Iain looked at her in question. “How quick?” The implied meaning wasn’t lost on Cat.
“Quicker than most would have expected given the date of her marriage.” She smiled at that, as if happy that Nessa was able to keep a part of Robert with her after his death.
A hopeless romantic. Iain had to smile at that. “Well then, we might as well get started.”
“I have copies of the letters if you want to go through them. Might be a good idea, since you know your family history, and I could easily miss something, not thinking it important.” She pulled a file from her bag and handed it to him. “Here. Just please, do not leave these hanging around. The fewer people who know about your family’s connection, the better.”
“And what of this guy you’re worried about? Does he know ye’re after the necklace?” If there was an outside threat, then he needed to know just how serious it was.
“That would be Dr. James Tanner. He’s a fellow historian, but he’s also a bastard.”
And a hell of a lot more, Iain thought, by the heat in her tone. “Does he know what you’ve been researching?”
She shook her head no, though she didn’t look convincing. “He hasn’t made the connection yet, but he followed me up from Cambridge. Turned up in my hotel this morning, which is going to make it damn hard to come and go without him taking notice. Actually… I have a confession to make. And I swear, I would never do this sort of thing under any circumstance—except that I panicked.”
“Cat. What did ye do?” A sliver of dread pierced his chest.
“I really am sorry.” Her brows were drawn together, her eyes pleading with him for understanding.
“Cat.”
She cringed and looked away. “I told him I was here to see my boyfriend—and if he happened to follow me here, then he’ll think you’re him. My boyfriend. Crap! I’m sorry. I don’t even do relationships anymore, so don’t think it’s some sort of weird play for you just because you’re Scotland’s most eligible bachelor.”
He swallowed the laugh that wanted to erupt. Now wasn’t that one hell of a corner Little Miss Librarian had just backed herself into. Not that he’d be letting her out of it just yet.
“I’m not sure I believe you, love.” He watched her eyes go wide as she stammered in shock, looking deliciously mortified. “You wouldn’t be the first woman to try tricking me into bed for a shag. Though I’ll admit, I hadn’t really been expecting it from you.”
To say her face had gone red would be an understatement, and it utterly delighted him. “You can’t possibly think I’m trying to sleep with you. Of all the absurd things. I’ve never…”
“Never?” He feigned mock horror, and then burst out laughing. “I’m only teasing ye. You’re fine, love. I understand why you did it, and truth is, it’s a believable excuse—as long as we’re able to convince everyone of it. If we can’t, then he’ll know you’re hiding a far bigger secret.”
“You’re such a jerk. I can’t believe you did that to me.” She swatted at him playfully and then collapsed back on the sofa. “And I need a new place to stay, or I’m liable to murder James—and you too, while I’m at it.”
“Ye’ll be staying here. Remember? You’re my girlfriend now, and I’m not going to risk having others find out about the necklace just because one of your exes is snooping around.”
“I never said he was my ex, Iain.” Suspicion had her glaring at him.
“Calm yourself, lass—a blind man could tell there was something between the two of you and it all went wrong. I’ve no interest in your relations or where you lay your head at night, except for the fact that this now involves me and mine and I need to keep them safe. People get crazy when a treasure’s involved, and the last thing we need is others catching wind of this.” Better to be paranoid and safe. “We’ve plenty of room here, and it’ll make it easier for us to work together.”
“What about James?”
“You made your bed, love. And what a nice bed it’ll be with the two of us sharing it.” He leaned in and brushed her cheek, a laugh bursting forth when she pursed her lips in annoyance and slapped his hand away. “Besides, even if you told him you were researching something completely unrelated, he’d still linger to see what you’d find. But our little ruse should do the trick. Even if you split ages ago, no man wants to see his ex with another. He’ll not be able to take it for long.”