Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
When I returned to the annexe after lunch, Katie was leaning on the kitchen counter, chatting on her mobile to our furniture suppliers. When she saw me shrugging off my cardigan, she returned my mouthed ‘Hi’ with a wave.
As soon as the call was finished, she bounded over. ‘How did your date go with the hot Aussie, then?’
I gave her a withering look. ‘It wasn’t a date. It was a … er … a collaboration of sorts. And anyway, I’ve told you. He’s allergic to commitment.’
‘Has he ever explained why?’ she asked.
‘Why what?’
‘Oh, do keep up! Why doesn’t he want to be involved with someone?’
I tucked a stray blonde hair back behind my ear. ‘No, he hasn’t ever expanded on it and I won’t be asking him, because it’s nothing to do with me. I told you about that night he came round to see me before he went out to dinner with somebody.’
Katie darted up to me, her eyes shining. ‘So?’
I planted my hands on my hips. ‘What are you getting at now?’
‘That dinner could have been with anybody.’ Katie beamed with a self-satisfied grin. ‘You’re just assuming it was with a woman.’
‘Look, I’m not asking or assuming, okay? If I did ask whether he was seeing anyone, it would imply that I’m interested in him, and I’m not. It’s none of my business.’ I dumped my bag on the armchair and tried to sound emphatic. ‘Our relationship isn’t like that, anyway.’
‘Uh-huh.’ Katie waggled an eyebrow. ‘Well, come on. What happened? Spill.’
‘Once you’ve dragged your thoughts out of the gutter, I might tell you.’
‘Right. Sit,’ she instructed, pointing to the kitchen stool opposite.
Milky afternoon light trailed its way across the laminated floor. Katie listened as I told her about Mason’s discovery of the two letters and the suspicious behaviour of the Lapley family.
When I finished, I shrugged. ‘It might all be a coincidence, but Mason seems sure they wanted the discovery of these letters kept secret and are paying for the upkeep of McKerron Castle like hush money.’ I eyed Katie.
‘He also said Mrs Compton looked frightened when she talked to him about the Lapley family – intimidated even.’
Katie toyed with her curls through her ringed fingers. ‘Blimey! If they’ve managed to put the frighteners on that old tyrant Compton, I’m impressed. But if that’s true, why would they do that?’
‘I’ve no idea,’ I confessed. ‘But it would explain why Mrs Compton kept quiet about these letters for a decade.’
Her chocolate-coloured eyes grew wide. ‘Maybe they’ve got some dirt on her.’
The idea of seventy-nine-year-old Eliza Compton being involved in anything remotely unsavoury almost made me bark with laughter. ‘Like what? That she helped herself to too many biscuits at the recent Women’s Institute conference?’
One of Katie’s dark brows arched. ‘I just think it all sounds a bit odd.’
‘Well, whatever’s going on, I’m sure Mason will get to the bottom of it.’
She shot me a loaded look from under her lashes. ‘It sounds to me as if you and he might have at least two things in common.’
I hoped I didn’t sound intrigued. ‘And what might they be?’
‘You’re both wary of commitment and you both want to know the truth about the Scarlet Highwayman.’
An image of Mason shimmered into my head. ‘I’m not wary of committing to someone,’ I protested. ‘I’m just wary of committing to someone who turns out to be another heartless bastard.’
Katie eyed me. ‘Same difference.’
I ignored her comment. ‘If Mason is intent on finding out the truth about the Scarlet Highwayman, I’ll help him any way I can.’