Fear Familiar Bundle (118 page)

She turned around to find him, but the barn door was a large black opening. There was no sign of human life at all. She felt the cat brush against her lower legs, and she felt a measure of comfort. "What is it, Kevin?"

"Come here. Hurry. We have to help William."

Mary took three steps toward the barn. She had to force her feet forward. "Kevin, don't hurt William."

"Get over here."

"I'm coming." She tried to find something to pick up, some weapon. If she walked into the barn defenseless, then she'd be dooming William and herself. With each slow step, she tried to figure out a way to prevent what was happening.

"Get in here now, before it's too late."

The urgency in Kevin's voice shut out everything else. She had to obey, or he would injure William. Step-by-step, she approached the barn. Familiar was beside her— and unusually quiet, for him.

"Where's William?" She spoke to the darkness, unable to see Kevin or anything else.

Before she could utter another sound, strong hands clasped over her mouth and around her waist. She felt herself being lifted, much as she'd felt in the tunnel. She managed one muffled cry before she was whirled into the barn and thrown against stacks of baled hay.

"Hush!" Kevin's voice cracked with anxiety. "Running about all over the barn. You nearly spoiled everything. I've been waiting, watching, hoping for this chance. Sophie and I have discussed it."

Mary's heart was pounding. She fumbled in the hay beside her, trying to find some object she could wield as a club. Her fingers clutched only straw at first. In a moment she felt something soft and silky. She tugged at the material, finding more. Her fingers worked along it until she felt something smooth and warm. Long and smooth and warm.

A leg!

"My God!" She spoke the words before she even thought.

"Don't worry, it's only Chancey. But if you don't shut up, I'll have to hit you, too."

I don't know whether to jump on Kevin or Mary. He's acting like a complete dunce and she's about to scream bloody murder. If we're to find William, then Mary is going to have to cooperate. That was what I was trying to tell her in Kevin's office. Would a person who stole evidence leave it lying about on the floor in a paper sack? That's a plant if ever I've seen one— set up perfectly for Mary to find. With my help, I might add. I was played like a cheap fiddle! I used my detective skills to lead Mary directly to the wrong assumption. Now I'm going to have to think quick. Not difficult, for me, but the problem is trying to second-guess these humans. They are totally irrational! At least Kevin has given that sassy Chancey exactly what she deserved— a knock on the noggin. Now she sleeps the sleep of the innocent. Maybe somebody should record this event for historical purposes.

M
ARY
'
S GROPING
fingers moved from Chancey's leg along the hay until her fingers found the large knife the stable boys used to slash the twine that held the bales together. The blade was so dull she could almost pass it over her palm without concern for a cut. But it was heavy, and if she struck at Kevin in the dark, she might be able to surprise him.

"Don't even think about the knife," Kevin said matter-of-factly. His voice was a harsh whisper. "Just sit still and listen. If you want William alive, listen."

For all of the fact that he had just knocked a woman cold, Kevin's voice was still calm. He spoke to Mary as if he were reasoning with a child.

"What have you done with William?" Mary demanded.

"Nothing yet, but if you don't lower your voice and hush, you're going to cost him his life."

The totally reasonable tone was infuriating. Mary tightened her fingers around the knife handle. She was dealing with a maniac. She'd just have to take her chances.

Just as she was about to lunge across the short distance and try to stab Kevin, she felt Familiar's weight on her arm. His claws dug into her tender skin and he effectively pinned her entire hand and arm.

"Listen!" Kevin's whiplash command and the sudden sound of another voice made her complaint die in her throat.

"Ye must ride after Lisette, Slaytor. She's escaped from the turret room and headed home. If you don't stop her, she'll go back to England and you'll never see her again."

"The lass will never escape me. She's mine. I am her husband and her master." William's voice swelled.

"Aye, you're the master, but not for much longer." Instead of anger, Erick's voice was filled with sadness. "I didn't want it to end like this, William. I did everything I could to frighten you or Mary away. But once you wed, Mayfair is yours. There'll be a child, just as planned. I thought if I could stop the wedding, I might have a chance."

