A Time & Place for Every Laird by Angeline Fortin (ebook reader TXT) 📕

Hugh eased away and ran his hands throughhis hair until it was standing on end. “Why, lass? Why?”

Because I love you.Claire swallowed the astonishing thought backbefore the words made it to her lips but she couldn’t deny thetruth.

It had been an incrediblewhirlwind. Not a romance or even a seduction but rather a …charming that had takenher completely by surprise. Yet it didn’t truly come as one. Therewas so much about Hugh Urquhart that was worth loving and so muchmore worth risking herself for to save him. It was what called toher from the moment she had first seen him, what had started all ofthis. She wasn’t going to back down from it now.

“We should get moving before our agentfriend has a chance to wake up and close the net on us,” she saidpertly, turning for the door, though she was aware that Hugh hadn’tmoved to follow.

“Sorcha!”

Claire blinked up at him innocently as hiscommanding voice echoed through the lobby. “Yes?”

“Yer doing it again,” he growled.

It should have been terrifying, but Clairefound the sound of his furious brogue to be oddly comforting.

“I know, and feel free to berate me soundlyabout that when we get back to the house,” she said cheerfully.“Now, come on! We need to hurry.”

“I told ye, I willnae endanger ye anylonger!”

But all his anger and frustration couldn’tcrack the calm surrounding her heart. “You’re yelling at me,” shesaid softly.

“I’m trying to make ye see reason,lass!”

Claire nodded sagely. “How’s that workingout for you?”

“I’m aboot tae strangle ye wi’ my barehands,” he grumbled as Claire pushed open the glass doors andwalked out onto the sidewalk, forcing him to follow.

“Again, feel free, once we’re safely back atthe house.”

“I willnae …”

Claire’s temporary phone rang, surprisingthem both, but she didn’t hesitate to answer it since only oneperson had the number. The traffic had picked up as rush hour setin and Claire could hardly hear anything. She plugged one ear andyelled into the phone. “Danny?”

“Hey, Sis, I got what you need.”

“You figured it out?” she asked in surprise,meeting Hugh’s gaze with a smile.

“Did you ever doubt it?” he asked with hisusual narcissism. “What’s all that noise? Where are you?”

Frowning at her usually languid brother’ssuddenly urgent tone, Claire answered, “At Ryan’s office.”

“Holy crap, Claire,” he cursed. “You’re notin your car, are you?”

Claire looked at Hugh. “No, it’s back at theterminal. Bainbridge side. Why?”

Danny was silent for a moment, and Clairehad to wonder what was going on in his head. “That was prettystupid.”

“You don’t know the half of it.”

“Listen, I want you to come over here,” herbrother said. “But don’t get in a cab. Just wait there and I’llcome and get you.”

Glancing around at the thickening traffic,Claire knew they couldn’t stay put even in the crowds that wouldsoon be filling the sidewalks. “I don’t think that’s a goodidea.”

Strangely, Danny didn’t even question her,and that worried Claire more than anything else. “You’re right.Start walking south and I’ll get you along the way.”

“Danny, what’s going on?”

“Walk. I’ll explain when I get there,” wasall he said.

“Danny, you don’t have a car.”

“Minions.”

Danny hung up on her, and Claire turned toHugh with a frown. “Danny’s coming to pick us up. Let’s go.”

“What’s going on?” he asked, falling intostep beside her.

Claire chewed her lip. “I don’t know. Maybenothing.”

“But ye dinnae think so,” he saidperceptively. “I told ye I should leave ye.”

“You leave me now, you leave me to thewolves,” Claire predicted grimly.

Chapter 31

“Okay, spill it,” Sorcha commanded herbrother the moment they were seated in the backseat of one of thevehicles she had previously identified to Hugh as a van. Their walkof almost a mile in the shadows of the towering buildings hadpassed in silence between them but had been filled with the raucousnoise of hundreds of cars driving by them. Sorcha had clung to hishand, clearly apprehensive once more, but Hugh did not evenconsider reiterating the need for them to part.

Sorcha was the only thing he had a care forin this time, the only thing that made his life worth living eachday. He had no other family, no home. In comparison, nothing elsemattered, not even his own future. On and on she had gone thesepast days, preparing him for a life without her, when Hugh wascertain that he would have forsaken any life at all to protect her.He would have killed that agent to assure it, and he would take ona hundred more, if need be. All that truly mattered was her safety,and if it was better guaranteed now with him at her side then thatwas where he intended to be.

Safe for the moment in the speeding van thatrattled and groaned in a manner quite unlike Sorcha’s virtuallyinaudible vehicle, Hugh waited expectantly with Sorcha for Danny’sexplanation. But Hugh should have known even from briefacquaintance with the young man that a simple answer would not beforthcoming.

“Maybe you are the one who should spill it,Claire,” Danny retorted, his voice more direct than Hugh had thusfar heard. The lazy drawl of days past had been replaced by crisptones.

Sorcha shot Hugh a wary look and answered,“I don’t know what you mean.”

That earned her a snort of disbelief fromher brother, which Hugh thought was understandable. He wouldn’thave believed her either. His Sorcha was a horrible liar. Hugh metDanny’s gaze in the little mirror once more and saw the young manroll his eyes dramatically.

“She does know how to push a person’sbuttons, doesn’t she?” Danny directed this at Hugh, who was able tocomprehend the colloquialism well enough to quip in return, “Aye, afellow might think such an ability tae be her …” Hugh paused,searching his mind for the correct modern expression. “Specialgift? Do I hae the right of it?”

“Dead on.” Both men looked at Sorcha, whojust crossed her arms irritably.

Ahh, she was adorable in a pique. Hughreturned his attention to her brother. “What vexes ye, Danny?”

“You do, my friend. You do,” Danny said,looking over his shoulder to cast an accusing glare at Hugh beforelooking at his sister. “Be glad you didn’t drive into the city,Claire. There’s a BOLO out on your car.”

“A BOLO?” Hugh