Everlastin' Book 1 (28 page)

“Long paid,” Roan bit out,
his livid expression matching that of his adversary's. “I'm here to
make you an offer, if you've the sense to listen.”

“Watch yerself, laddie
boy.”

One of Roan's eyebrows rose.
“It's a fair enough deal I'm offerin'. It'll be no skin off ma nose
if you turn it down.”

“Fair, you say?” The air
about Lachlan began to crackle with energy. “Tis me who'll
determine wha's fair or no', you blastie!”

Roan gave a solemn shake of
his head. “I'm glad it's beneath yer dignity to resort to
name-callin'. Now, do we talk like civilized men, or do I leave you
to yer tantrums, Mister Baird?”

* * *

Beth hurriedly packed the
remains of her belongings, her face lit with excitement, her
movements almost spastic. She refused to think about Lachlan or
what Carlene and David would say when they returned to find her
gone. Once she was far away from Baird House—preferably in the
quiet security of her home in Washington State—then, and only then,
could she begin to make sense out of the twisted bouts of delirium
plaguing her.

Closing the suitcase, she
looked over the slacks and top she'd laid out. This was it. All she
had to do was change into her own clothing and walk out the front
door. She would not look back, and certainly would not meet
Lachlan's mesmerizing eyes.

Then her hands smoothed out
the front of the gown as a queasy feeling stirred in her
stomach.

Was it excitement unsettling
her or was she actually experiencing pangs of remorse at the
thought of putting Lachlan and the house behind her?

Fool!

Throwing back her head, she
squeezed her eyes shut against the tears trying to build up behind
them.

She'd never known an
indecisive moment in her life until she came to Scotland, and that
seemed an eternity ago. Her previous life seemed more the dream
now.

How could she love a man
like Lachlan after all he'd done?

Love.

The thought was utterly
agonizing.

She did love him. God help
her, but she couldn't deny it. But entwined with the love was
mistrust and anger. The two should overwhelm the former, but they
didn't. He possessed her heart so completely she couldn't trust
herself to be alone with him for even a few seconds.

Damn you,
she cursed him, a tremor coursing through her
body.
Your obsession with me is
evil!

“Beth.”

The soft voice caused Beth a
violent start. Snapping her head around, she gaped at two figures
standing by the window nearest the bathroom.

A shroud of incredulity
descended over her brain.

The man was dressed in a
dark dress suit and shiny black shoes.

Carlene was dressed in the
same outfit as when Beth had last seen her.

“We've come to take you back
with us,” Carlene said with a tenuous smile.

A long minute passed in
silence.

Carlene's hands came up, and
she exposed her palms to Beth in a gesture of sorrow. “We wanted to
appear before now but we were afraid Lachlan would—”

“Carlene,” Beth said dully,
her body as numb as her mind.

“Yes, Beth.” Carlene
released a broken laugh. “I-I'm sure you believe I betrayed our
friendship, but Lachlan—”

“Yes...Lachlan.” Beth felt a
quick rush of dizziness sweep through her before she could bring
herself to draw upon an inner reserve of stamina.

So, Carlene and David had
decided to come home.

Too bad it was too late, for
Beth was determined to leave Scotland before the day was
over.

“Beth, you've got to listen
to me.”

“Why?” Beth gave an airy
shrug of her shoulders. “You decided to play matchmaker, didn't
you?”

“Beth—”

Anger flashed in Beth's
eyes. “It nearly cost me my sanity, damn you!”

“You have to let me explain
my side of this.”

“I'm leaving. Sorry we don't
have time for a nice little chat, but my ride's
waiting.”

“Lachlan won't let you
leave!” Carlene cried, taking a step in Beth's
direction.

Beth calmly raked a
measuring look over her friend then took an added moment to study
David. As lifeless as the curtain hanging behind his right
shoulder, he continued to stare at her as if unseeing, his hazel
eyes set within a pale, well-boned face. Although his countenance
was devoid of expression, Beth sensed his unease.

“No one can stop me from
leaving. I'm really disappointed in you, Carlene. I thought we had
the kind of friendship that could withstand anything.”

“There isn't time to explain
everything right now!” Carlene exclaimed with mounting
irritability.

“Right. Because I'm
leaving!”

“Beth, if Lachlan discovers
we've come for you.... Dammit, he wants you to stay in this house
with him!”

“Tell me something I don't
know,” Beth sneered. “Do you know he believes he's dead?” She
laughed humorlessly. “But what's even more outrageous, he
believes
I'm
dead,
too. Oh, and you and David as well. There are headstones bearing
our names in the back field.”

“Beth—”

“Swell character you tried
to fix me up with, old buddy,” Beth went on, bitterness lacing her
tone as she took two steps in her friend's direction. “Personally,
I can't ever recall saying or doing anything to give you the
impression I was that hard-up for male companionship.”

“Beth, shut up! Just come
with us. David and I will take care of you.”

Beth's mouth gaped open in
disbelief then shut. “I don't need anyone to take care of
me.”

“We haven't much
time!”

“I'm going home. Sorry if
this sounds a...
wee
...ungrateful, but go to hell! Carlene, I don't want to ever
see or hear from you again. Am I making myself clear?”

Snatching up her slacks,
panties, and top from the bed, Beth stalked toward the bathroom.
But Carlene was quick to stand in the doorway, refusing to move as
she stared heatedly into Beth's fiery eyes.

“You still refuse to accept
it, don't you?” she accused.

Beth made a move to shove
past her friend, but Carlene pushed her back a step.

“I knew you were dying after
David and I were killed in the accident.”

Beth flinched. “You're
insane.”

