Claire Delacroix (41 page)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Baird shared a helicopter from Kirkwall with Colin Russell, the head of the National Heritage Preservation Society. To Baird’s surprise, Mr. Russell was en route to Dunhelm to decide whether his Society should recommend Dunhelm become a property of the people.

The burly man was a gruff bundle of tweed with a hearty handshake. Mr. Russell seemed oddly nervous, which was odd since Baird was the one with the most to lose.

It figured that Darian had not let Baird get a whiff of this.

Baird’s mood was grim as the helicopter lowered to Dunhelm’s helipad. He forced a smile for Mr. Russell. Baird chafed with impatience to find Aurelia, but the other man’s words brought him up short.

“I must say that I didn’t expect you to be here, Mr. Beauforte.”

“It’s purely a coincidence, Mr. Russell, but a happy one. I’m glad to have the opportunity to express Beauforte’s interest in maintaining the historic value of Dunhelm.” Baird looked to the hotel but there was no sign of Aurelia.

Mr. Russell fired a glance at Baird. “I had thought that you objected to any investigation here.” At Baird’s obvious surprise, he continued. “At least, I was given to understand that you presented numerous obstacles to Mr. Mulvaney’s work here.”

“On the contrary,” Baird said through gritted teeth, “my concerns were purely that the investigation be done systematically. Mr. Mulvaney initially showed an enthusiasm that raised some questions in my mind about his experience.”

Mr. Russell cleared his throat a number of times. “I see, I see. Well, I must apologize on behalf of the society...”

“That’s not necessary,” Baird said smoothly. “I simply want to see this site explored in a professional and academic manner.” He smiled again, trying to guess where to look for Aurelia first. “I suppose it’s natural for anyone to be excited about a new find.”

Mr. Russell frowned. “No serious academic would permit that to interfere with his work,” he said with a severity that didn’t bode well for Darian.

Good.

Mr. Russell cleared his throat once more. “Am I to understand, then, Mr. Beauforte, that you have no objection to our excavation of the site?”

“None whatsoever.” Baird met that man’s gaze. “As long as it’s done properly.”

“Of course, of course. Eventually, we would like to see such a site opened for public interest.” He looked inquiringly to Baird.

“There is no problem with public access,” Baird confirmed.

“Well.” Mr. Russell frowned. “You must understand, Mr. Beauforte, that this is completely opposite to the understanding I have been given of the situation here.” He pulled a hankerchief out of his pocket and wiped the perspiration from his brow. “It seems that the situation may have been misrepresented to me. Might I assume that we could put this arrangement in writing?”

“Of course.” Baird watched relief wash over the older man’s features, though he still looked troubled.

“I believe Mr. Mulvaney is expecting me at the well. Perhaps you could join me, Mr. Beauforte, and we could get to the bottom of this matter.”

Baird tried not to show his frustration. There was no good way to deny Mr. Russell, but then, he might find Aurelia in the well.

She had agreed to help Darian, after all.

Baird agreed and the men matched steps as they crossed the lawn.

* * *

Aurelia’s heart stopped cold when she heard the low murmur of Baird’s voice.

Then it raced madly.

She rose to her feet, not daring to believe she heard right as footsteps echoed on the stairs to the well. A portly man descended first, his bright gaze scanning both Aurelia and the room before he looked to Darian. He scowled and the antagonism between those two men was tangible.

This must be Mr. Russell, to whom Darian would recommend Dunhelm be stolen from Baird. Darian had not been able to keep Aurelia away from this presentation, for all that she felt powerless to change the results. A part of her had hoped desperately that she might be able to persuade Mr. Russell otherwise.

But that man looked to be one who made up his own mind. There was a determination in the set of his jaw when he glared at Darian that gave Aurelia a tentative hope.

Perhaps this would not be so easy as Darian believed.

Then Aurelia saw Baird and she cared nothing for Darian and his games. Baird was tall and broad as she recalled, and the sight of him had precisely the same effect upon her as before.

If anything, two months without him had made her more susceptible to his allure.

Baird’s charcoal suit was like that Julian had worn the first day they had met, but more conservative in cut. He looked austere, despite the burgundy silk knotted around his throat, and the subtle gleam of gold at his wrists. His dark hair had been compelled to some kind of order, his gaze was as vividly green as ever, but there were shadows beneath his eyes.

