The Heiress Bride - Catherine Coulter [121]
“I told you I was going to see Sophie,” Alex said, refusing to open her eyes.
“Och, here’s a cup o’ tea for her ladyship,” Mrs. Seton said, and marched to the bed. She gave Douglas a severe look and he obligingly moved. She sat down and gently put the rim to Alex’s lips. “Oh, that’s good,” Alex said, her head falling back on the pillow after three healthy sips.
“The two of you look quite remarkable in that bed, side by side,” Ryder said.
“I want you to feel better,” Douglas said to his wife. “I have quite a bit to say to you, madam.”
“Oh, stow it, Douglas,” Sinjun said, and immediately regretted opening her mouth, because her brother, frustrated because his wife was ill and thus immune from his displeasure for the moment, bent the full force of his anger on her. “So, little sister, you’ve been up to all sorts of nonsense again, haven’t you? I can see you’re well enough again for any sort of just deserts. I would personally enjoy taking your skirts up over your bottom, but you’ve a husband now and I must deny myself that pleasure. However, I must hope that he will do it. She is well enough now, isn’t she, Colin?”
Colin smiled. “Yes, she certainly is well enough now.”
“Good,” Douglas said, rubbing his hands together. “I hope he won’t suffer your pranks as I’ve had to over an interminable number of years.”
“I daresay I won’t suffer pranks at all.”
Sophie interrupted. “Listen, Douglas, I want to know how you and Ryder knew to come here. Sinjun said you’d be here Friday, but that’s just because she thinks you’re both gods.”
Alex moaned softly. Mrs. Seton reached in one of her large pockets and drew out a fat scone, wrapped in a napkin and bulging with raisins. “Try this, my lady, ’tis soft an’ easy for the belly. ’Twill make ye settle, ye’ll see.”
Sinjun was staring at Douglas. He looked uncomfortable; he was actually flushing. He rose and strode across the bedchamber and back again. He was clearly agitated.
But it was Alex who was eyeing him with dawning comprehension as she chewed on her scone. “It was the Virgin Bride! She came to you and told you where we were. What else did she tell you?”
“That’s utter nonsense!” Douglas shouted. “Nothing of the sort. That bloody damned ghost. She doesn’t exist—”
“Naturally not,” Sinjun said. “She’s been dead for centuries. It’s her ghost that hovers about.”
“Shut your mouth, Sinjun. I merely applied a few mental processes—very few were necessary, given you two—and quickly realized that you would go haring off to Scotland.”
Ryder was frowning at his brother. “You fetched me from Ascot. You told me we had to go get our wives, that they’d heard from Sinjun, and that she was ill and that there was trouble. I didn’t think to question you then. I thought Alex had left you a letter, but obviously she hadn’t. How did you know Sophie was involved? What’s going on here, Douglas?”
Douglas plowed his fingers through his hair, standing it on end. He looked clearly harassed, defensive, and wary. “I just got this feeling, that’s all. A simple feeling. We all have simple feelings from time to time, even you, Ryder. This bloody feeling came when I was sleeping in Alex’s bed because Mother had insisted on having my mattress restuffed and pounded, God knows why. I like flat goose feathers. I just felt them then, during the night, these simple feelings when I was thinking about Alex, that’s all. Simple feelings and simple deductions.”
Colin had moved to stand by the fireplace, leaning negligently against the mantel, his arms crossed over his chest. He looked utterly unmoved by all the carping and ghost talk. He even appeared mildly amused to Sinjun’s fond eye, at least she hoped he was amused. He’d be easier to deal with if he was amused. He said at last when there was a moment’s break, “The carpet wasn’t all that expensive. Don’t worry about it, Alex. I think Emma’s done an excellent job.”
Alex cocked an eye open. “Thank you, Colin. You’re very kind to a sick lady, unlike—”
“Don’t even think about saying it,” Douglas said. Mrs. Seton had left, albeit