“The fall you took down the
stairs had nothing to do with—”

“What did he offer you to go
along with this...this sick hoax, huh? What did it take for you to
sell out our friendship?”

“In the beginning, I-I
approved of Lachlan's plan to bring you here, but I began to regret
the decision before you left the States. But Lachlan wouldn't let
me warn you, Beth! You have to believe me!”

“Believe you?” Beth parroted
sarcastically.

“You're not listening to
what I'm saying!”

“I am listening, but the
words are coming from the mouth of a madwoman! I would know if I
was really dead. Wouldn't I?
Wouldn't
I?”

Carlene's demeanor wilted
and tears spilled from her eyes. “I couldn't stand the thought of
you dying alone. That was the only reason I went along with
Lachlan's plan. You've got to believe me.”

“I'm not de—”

A swell of anguish moved up
through Beth, but she locked her teeth and clenched her fists to
abort it from escaping her in the form of a wail. Her slender body
quaked. Despite her resistance, the mental wall she had so
carefully constructed against the truth began to
crumble.

“David and I have been
hiding just out of Lachlan's reach. We don't know what is waiting
beyond for us, but we'll be together, Beth. Don't be afraid to pass
on to the next plane of existence with us. We love you. There is
only Lachlan keeping you here.”

Unexpectedly, Beth
experienced an electrifying wash of sensation sweep through her. A
curtain of absolute calm descended on her. Her anger waned. The
deep-rooted threads of self-grief shredded as the fragmented
workings of her thoughts fell quietly into place, coalescing, and
at long last ending her torment of denial.

The oddly rapt expression on
Beth's face set off an alarm in Carlene's brain. “Beth, what's
wrong?”

“Nothing. Nothing's
wrong.”

“Something's
happening—”

Beth's wistful smile took
Carlene aback. “Yes, Lachlan is keeping me here,” she said quietly,
“but not in the sense you mean, Carlene. He loves me. And I love
him enough not to want to be separated from him.”

“You don't know what you're
saying. You don't understand the power—”

“His power over me?” Beth
gave a low chuckle then sobered. “What caused my death?”

“We don't have
time—”

“Never mind,” Beth said,
already turning toward the door. “I'll ask Lachlan.”

“Beth, please!”

With calm and dignity, Beth
tossed her clothing back atop the bed and headed for the hall. At
the threshold, she stopped and looked over her shoulder, her eyes
warm with compassion. “I'm sorry I lashed out at you. I understand
your motives now, really I do. You and David go on. I'll find my
own way.”

“Lachlan won't ever let you
leave this house. He's obsessed with you!”

“I'm a lot stronger than you
think.”

When Beth disappeared into
the hall, Carlene buried her face in her hands and began to weep.
David watched his wife for several seconds before going to her and
resting his hands on her trembling shoulders.

“There isn't any more we can
do.”

Like lightning, Carlene
slapped David's chest. “Thanks for the backup!” she charged, tears
streaming down her sallow face. “You just stood there like a
zombie!”

“I'm beginning to feel like
one.” With a wry grin, he entwined his fingers through her hair.
“We've done all we can. She's awakened to the truth. Let her make
up her own mind as to what she wants.”

“She's confused.”

“Not anymore.”

To keep his wife from
staying behind, David Cambridge wrapped his arms about her and
anchored her to him. They faded together as one then began their
long journey to what lay beyond the grayness where they'd hidden
for what seemed an eternity.

* * *

“Ye’re daft!” Lachlan
hissed.
“Pay
an
Ingliss? Over ma dead, rottin' corpse!”

Roan stubbornly folded his
arms across his broad chest. “You'll be gettin' yer money's
worth.”

Lachlan sucked in a great
breath through his nostrils. The Ingliss' request had stunned then
amused him, but when he realized the brazen man was quite serious
in the arrangement he'd suggested, Lachlan's temper was quick to
surface.

“I'll be havin' yer head on
a silver tray, you useless corbie. You've got nerve. No brains but
nerve.”

“I'm an honest, fair mon,”
Roan corrected, his tone deep controlled.

“An Ingliss knows
only
takin'.”

Roan locked his teeth so
hard, pain shot up along his jawline. “Seems to me,
old
mon, you've been doin'
the takin' for over a century now.”

“I'm warnin' you,
Ingliss—”

A tunnel of mist appeared
behind the laird's left shoulder. Beth emerged from within it.
“Lachlan!”

The master of Baird House
turned his head sharply at the command in Beth's tone. He waited in
simmering silence until she was at his side then with as much calm
as he could muster, he issued, “I ask you kindly, now, Beth, go
back to the house and wait for me.”

“It still sounds like a
command, and it'll be a cold day in hell when I start taking orders
from you,” she huffed, unconsciously responding to the negative
emotions vibrating from him. “We're going to talk. Now.”

“When I'm through wi' this
Ingliss—”

“I've said all I came to
say,” Roan interjected. He cast his aunt a look that told her to
stay where she was by the van. “The rest is up to you,
Baird.”

He was turning away when
Lachlan's hand shot out and cinched his broad neck. Taken aback by
the strength in the specter's hold, he looked helplessly into the
brooding dark eyes before him.

At that moment, something
swept into and filled Beth completely, choking off her senses.
Panic lanced her. For several seconds, she could not understand
what was happening to her. Then it dawned on her that the terrible
feeling trying to overcome her was rage and it was coming from
within Lachlan.

“Let him go!” Beth warned.
“Lachlan! Do it now, or I swear I'll follow Carlene and
David!”

Releasing Roan, Lachlan
dropped his arm swiftly to his side. Ignoring the man who now stood
bent over, his hands gingerly massaging his neck, the laird turned
an incredulous, wounded look on Beth. “Carlene and
David?”