Page 16 of Guarding Salvation

Her small, arthritic hand cupped his cheek as he bent slightly so she could reach. “Och, it does my heart good to see ya, lad.”

“You look as beautiful as ever, Mrs M.”

“Ah, get on with ya silver tongue. I’m an old woman, but I sure do love hearing your voice in these halls again.”

“It’s good to be back, Mrs M.” He was surprised how much he meant those words.

“Well, I best get on. I promised the wee ones some of my millionaire shortcakes for after school.”

“You spoil them, Mrs Murrel,” Lana gently scolded.

“Aye, maybe I do, but they’re good kids and I enjoy doing it and they never forget their manners, so it can’t be all bad.”

“That’s true. I guess Rory and I are doing something right.”

“You’re wonderful parents, and don’t you forget it.”

Bram watched Mrs Murrel bustle out and was glad Lana still had her here as a mother figure. “So where is Rory?”

His brother-in-law was a brute of a man, tall, with wide shoulders and a bright shock of red hair and a large, bushy beard. He looked like he could fell a tree with one swipe of his axe and was the reigning champion at the caber toss. But with Lana he was like a gentle puppy and adored the ground she walked on, and she adored him. Rory was the man he would’ve picked for his sister. They’d met at the University of St Andrews and clicked immediately and never looked back.

“He’s out sorting a poaching issue north of the lakes.”

Bram tensed, poachers were an issue with people hunting out of season and on the property without permission. It was a frequent problem because they could fetch a hefty sum for out of season meat. It was also dangerous as these people were often criminals not worried about hurting innocents.

“They’re going after the stags?”

Lana nodded and shifted around, trying to find a comfortable position. “Yes, and wild birds. We’ve also had reports of night hunting.”

“Let me know if you need me to do anything.”

Lana nodded and sipped her tea. “I will, but I’m sure Rory will handle it.”

Bram had little doubt he would. The man was more than capable, and he loved this estate as much as Lana did. Between them they’d taken it from just turning a profit to bringing in a huge income every year.

Using the money his parents had left them when they died, they’d revamped the rooms using a top London designer and now rented the main house out for weddings, corporate events, parties, they’d even had it used on the set of a new Netflix series. Lana and Rory were a formidable team and did it all while raising their four, soon to be five, kids.

“When’s the next event?”

“We have a wedding next week, which is why I want this done. I can move everything we keep into storage and that frees up these quarters for guests wishing to stay here.”

Lana and Rory had renovated one of the cottages on the huge estate, so it now resembled a large modern home. It gave them space to be away from the goings-on at the main castle and the chance for the children to be normal kids. The room they were now sitting in was their parents’ quarters in the castle. They’d kept them after the estate was revamped, stuck in their ways, and used to living a certain way. They’d made it work, but now they were gone.

“We should probably stop putting this off then.”

“I guess.” Lana stood and stretched, her hand rubbing her belly. She was a good mother, and he adored her kids. He couldn’t see that for himself, not with how he lived, and he liked his life for the most part. He was happy being fun Uncle Bram and somewhat resigned to that being his lot.

He followed as she led him into their father’s study, the smell of cigar smoke like a punch in the gut. His father was everywhere in this room, from the smells of leather and smoke to the decanter of whisky on the silver tray. His desk was antique Edwardian mahogany, with a green tooled leather top.

“Do you want to start with the desk and I’ll go through the filing cabinets?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Bram sat at his father’s desk as he had so many times as a child, pretending he was his dad and drawing or scribbling nonsense. Later this had been the place he’d always sneak to when he wanted peace. His dad would often sit on the old chesterfield by the fire reading a book and drinking a whisky as he did, his silent presence a comfort and a spur to do the best he could to make his dad proud.

“I miss him, you know.”

Lana looked up at Bram’s surprising words and he was as shocked as she seemed to be by the admission.