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“Where’s Greylen?” he impatiently asked, his face flushed with worry as his gaze searched the lobby. “I’m needing to speak with your papa,” he said, bringing his frantic eyes back to her.
“He’s not here, Father,” she said softly, edging them both away from the mainstream of guests.
“He and Mama are camping on the mountain tonight.”
Daar pulled away and thumped his cane on the floor. “I need him now!” he snapped. “I need Greylen. Or Robbie. Where in hell is MacBain? This is a crisis,” he ground out, shaking his head. “I need them now.”
“Can I be of help, Father?” Matt asked from behind Winter.
“Who the hell are ye?” Daar growled, glaring past Winter’s shoulder. His eyes suddenly widened, and he pointed his cane at Matt as he looked at Winter. “Is he yer date?” he yelped. He furiously thumped his cane on the floor again. “Ye’re not supposed to date anyone!”
Winter moved between them and took hold of Daar by both arms. “You need to calm down,”
she said softly. “Tell me what’s happened and I’ll try to help you.”
Even as she held his upper arms, Daar started wringing his hands together, causing his cane to bump her shin. “It’s my tree,” he whispered harshly. “Someone’s killed my tree. I need to speak to Robbie and Greylen. They have to help me.”
Winter sucked in her breath. She looked over her shoulder at Matt and said, “Will you excuse us a minute, please? Just long enough for me to calm him down?”
Though he was obviously concerned, Matt nodded and stepped back a few paces. Winter smiled her thanks and looked at Daar. “What do you mean, someone killed your tree? The pine tree?”
“Aye,” Daar said, vigorously nodding. “It’s been cut clean off about thirty feet up. The entire top is gone.” He reversed their grip and clutched her arms tightly, this time causing his cane to smack her thigh. “And I can’t find the top. It’s been stolen. I need Robbie to find it!”
Winter wiggled free and stroked her hands soothingly along his arms. “Robbie will help you, Father. Just as soon as it’s daylight, both Robbie and Papa will start looking for the top of your tree. Let me take you to Gù Brath, and when Robbie gets back from his di
“Nay,” Daar growled. “I must go home. I need to be up on the mountain. Ye get Robbie from his di
“You can’t do anything about it tonight,” Winter reasoned. “And I’m not letting you walk home alone,” she added, thinking about the two swordsmen Tom had told her about. “Robbie will be back in a few hours. Until then, I’ll call Papa on his cell phone and tell him what’s happened.”
“I tried that!” Daar snapped. “I stopped at Gù Brath and used yer phone, but all I got was some foolish woman wanting me to leave a message. She wouldn’t tell me where Greylen is.”
Winter couldn’t help but smile. “That lady is a recording, Father. Papa likely shut off his phone,” she explained, turning and linking her arm through his to lead him toward the lobby door. “Come on. I’ll make you a nice cup of hot tea, and I’ll give you some cookies while we wait for Robbie.”
He pulled free. “I want to go home.”
“Okay, then,” Winter said quietly, still edging him toward the door. “I’ll get my truck and drive you home.”
“I’ll drive,” Matt said, stepping around them and opening the door so they could walk outside.
“We can take my truck. It’s in the parking lot.”
Winter blinked at Matt. Good heavens, she’d forgotten him. She started to tell him he needn’t bother, but the look in his eyes made her snap her mouth shut without uttering a word.
Matt smiled. “Wait here while I get the truck.”
“I want ye to call Robbie,” Daar interjected, first scowling at Matt, then Winter. “I want MacBain.”
“This is Robbie and Catherine’s first night out since Angus was born,” Winter told him gently but firmly. “We are not ruining their evening when nothing can be done until daylight anyway. Robbie will come to see you as soon as he gets home.”
Daar pointed at Matt. “We don’t need him.”
“You need me if you want to get home tonight,” Matt said. “Because Winter is not traveling that mountain alone at night.”
Daar lifted his chin, his crystal blue eyes filled with challenge. “Winter’s been traveling that mountain at night since she was ten,” he said. “She knows it better than anyone.”
“Nevertheless, it’s me and my truck, or you have di
Daar turned his glare on Winter. “Since when are ye letting a man tell ye what to do?”
“Since she agreed to have di
he said as he started jogging toward the parking lot.
“Well, I never—” Daar muttered, shaking his head at Winter. “Ye shouldn’t be dating that interfering man,” he told her. “Ye shouldn’t be dating anyone!”
“Maybe I should run away and join a convent instead.”
“Aye,” Daar said with a thoughtful nod. “That would work.”
Winter scowled at him. “I was joking, Father.” She patted his arm and softly urged, “Please calm down. Everything will be all right. Robbie will find out what happened to your tree.”
Daar dropped his gaze. “I ca
“Papa?” Winter said in a whispered yelp. She immediately shook her head. “He wouldn’t, Father. He knows the importance of that pine tree. He wouldn’t dare harm it.”
Daar scowled at her, obviously thinking furiously. “He would if he was trying to protect…ah, someone,” he said. “Greylen would dare anything. That’s why the blackguard can’t be found tonight,” he hissed, looking toward the summit and thumping his cane on the ground between them. “He’s probably up there with yer mama right now, burning the top of it.”
“Think, Father,” Winter said. “Why would he cut the tree thirty feet up from the ground? If Papa wanted to kill it, he would have cut it off at the stump.”
Daar eyed her as he rubbed his short white beard with the butt of his cane. “Aye,” he said softly, his eyes narrowed in thought. “I did wonder about that.”
A large, black, four-door pickup pulled under the canopy and came to a stop beside Winter and Daar. Matt got out, walked around the front, and opened the back passenger door. “Let’s get you home, Father,” he said, reaching to help Daar.
Daar thumped his cane again. “I’m riding in the front.”
“There’s only bucket seats in the front,” Matt patiently explained. “And since Winter needs to show me the way, that leaves only the backseat or the cargo bay.”
“It used to be people respected priests,” Daar muttered as he finally climbed in the backseat with Matt’s help.
Matt handed Daar the seat belt. “Used to be priests were pious servants,” he countered with a chuckle. “Or so I’ve been told.”
Daar squinted at Matt, clearly taking umbrage. “Ye’re a godless man, Mr.—” He suddenly looked over at Winter. “Ye didn’t even introduce us proper, girl.”
“Father,” Winter said with a smile, “this is Matt Gregor. He owns Bear Mountain and is building a house there. Matt, this is Father Daar…ah, an old friend of my family. He lives up on TarStone.”
Matt gave a slight, formal bow. “Father Daar,” he said.
“Gregor,” Daar repeated softly as he studied Matt. “Ye seem familiar, now that I’ve calmed down enough to look at ye. Where are ye from?”
Matt shrugged. “Here and there. New York most recently.”
The door Matt was holding moved as a strong gust of wind blew under the open canopy, buffeting them and the truck in a flurry of dried leaves. Winter looked toward the summit and saw the moon peaking out from a bank of dark, roiling clouds. She looked at Matt. “A storm must be moving in.”