Allegra Fairweather_ Paranormal Investigator - Janni Nell [16]
“That’s a good idea,” said Casper.
What had I expected? That he’d protest? Refuse to leave me alone with another man?
“Douglas likes you,” he added, seeming amused rather than jealous.
For some stupid reason I found that disappointing.
Forcing a smile—there was no sense in letting Casper see how I felt—I asked, “What will you do while I’m talking to Douglas?”
He shrugged. “I guess I’ll take a look around. Or maybe I’ll take a walk along the loch with Mrs. Ferguson.” He moved into the shadow cast by the wall of the pub. “Gotta fly.”
I had a brief glimpse of golden wings. Then he disappeared.
Chapter Four
Douglas was doing some paperwork at the kitchen table when I returned to Mac’s. He stood up and stretched.
“How was Mrs. Ferguson?” he asked.
“Relieved. She’s convinced her bad dreams will stop now.” I wasn’t so sure, but I kept that thought to myself.
“You want some coffee?” he asked.
I declined.
Douglas seemed uncomfortable but I didn’t realize he was working up to an apology until he said, “I’m sorry I was rude to your partner, Allegra.” The words came with difficulty. “I hope it won’t affect your handling of this case.”
I wondered whether he was really concerned about the case. Somehow I sensed his apology had more to do with the male/female chemistry that had been hovering around us since we’d met.
“Casper didn’t take offence,” I said.
Douglas replied, “Casper likes you.”
Casper had said the same thing about Douglas, but he had sounded amused whereas Douglas sounded really peeved.
He continued, “Are you sure there’s nothing going on between you and Casper?”
“Trust me, Douglas, a relationship between Casper and me is impossible.”
“Then he must be gay.”
“Oh it’s much more hopeless than that.”
Douglas looked at me curiously but I refused to elaborate.
Changing the subject, Douglas asked, “Do you want lunch?”
I had declined coffee but lunch was another matter entirely. “I’d love some.”
He seemed surprised that after seeing McEwen’s body that morning I hadn’t lost my appetite, but I assured him I was starving.
“We’ll eat outside,” he said, “as the weather’s so mild.”
I wasn’t sure I agreed about the weather. I would have described it as cool. But at least the sun was shining.
Ignoring the empty chairs, I walked down the grassy slope to the shore of the loch. Three small boats bobbed around on the calm water. They were filled with fishermen who apparently hadn’t been deterred by the news of McEwen’s death. The inhabitants of the village were made of sterner stuff than that.
“Allegra,” Douglas called from the terrace.
I headed back up the slope. By the time I reached him he had set down two plates of what the Brits call a Ploughman’s Lunch, only this had a Scottish twist. There were pickles, cheese and crackers, oatcakes and a small serving of haggis. I sat down and began to eat. Everything, including the haggis, was delicious.
“Douglas,” I began between sips of orange juice, “do you know anything about Leith’s Cairn?”
He stared at me with a look I could only describe as horrified. “Dinnae go there,” he said abruptly.
I waited for him to explain. When he didn’t, I prompted, “Why not?”
He sighed as though he would really rather not talk about it but to please me he would. “Leith the Brave fought for freedom against the English.”
“Like Braveheart.”
“But several hundred years later. And Leith wasn’t captured. He was slain at the Battle of Furness and his heart cut out. Some people think it was thrown into the loch.”
“Does he return to the loch to search for it?” My question wasn’t flippant. Ghosts often do that kind of thing.
But Douglas was shaking his head. “Leith cannae move more than a hundred yards from his cairn.”
“So he poses no danger to the people living around the loch.”
“Unless you visit the cairn,” said Douglas darkly. “Then Leith will try to steal your heart. Only last year three tourists