He looked to have lost some weight.

Did Aurelia dare to hope that Baird had missed her?

She could not summon a word to her lips when his intense gaze locked with hers. Baird scanned her as hungrily as she had studied him and Aurelia’s heart began to sing.

Perhaps all was not lost. Her cheeks heated with self-consciousness as Baird stared at her shorn hair. Aurelia saw the question flash through his eyes before he frowned and looked to the other men.

If only she could have the chance to explain.

“Welcome, Mr. Russell,” Darian said expansively. His charming smile grated on Aurelia for all its dishonesty. “And Mr. Beauforte” - his voice hardened - “your presence was hardly expected.”

Baird’s lips thinned. “So I gather.”

Darian chuckled softly. “Well, if you’ve come to defend your ownership of Dunhelm, I’m sorry to tell you that you’ve come too late to make a difference. Mr. Russell and I have already had numerous discussions and it’s quite clear that our recommendation to the government will be that Dunhelm be made an historic site.” He smirked. “With no resort development.”

“Our recommendation is far from decided,” Mr. Russell interjected tightly.

“Is that so?” Darian asked silkily.

But Baird flashed a glance to Aurelia. “I didn’t come for Dunhelm,” he said quietly. Aurelia’s heart rose to her throat as he crossed the room with purpose. “I came for something much more important than any piece of property could be.”

Baird offered Aurelia his hand, uncertainty lurking in his eyes. “Can we talk, princess?” he asked, the words for her ears alone.

Aurelia reached out but before she could put her hand in his, Darian interrupted.

“I’m not sure it’s terribly appropriate for you to be exchanging secrets with my fiancée,” he said coldly.

Baird’s gaze flicked to him, then back to Aurelia. Disbelief shone in his eyes. “Is this true?” he demanded incredulously. “Are you going to marry him?”

Aurelia fidgeted. “I did agree to his proposal, but you must understand...”

Baird dropped his hand and stepped away. “There’s nothing to understand,” he retorted and spun away from her.

“No! Baird, you must listen!” Aurelia cried, but Baird kept on walking. The stiff set of his shoulders told her that this time he would not be back.

But Aurelia was not going to let Baird Beauforte walk out of her life again, at least not without knowing exactly what was in his heart.

And she knew exactly how she was going to get his attention.

“How unfortunate that the course of love does not run true,” Darian murmured mockingly.

Aurelia stormed over to the display he had carefully prepared of the found artifacts and snatched up the replica he had made of her crossbow.

“Hey! You can’t take that!”

“I can and I will.” Aurelia snatched up a trio of arrows and glared at the man who had ruined her chances for happiness so many times. “You owe me no less.”

* * *

Baird couldn’t believe that Aurelia would marry Darian Mulvaney. He wouldn’t have believed it, if she hadn’t admitted it herself. He stormed across the perfect lawn, furious with her and with himself. How could he have been so dumb to hope she cared for him?

Something whizzed past Baird, within a finger’s breadth of his ear, and made him jump.

The fired arrow buried itself in the turf ahead, the fleche quivering with the force of its landing.

Baird glanced over his shoulder, only to see Aurelia loading her crossbow for another shot. She looked like a vengeful pixie with her hair cropped so short.

She lifted the crossbow and aimed straight for him.

That was enough! Baird stood his ground and flung out his hands. “Why in the hell are you trying to kill me?” he roared in frustration. “You’re the one who wants to marry someone else!”

Aurelia lowered the crossbow for a heartbeat and her tone was grim. “If I wanted to kill you, Baird Beauforte, that arrow would never have missed.”

Before Baird could make sense of that, Aurelia cocked the crossbow and fired. Her next shot landed quivering an inch in front of his well-polished wingtips.

Baird danced backward.

And the way Aurelia proudly lifted her chin told Baird that that was precisely where she had intended for arrow to be.

He cleared his throat and propped his hands on his hips. “Then what do you want?”

To his relief, she lowered the weapon and strode across the turf, challenge bright in her magnificent eyes. “To get your attention.”

