Chapter 5 Con
CON
“Shall we?” I asked as we exited the ops hub. Fifteen hundred hours on the last day of the year, and instead of preparing for reconnaissance or running combat scenarios with my team, I was offering to show Lex the grounds of my ancestral home.
Her unexpected smile of agreement caught me off guard. Something about the woman continually surprised me, though I’d never admit it aloud.
“A walk would be welcome after being underground all morning,” she said, pulling on the coat that was part of the wardrobe ensemble I’d had Bastion and Mrs. Thorne acquire for her, reminding me she’d probably want to return to London later today or tomorrow.
Perhaps there was even someone there she’d want to celebrate the holiday with.
It troubled me that the thought left me bereft.
Perhaps I was getting lonely now that I was over thirty. I rolled my eyes. Good God, who was I?
“Everything okay?” she asked as we reached the main level of the fortress that had suited my ancestors far more than it ever did me.
“Fine, fine,” I reassured her, resting my hand on the small of her back as we stepped outside, and I motioned to the stone path that wound around the eastern wall.
The winter sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the landscape that looked barren at this time of year. The bite of Highland winter filled my lungs, a welcome change from the recycled air of my underground workspace.
“The original structure dates back to the thirteenth century,” I explained. “The Carnegie name wasn’t attached to it until the late fifteenth century, when my ancestor, Charles Carnegie, was granted the land and title by James III of Scotland.”
Lex listened intently, her dark eyes scanning the stone battlements that rose against the sky. “And you’ve modernized it significantly, I assume? Beyond the technological additions.”
“Each generation added their mark. My father installed proper heating in the east wing, thankfully. I’ve focused on the infrastructure—wiring, plumbing, connectivity—without disturbing the historical elements.”
We rounded a corner toward the dormant western gardens, where a family of red deer grazed at the forest’s edge, untroubled by our presence.
“The estate borders are remarkable,” I continued. “Blackmoor shares boundaries with both Glenshadow and Ashcroft. The three properties form almost a triangle, with only a few miles separating each of the castles.”
“And that’s how you all became friends? The four of you—you, Ash, Tag, and Gus?”
I smiled, remembering the summers spent racing between the properties, exploring every inch of the combined territories.
“Our families had connections going back generations. We were thrown together at various functions from the time we could walk. When we were around eight, our parents began allowing us more freedom to visit each other. We’d spend entire holidays together, rotating between the estates. ”
“Sounds idyllic, but how does Gus fit in?” she asked.
“That’s complicated.”
Her eyes scrunched. “Oh, my apologies.”
“Not at all. However, if I tell you the story, you must swear not to repeat a word of it.”
“I wouldn’t want you to betray a confidence.”
“It’s just that it isn’t common knowledge yet, although I suspect it soon will be.”
Her smile was that of someone about to learn a great secret, which I suppose she was.
“As it turns out, after Ash’s grandmum died, his grandfather had a great love affair with the housekeeper, Agnes. Some months later, along came Mairi…”
She gasped. “Which means Gus is Ash’s cousin?”
“Correct.”
“That’s brilliant!” The smile left her face. “You said it isn’t common knowledge.”
“Mairi knew, of course, but Ash and Gus didn’t until Christmas.”
“This year?” she asked.
“That’s right. It was actually Ambrose who let it slip. I suppose he thought Ash had figured it out at some point, which he obviously hadn’t.”
“Mairi is the housekeeper now?”
I confirmed it. “Not that Ash wants her to be. In fact, he tried to talk her into joining us for Christmas dinner. However, there’s the matter of the rest of the staff. Ash wanted her to tell them in her own time.”
“That’s nice of him. Both parts.”
“Yes, well, Ash is, above all things,…nice,” I offered.
“When he isn’t assassinating people.”
I laughed out loud. “No, I suppose his victims wouldn’t think so.”
“I bet the four of you were hellions.”
“Quite. We were determined to uncover every secret, climb every tree, and generally cause as much havoc as possible.”
She laughed like I had. “Boys and their mischief.”
“We were legendary,” I admitted with a half smile. “What about you? Were you always the serious academic, or did you have your wild days?”
“I was insufferably straightlaced,” she said with surprising candor. “The girl with her nose always in a book. Top of my class, perfect marks, never broke a rule.” She kicked at a small rock on the path. “I didn’t know how to be anything else.”
