“Probably. I believe MacDuff called and asked him to come.” She kept her tone casual. “You know how MacDuff dislikes any strangers around when they’re working on the north bank. He doesn’t mind his sentries guarding the perimeter of the property, but he doesn’t want any of them near the actual hunt area.”
“But he trusts Caleb,” Eve murmured. “I’m sure you have trouble understanding that.”
“So did you for a long time,” she said. “For God’s sake, you saw him kill a man before your eyes.”
“That man was a serial killer. And Caleb was never charged. He didn’t touch him.”
“He didn’t have to touch him. You told me Caleb was able to send a rush of blood to his organs that caused him to bleed to death and finished off with a massive heart attack.” Jane added impatiently, “At the time, you didn’t want me anywhere near him.”
“But Caleb wanted to be near you,” Eve said ruefully. “And he’s a law unto himself. We couldn’t seem to stop it, so we had to trust you to use your own judgment. You seemed to be able to hold your own with him.”
And sometimes it had been like dancing on hot coals. For years he had moved in and out of her life, and every encounter had been disturbing and electric and filled with an overpowering sexual tension. “Of course I held my own. I’m an adult. I didn’t expect you to treat me like a child who needed to be protected. I was always wary of him.” She paused. “It’s just that everything got complicated when I realized I was in love with Trevor. He was everything that I wanted in a man, loving, gentle, intelligent.…” She swallowed. “Everything that I wanted, Eve.”
“I know,” Eve said gently. “And Caleb wasn’t the white knight; he was the black prince. Anyone could see that he was about to explode whenever he was around the two of you.”
“Trevor actually liked Caleb, or maybe he just understood him. Caleb can be … persuasive. It’s one of his talents.” She took a deep breath. “But there’s no use talking about Caleb. He is what he is. And I told you I barely talked to him the last time he was here.”
“But you didn’t tell me why he’s pissed off with you,” Eve said. “And since it’s obvious you don’t want to do it, let’s drop it. Hey, it’s time I gave Michael his dinner. Let me know how MacDuff’s lights work out.”
“I will. Give Michael a hug for me. Bye.” She hit the disconnect button.
She sat there for a moment. As usual, she felt a reluctance to break the tie with Eve and Joe. Even when the conversation was charged or conflicted, it was a comfort to share it with the people she loved.
And talking about Seth Caleb was always charged and disturbing. Put the thought of him behind her. She’d face him when she had to do it.
She rose to her feet and headed toward MacDuff’s tent, where they usually gathered for their meals.
*
“So you enjoyed your time with Eve and Joe Quinn?” MacDuff asked as he was walking her back to her tent after supper. “I’m always afraid that you’re going to insist on staying with them when you head for Lake Cottage. Eve is a magnet for you.”
“Can’t deny it.” She smiled. “But that’s love, MacDuff. You ought to try it sometime.”
“Someday. Too busy right now.” His gaze went to the lake. “We’re going to find Cira’s gold this time, Jane. I feel it.”
“And that’s why you were so anxious about my coming back here? Why? I’m not really that important to this hunt now.”
“The hell you’re not. I’ve been looking for Cira’s treasure for most of my life, but I never really had much hope until you came on the scene.”
“With my crazy dreams about her? Or was it my passion to prove to myself that I wasn’t as crazy as I suspected I was?” she asked wryly. “You must have been pretty desperate to believe that I could be of any help at all. No proof, MacDuff.”
“But there may be such a thing as racial or ancestral memory. The portrait in my gallery of my ancestor Fiona could be your double.”
“Coincidence.”
“Really? And yet that last dream you had about Cira led us to this lake.”
“And if I’ve led you here, you don’t need me any longer.”
“Yes, I do. Cira must have wanted you here. I’m just an invited guest. I’m not going to risk that you might wander off and spoil everything.” He added lightly, “All the stars must be aligned.”
She chuckled. “When we get deep into the mists, we won’t even be able to see our hands before us, much less the stars.”
“But my new lights are going to take care of that.” He stopped in front of her tent. “Have faith, Jane.”
“You have faith. I have hope.” She looked up at him. “And that dream was far from specific, MacDuff. It just seems logical Cira would choose to hide the treasure in one of the caves in that mist.”
“Then we’ll go with that unspecific but entirely hopeful dream.” He gazed at her inquiringly. “Unless you’ve had a more recent one to update us?”
She shook her head. “No dreams of Cira.”
His gaze narrowed on her face. “You hesitated.”
She had no intention of telling MacDuff about Lisa. He wouldn’t be able to help and he was totally focused on Cira anyway. She repeated, “No dreams of Cira. You know I can’t dream on demand. Sorry, MacDuff.”
“Oh well, maybe once we get through the mist.”
“Maybe.” She impulsively took a step closer and kissed his cheek. “I want this for you, MacDuff. And I’ll keep coming back here until we find out if we’re right or wrong about the mists.” She grinned. “Though I may have to take an occasional break to go back and see Eve’s baby, Michael, now and then. They change too quickly at this age and I want to catch every phase.”
“Deal,” he said gruffly, and gave her a quick hug. “But you may not have to take any breaks after this week. The lights are going to work and we’re going find that treasure chest.” He turned on his heel. “Now get to sleep. I’ll see you at breakfast.”
Jane watched him walk away. MacDuff was always so full of vitality that it was impossible not to be caught up in whatever project he was embracing. And when it came to his obsession for finding Cira’s treasure, there was no question that she would be swept in the center of the torrent.
She started to turn to go into her tent. Then she stopped. It was all very well for MacDuff to tell her to get to sleep, but that wasn’t going to happen for a while. She was on edge about what was going to happen in those mists tomorrow.
And she was dreading going to sleep and facing what might have been happening to Lisa over these past hours.
And admittedly, she didn’t want to lie there and think about seeing Caleb again.
So she decided to give herself time to relax and unwind. She turned and moved down along the bank toward the point where the mist started to form on the lake. She stopped as everything around her began to disappear and shift into the mists. Better not go any farther. She was not afraid. Somehow she had always felt comfortable here in the midst of the fog. But one false step and she could end up in the lake and have a cold swim back to shore.
She dropped down under a tree a few yards from the lake.
Dampness.
Darkness.
Mist.
You could become disoriented in only a short time in conditions like this.
That was all right. She liked the sensation of being in another world.
Cira’s world.
Only it hadn’t really been Cira’s world. This had been the domain of her young son, Marcus, who had played here all his young life. Cira’s world had been the castle some ten miles from here. But Jane’s dream had not been of the castle; it had been of these mists.…
*