"We are wed! Well and truly!" There was the sound of a fist banging into a wall. "I want Lisette back within the keep of my castle before the moon is full up."

"And you shall have her." There was no satisfaction in Erick's voice. "Before this night is over, the two of you will be together. Forever."

"And you?" William's voice was suddenly cunning.

"I don't know." There was the sound of something being dragged about. "Now, sit here while I saddle Blaze for you. Mary almost caught me the last time. You're eager enough for the ride, but you lack a little on getting there."

"I can saddle my own horse." William was belligerent.

"Sure you can. But I'll help." Erick shifted along the barn until he'd brought Blaze out of the stall and hooked him in the cross ties. "I think she went toward Dundee. That's the road I'd take."

"What about the creek? Are the waters not over the bridge?"

"If she made it, so can you."

"He's going to try to drown William." Mary had given up all idea of trying to stab Kevin. At the first sentence of the dialogue between Erick and William, she'd known who was behind it all. She knew who and why.

"Yes, he is." Kevin's agreement was quietly put.

"What are we going to do?"

"Distract him." Kevin touched Mary's arm. "If you can draw him away from William, for just a few moments, I can take him."

"Why are you doing this?" Mary asked.

Kevin squeezed her arm. "William may well be my half-brother. But he is without a doubt the Lord of Mayfair. Abby said you knew about my birth claim. You should also know that no part of Mayfair is worth the price of William's life. At least, not to me."

"And Erick?"

"I believe he's a sick man. Abby told me that she's been getting prescriptions for him from Dr. Sloan. Medicine to help him sleep because he couldn't rest. He wouldn't go to the doctor, so Mother faked his symptoms. Ever since William decided to come back to Mayfair, it's been downhill for him. And there's more. I found some boots of his. There were lifts in them, to make him taller."

"He wants Mayfair for himself."

"I believe he thinks he deserves it, Mary. I've been doing some checking around. All of those stories about a woman he loves, his life so busy away from here. They're all lies. Mayfair is the only thing he has. And there's no telling what other kinds of medications he's been taking. Some of the medicines I use on the horses have been tampered with."

"My God," Mary whispered. "He could be completely irrational."

"I think that's the assumption we're going to have to take."

"Irrational and very cunning. He must have put something in William's champagne. The same thing he's been putting in his food. It had to be the champagne."

"He's almost got Blaze saddled up. Now we have to intervene before William leaves the barn. Once he starts riding, I don't think there's another horse that can match Blaze."

Mary nodded, drawing a lungful of air before she stepped away from the safety of the hay and into the aisle of the barn.

"Let him go, Erick, and we'll leave Mayfair. You have my word. Leave William alone, and I'll see to it that you inherit."

"Too late, too late," Erick said. He turned to Mary, and she almost let a cry escape. His face was painted in the red-and-black mask that had terrified her in the passageway.

"It isn't too late. We'll leave. No one will be the wiser."

"It's too late!" Anger choked him. "This is your fault. You should have left when you could. But you wouldn't. You stayed and stayed and stayed. William would have followed you back to Edinburgh. He loves you more than he loves Mayfair. But I love Mayfair. I could have married. Chancey would have finally had me for her husband— if I had inherited. We could have taken care of Mayfair and lived here forever."

The singsong quality of his voice let Mary know that he was high, or completely unbalanced.

"Just talk to me," Mary begged. "Come into the house and let's talk. Nothing bad has happened. We can work this out."

"No. This is the only way. William will ride into the creek, and then you'll have to leave. I'll be here. Mayfair will be mine."

Mary had a sudden thought. "Did Chancey tell you this?"

"No, not Chancey. Not at all. I told her, but she said it would never work. She said I could never do it. But she'll see, and then she'll marry me."

"You tied up Dr. Faulkner at Chancey's barn, didn't you?"

"He found the drugs in the cat. That blasted cat. I should have killed him first."

"And you tied up Chancey?"

"She tied up herself. I wouldn't do it, even when she said I should. I couldn't hurt her."

