The Ravenstone Heir

Chapter Four, Scene 1

Anna cast a resentful glare at Fletcher Graham who insisted on taking the reins of her wagon. She would much rather have walked, the distance to the castle being slight and the seat of the cart being miserably uncomfortable. The brute hadn't asked. He simply tied his horse behind, put Rob Roy in his box in the wagon's bed, grabbed her waist in his two big hands, and sat her unceremoniously next to him. His titled relatives treated her with considerably less high-handedness than this sprig off the Graham tree.

She clamped her jaws shut for a full five minutes. She had planned to deliver biscuits to the castle in any case, or she would have told the pushing male that he could find the ring on his own.

"What makes this ring so blasted important? Is it horribly valuable?" she asked at last when they cleared the village streets.

"Not valuable in itself. Important nonetheless." He kept his eyes forward and let more minutes pass. "If that cat of yours swallowed it, he best pass it in a day or I'll have it out one way or another."

"That's ludicrous! He would not eat a ring. Have you never owned a cat?" she demanded.

"No and I don't plan to. The damned creatures make me itch," he spat.

"You probably make them itch as well," she mumbled under her breath. "And you didn't answer my question. What makes the ring important?"

He shot a glance at her, but didn't answer.

"Does it have to do with the mysterious heir?" she asked reasonably enough.

"Who told you that?" he demanded.

"Servants always know; soon the village will as well." At his ferocious scowl she held up a hand. "Not from me. You can no more stop gossip than you can stop the Blyth from flowing."

He ran one hand through the thick black hair in frustration. "That's why I don't have servants," he said.

"None?" He had piqued her curiosity.

"My secretary doubles as a butler. A woman comes in to clean," he said before he broke off in irritation. "If you know that much you may as well know about the ring. It is the Graham heir's ring, well over a hundred years old. It disappeared with my father's brother Horace thirty years ago."

Anna blinked fast. She could see his problem. "It was used to identify the American heir." He nodded to acknowledge her insight. She swallowed, hesitating on the next bit, but plunged in anyway. "Have you considered that someone might prefer to destroy it?"

He stopped the cart. "Are you accusing my brother of dishonesty?" he growled, glaring down at her.

"Goodness no. Lord Gordon wouldn't do that. He loves the estate, though, and people like him. Perhaps someone wishes to keep him here."

His brow furrowed. "Possible," he said, "But I can't think who." The determined expression returned. "Besides, you are the only person who went into that room."

"The only one we know about," she retorted. As they neared Ravenstone she studied his profile. Upon a close examination he appeared sad and slightly harassed rather than ferocious. She counted his fierce defense of his brother, who was, after all, still a boy, in his favor. The young man would need his brother's help if the mysterious heir forced him to leave Ravenstone.

She had little time to reflect on it. He pulled the wagon to the stable, called for a groom, and reached up to lift her down. He picked up the box with the cat and cupped her elbow to lead her to the house.

"Wait!" she said, yanking away. She reached into the wagon and pulled out a basket covered with a cloth. She answered his questioning frown. "Ginger biscuits," she said lifting the basket.

He rolled his eyes and hurried her inside.