should ask. Throwing caution to the wind, I asked, “What is your interest?”
“You are.” His eyes flashed, reminding me of the way Drake’s did. I glanced past him toward the dragon and found his eyes bright as well.
Wishing I’d avoided shaky ground, I ignored his response, said goodnight, and left him staring after me. I paused on the squeaky step and looked back. The dragons now held Cullen’s attention. What was left of the night would be filled with worry over Cullen’s interests, the idea of intruders, protecting the dragons, and finding the damn book.
Chapter 13
Yard workers arrived at the same time as Mrs. Douglas. Shouts, laughter, and banging pots and pans were the norm for the morning. Limping down the front stairs, I noticed Cullen had taped paper bags over the window to keep the draft to a minimum. Nights in the highlands get cold. I’d been so amped up during the events that had taken place that I failed to notice the temperature.
Cullen sipped coffee, offered me a cup from the steaming pot, and then asked how I’d slept.
“Sleep? Who can sleep with all this nonsense going on?” I wanted to know.
“The dragons and I slept well. The sofa is short, but comfortable,” he said with a grin.
Mrs. Douglas came through the door with a tray of scones and a jar of locally made black current jam. She placed the lot in front of us, told us to dig in, and marched off to begin her daily chores. I sniffed the scones with appreciation and laughed when Cullen said they weren’t for sniffing, but for eating.
“True enough. Pass the jar,” I said and split the scone in half to slather it with the jam.
We worked our way through the scones and coffee, discussed the security system and how Cullen had insisted the Aberdeen crew push the installation ahead.
“It’ll be done this afternoon, lass. It took some convincing, but the man was amenable to the change when I told him you’d had an intruder last night that resulted in injury.”
“Thanks for that. I would have made the call today, though.”
“No need, it’s all taken care of. This way, you won’t have to succumb to my many charms if I stay overnight.”
“Mmm, there are so many charms, I can hardly count,” I said with a half-grin and sarcasm.
After Cullen had gone, I got busy and favored my foot when it started to ache.
Evan came through from the kitchen and asked, “Would you like that window replaced, lass?”
“That would be wonderful, thank you.”
“I’ll have Daniel take it to the shop in town and it’ll be ready for ye in no time.” He removed the window and handed it through the open space to Daniel, who peered inside and gave me a smile. “Mornin’ to you, Linty.”
I gave him a wave and thanked him for his help. Two other men were quickly ordered to work in various areas of the grounds and instructed to pay attention to detail. Evan pointed out where he wanted them to go and then turned back to me and said, “We’ll have the grounds set to rights in a jiffy, lass. What happened to your foot?”
“I stepped on a shard of glass from the broken window. I’m fine, though, really.”
He gave a nod and said in a low tone, “Glad to hear it. By the way, your uncle and his wife were in the village going on about the dragons and how you shouldn’t have them. You take care, lass, and don’t let them push you ‘round.” That said, he walked off and got to work.
Gray clouds rolled in with a threat of rain. The men worked, as did I while slowly pouring through Gran’s personal affects. I’d packed up her belongings and separated what to store in the oak room and what to take to the resale shop in town.
With a glance out the window, I noticed it had begun to rain and that the workmen had packed it in for the moment. I couldn’t blame them, no need to work in a downpour. Daniel ran across the yard, joined the crew who stood under the eaves of the garage and then he looked up at the house. He smiled and waved. I returned it and then went to see Mrs. Douglas.
Entering the kitchen, the smell of roasting chicken with veggies and a pot of chicken soup pervaded the room along with a couple of loaves of homemade bread that sat atop the counter. My mouth watered and I asked, “Is that the fare for today?” I licked my lips in anticipation and glanced at the clock, hoping it was time for lunch.
A smile and a wave of her hand was enough for me to limp toward the table. “Sit yourself down and I’ll serve you some soup. You’ve had a busy morning upstairs, what have you been up to?”
“Packing up Gran’s clothes and personal items. I’d like to take a ride into the village after lunch to bring the clothes to the resale shop. Will you stay here while I do that? The security people will arrive soon to install an alarm system today. I’m not sure what time this afternoon so I won’t dilly dally.”