Mary sighed. So it was Erick who'd brought Chancey's halter back to Mayfair. She could see William slumped against the wall. Blaze stomped the hay-covered ground as he blew and fidgeted in the cross ties. He'd never been a horse with a lot of patience. He was ready to ride.

"Let's go to the house and talk about this." Mary stepped forward. She could see the confusion in Erick's eyes. "Everyone is locked in the dining room. No one will bother us."

"No. It's a trick."

"There's no need to hurt anyone, Erick. William and I will leave. You can have Mayfair. You've worked hard here. Let us go. You can have the estate."

Erick shook his head slowly. "It's not up to William to give it to me. It's the inheritance clause. He gets it whether he wants it or not. Unless he dies." He looked at William. "He has to die."

"No! Leave him alone!" Darren sprang out of the loft, landing between Erick and William. Holding the wooden handle of a pick, he assumed the stance of a swordsman. "Get back, Erick. Leave William alone."

"Darren." Mary breathed his name but couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Stay back," Darren warned the stouter man. He stepped forward menacingly, but his foot struck something and he stumbled.

"Get back!" Erick drew a dirk from beneath his coat and held it aloft. "Don't attack or I'll have to kill you."

"Erick!" Mary could plainly see that Darren had stumbled. He had no intention of attacking. "Erick!"

She saw the blade of the knife begin its descent. Everything was happening too quickly, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Familiar take a leap toward Erick. Her own foot moved forward in a long sweep, but she knew she wasn't fast enough.

She didn't believe at first that William was arcing, head first, through the air toward Darren. Even as she took another step herself, she saw Familiar stretch out, long and lean, a black blur that balanced for a moment on Blaze's withers before bouncing onto Erick's head. The cat struck just as William's shoulder caught Darren.

The blade of Erick's knife slashed downward, missing Darren by mere inches as he rolled backward under William's weight.

Mary stopped, unable to decide where she was needed next. Kevin dodged past her, running to Erick and pinning him to the ground.

"William?" Mary watched her fiancé stand and offer his hand to Darren. In a moment, both men were brushing dirt from their clothes while Kevin held the subdued Erick.

William caught sight of Mary, poised but unmoving. He opened his arms to her, and she ran into them. "You're fine. You weren't poisoned."

"I was faking. When I saw his face the minute you showed the ring, I knew it was him. When he got the champagne, I knew not to drink mine. But I pretended because I wanted to get him out of the room, and I felt he'd make his move. I was afraid someone innocent would be injured if we remained."

Kevin looked up at the two of them. His face showed sadness and relief. "William, you know that Erick is ill."

"I know," William reassured him. "You have my word that I'll see to it that he gets the best medical care. He could have injured me or Mary at any time. He didn't. Whatever delusions he suffered from, he really did not want to hurt us. And, Kevin, I want to assure you that if your claim to Mayfair is legitimate, you'll share the estate with me."

Tears stung Mary's eyes, but she blinked them back. Now wasn't the time to get sentimental.

"I can't wait to tell Sophie," Kevin said. "She assured me that you and Mary would be fair. She begged me to talk with you. She even tried to browbeat me into it. If you can imagine that. But I was afraid you wouldn't take me seriously."

Mary felt a flood of relief. That had to be the scene she'd overheard. And that went a long way to explaining how her friend had "changed" so radically. She'd misjudged the conversation— and Sophie.

"Familiar." She called the black cat over and knelt down to stroke his hide. "I don't know how we'll ever thank this rascal. All along he's been here at Mayfair, discovering secret passageways, eating William's poisoned food. If it wasn't for Familiar, William might well be locked in some mental ward."

"Meow." Familiar rubbed under her hand, stopping so that she could scratch under his chin.

"How can we thank him?" William stroked the cat's sleek hide. "Maybe Eleanor will give him to us. I think we're going to see about updating the crest of the MacEachern clan. A horse— and a black cat."

"An excellent idea," Mary agreed.

"Let's get Erick inside and call Dr. Sloan. We can keep this among us and not press charges," William said, "if we all agree."

"I don't think that will be a problem." Kevin grinned. "Except for Chancey. I'm not going to admit that I crunched her on the head."