Her admission stirred something unexpected in me—curiosity about the woman behind the professional facade. What would it take to loosen those tightly held restraints? What would Lex be like with her inhibitions lowered, free from the structure she seemed to cling to?
When I looked up, I found her watching me with an intensity that suggested she’d followed my thoughts. Heat flared between us, unexpected and unwelcome. She broke eye contact first, suddenly fascinated by a stone gargoyle perched on a nearby wall.
“Do you know much about the history of Scottish noble houses during the Jacobite era?” I asked, steering us toward safer ground.
“Only the basics. Many Highland clans supported the Stuarts, while others allied with the Crown. After Culloden, there were brutal reprisals.”
I guided her toward a section of the castle that jutted out at an odd angle from the main structure. “This wing was added during that period. The eastern wing was damaged during a skirmish in 1745 when government forces suspected the Carnegies of harboring Jacobite fugitives.”
“Were they?” Her eyes sparkled with genuine interest.
“Family legend says yes, but there’s never been definitive proof. My grandfather used to tell stories about secret chambers and escape tunnels built throughout the castle.” My eyes opened wide at the same time hers did. “I didn’t think about it until just now.”
She stopped walking. “Did he say how to access them?”
“Sadly, no, which was one reason I figured he was telling tales.” My mind raced, trying to remember anything else my grandfather might have said that I’d passed off as fanciful. “Would you like to see some of the older sections of the castle?”
“I’d love to.”
We circled back toward the main entrance, the temperature dropping as the sun dipped lower.
“Some of the original sections remain.”
“How fascinating,” she said, removing her gloves and tucking them into her coat pockets. “Thank you for these, by the way.”
“I credit Mrs. Thorne entirely. There are times I swear she’s a sorceress. As evidenced by her ability to pull together an entire wardrobe overnight.”
Lex stopped walking for the second time. “But…”
I turned to look at her. “What?”
“Nothing. I just thought…never mind. It’s not important. Many thanks to her and to you.”
My mouth gaped when I connected the dots. “Good God, you didn’t think they belonged to Fallon.”
“No! I swear that never entered my mind. I just thought maybe. I don’t know. You had women’s clothing on hand.”
I chuckled. “Just lying about? In your size?”
“When you put it that way, it was daft of me.”
“No, Lex, everything was chosen just for you.” We both froze when I—without thinking—wrapped my arm around her shoulders as I spoke. “Err, apologies,” I stammered, quickly dropping it and stepping away.
“It’s okay,” she said just above a whisper.
I cleared my throat. “So, had enough, or shall we carry on?”
Her smile returned. “Carry on, please.”
I guided her through the Great Hall, with its soaring ceilings and ancient tapestries, past the formal dining room where generations of Carnegies had entertained royalty and dignitaries, and down a narrow corridor that led to the oldest part of the castle.
“Mind your head,” I warned as we descended a short flight of worn stone steps. The passageway narrowed, the ceiling dropping to a height that would have been comfortable six centuries ago, when people were considerably shorter.
“This section hasn’t been renovated?” Lex asked, running her fingers along the rough stone wall.
“Minimal interventions for structural stability and lighting. Otherwise, it’s as it was.”
We entered a small chamber with an even lower, vaulted ceiling. Empty sconces lined the walls, though modern lighting had been discreetly installed to illuminate the space.
“What was this room used for?” she asked, moving toward the far wall.
“Storage, primarily. Though during clan uprisings and conflicts, it served as a shelter.” I joined her where she stood, examining what had captured her attention. “What do you see?”
“The stonework is different here. See how the masonry shifts?” She traced the outline of what appeared to be a sealed archway. “This was an entrance to something once.”
I studied the wall with fresh eyes. She was right. The stones were set differently, suggesting an opening that had been deliberately filled in. “Could be a doorway that was sealed during renovations.”
“Or access to tunnels.”
“Possibly. However, we won’t be busting through the rock today,” I teased, checking my watch. “We’d need proper tools and time. But it’s certainly fascinating.”
As we made our way back upstairs, I contemplated showing her the library next. I’d considered working there yesterday, before I granted her access to my ops hub.
“The library?” I suggested. “It’s adjacent to where we first met, if you recall. Before I finally decided to trust you with my real work area.”