“I’ll be here, then. You take as long as you like, Linty. I’m sure you could use a change of scenery after being here for this long without a break. I often did that for your Gran, before she became fearful of thieves, that is.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Douglas, that would be great.” I slurped soup loaded with chunks of veggies and chicken, and dipped hunks of bread into the broth. Yum. Finishing up, I asked if she’d give each of the men a bowl, as they’d been stuck under the eaves of the garage during the rain and could probably use a taste of her hearty soup. She smiled, nodded, and beckoned them to come indoors.
Four hungry men trampled into the kitchen, wiped their muddy feet on the rug as they entered, and grinned over the offer of lunch.
“There’s no need to feed us, Linty, but thanks for it,” Evan said and pointed to seats at the table. The man controlled his crew, no doubt about it.
I gave him a smile, said they were more than welcome to enjoy a hot meal on this chilly day, and left them to it. A while later, their echoes of thanks came through to the living room, where I stood staring out the front windows. The rain had lessened by this time.
The two huge living rooms opened off either side of the foyer. I knew there was a formal name for them, but couldn’t remember and figured it wasn’t important anyway. Spacious, they were separated by the foyer at the front door. With a southern exposure, bright sunlight usually shone in most of the day. Today, dark clouds scudded across the sky, and the wind blew hard enough to make treetops sway.
I considered what to do with Gran’s belongings and personal items. Her personal things could be stored, while the clothing would need to be brought downstairs and disposed of, possibly at the shop in the village. I hobbled upstairs, noticed how the creaky stair gave a bit as I stepped on it and worried that I’d fall through it, further injuring myself. The tread took precedence and was a job I’d take care of later in the day.
Now orderly, the oak room had space for Gran’s things. With care, I placed the jewelry in the jewelry armoire and locked it. Hat boxes, photo albums, and such were packed into a special section of the room. Her books and journals would be added to Gran’s private library on the first floor.
Noise from the backyard filtered upward. I turned the key in the door lock and pocketed it. The rain had ceased and Evan’s crewmen were back to doing what they could without damaging the grounds that were s
odden and difficult to deal with. Happy to think he cared enough to bring needed changes to the landscape, I went to my room, grabbed a jacket and began to drag boxes and bags of Gran’s clothing toward the stairs.
The piles at the head of the steps grew tall as I stacked one box on top of another, while thoughts of how much we accumulate over a lifetime occurred to me. I tossed tied plastic bags down the flight of steps, watching them land. Cumbersome and heavy, the boxes would be another matter. I couldn’t very well throw them down the stairs.
Taking one box after another to the first floor, I saved the heaviest for last. Out of breath, I climbed to the second floor one last time and slid the box into my arms off the top step. I hefted it to get a good grip and slowly descended to the first floor. I’d reached the fifth stair from the bottom, it creaked and groaned as usual, then caved in the middle, breaking apart, and hurtling me and the box over the last few stairs with a thump, bump, and oomph as I landed on the pile of bags. Good Christmas.
Sprawled out on the bags, I flailed my arms and legs to catch my balance. Finally, I rolled sideways onto the floor and got up. I smoothed my hair, wiped sweat from my forehead and moved my limbs to make certain I hadn’t broken any bones. The box and its contents lay in a willy-nilly heap that sprawled across the floor. I sighed, berated myself for not requesting help and brushed my hair from my brow, then packed the clothes once again. This time around, I was less careful and tidy about folding the items.
The job finished, I heard Mrs. Douglas rush into the room. “Goodness, what was that racket? I had my hands full or I’d have come in straightaway.
“Just me being clumsy,” I assured her.
She gazed at the multitude of bags and boxes and shook her head. “You should have asked for help, Linty. This was a big job, too big for one person.”
I chuckled and said, “I had the same thought, after the fact. Not to worry, it’s done now, I just need a hand getting all this packed into the car.”
Dragon's Touch (Book 1 Linty Dragon Series) Page 13