Baird shoved a hand through his hair. If nothing else, the woman could keep him guessing!

“Consider it yours.” He studied her as she closed the distance between them. Aurelia looked more fragile than she had before, despite her defiant manner. Perhaps it was her cropped hair, or the faint shadows beneath her eyes.

“I do not want to wed Darian Mulvaney,” she said flatly. “He is Bard, son of Erc, and true to his foul character, he cornered me so that I had no choice but to agree.”

She took a ragged breath as Baird came to terms with that. “He declared he would not destroy all you had built if I took his hand, and I know full well that Dunhelm is of all import to you.”

Aurelia impaled Baird with a bright glance. “I would not see you lose all you hold dear, so I made this concession though it went against my own heart and mind.”

They stared at each other.

Aurelia didn’t want to marry Darian!

But she had been going to do it for him.

Baird was humbled by her confession and wondered suddenly what Aurelia’s heart desired, if it wasn’t Darian.

She gestured resignedly to the well behind them, apparently misinterpreting his silence. “I have had my say, for whatever it is worth, and you should go back if you mean to influence their decision. It is why you are here, after all.”

Baird’s heart began to pound. “Princess, I didn’t know anything about this meeting. It’s not why I came back.”

She lifted her gaze to his and Baird’s gut wrenched at her uncertainty. “Then, why?”

“I came back for you,” he said simply and her eyes widened in surprise.

Well, even if she didn’t like the idea, Baird had to know the truth.

“I love you, princess. I should never have left in the first place.” Baird swallowed before he could continue, Aurelia’s silence eroding his nerve. His voice was hoarse. “I had to know whether you could love me.”

“Oh.
Oh
!”

Baird was not expecting Aurelia to throw herself into his arms with such enthusiasm. When she rained kisses all over his face, his heart swelled enough to burst and Baird wondered how he could have ever doubted her.

He would never do it again.

Ever.

Aurelia caught his face in her tiny hands and stared deeply into his eyes. “I love you with all my heart and soul, Baird Beauforte.” Her words were fierce and she glared up at him. “Do not even dream of leaving me like that again.”

Baird laughed in his relief. He waggled his eyebrows at her. “Mmm, I wouldn’t want to have to answer for that,” he teased and swung her high into the air.

Aurelia wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled just before Baird kissed her soundly. Aurelia’s embrace was welcoming, familiar and tantalizing, her tongue reminding him all too well of the pleasures they could give each other.

For all time.

“What do you say to a wedding, princess?” he growled against her throat and Aurelia pulled back.

A twinkle lurked in the depths of her eyes. “Are you certain you would wed a woman whose womb is already full?”

Baird blinked. “You’re pregnant?”

Aurelia tapped him in the middle of his chest, a coy smile curving her lips. “With your seed, sir. I shall expect you to make an honest woman of me.”

He was going to be a father! The prospect was both exciting and terrifying. But thanks to the dreams he and Aurelia had shared, Baird had a better model for parenthood than he had had before.

Baird pulled Aurelia close, barely able to believe that his life could be so filled with promise for the future. “How soon can you be ready for that wedding, princess?”

Aurelia answered him with an enthusiastic kiss.

When he finally lifted his lips from hers, Baird ran his fingers through the short remainder of Aurelia’s hair. “Why did you cut it?” he asked, unable to keep the disappointment from his voice.

Aurelia grimaced. “It is a long tale that I will tell you sometime.” She smiled up at him. “Suffice to say that it was a price well worth paying.”

“Really?” Baird knew his skepticism showed.

She tilted her head pertly. “Do you not like it short?”

Baird rubbed a thumb across Aurelia’s lips and fought not to grin. “You know, I wouldn’t have said anything, princess, but you did ask. It, um, it makes you look awfully cute...”

Aurelia straightened proudly. “I am not cute! I am a warrior princess!”

Baird bent and plucked one of the arrows from the grass, waving it playfully beneath her nose. “Cupid’s own weapon of choice,” he told her with a smile. “But he never had such good aim.”

“I do not understand.”

“It’s an old story of a god who makes people fall in love.” Baird twirled the arrow. “By piercing their hearts with a magic arrow.” He sobered as he held her gaze. “Just as you pierced mine.”