Marblestone Mansion, Book 7 Read online

  Strangers still came to see what was left of Glenartair castle, and the village continued to thrive on the profits. Charles Whitfield moved into the cottage Hannish, Cameron and McKenna grew up in. It was just close enough to the University to ride his horse there and back each day.

  Mr. Lester and Elaine enjoyed a March wedding. Elaine wore a dress Gretchen made especially for her, and never once did she ask about Gretchen’s sister. Leesil had to limit the bride and groom’s guest list to two hundred, for the milkman was friends with nearly everyone. Mr. Lester was so excited that morning, he drove to the wedding in his milk wagon instead of his carriage. Elaine didn’t mind, and if the empty milk bottles clinked when he drove her away after the wedding, she didn’t complain.

  There were times when Francis O’Connell wasn’t certain she wanted to stay in Colorado, but with a new house, a husband that didn’t have to work in dangerous conditions, and a baby on the way, she slowly adjusted.

  After the MacGreagors arrived from Scotland the next spring, and took up residence in five of the other houses, the street became known as Scot’s row. The clan set up their shops, marched behind a bagpipe in the parades, and became valued members of the community. Provost MacGreagor missed his cannon more than his cow, but he kept an eye out just in case another one came on the market.

  With the duchess put away, life at Marblestone Mansion was the most peaceful it had ever been. Hannish gladly paid monthly to see that she was well taken care of in the New York lunatic asylum. It was worth it just to know where she was. Every three months, Dr. Morris sent a report. Hannish laughed when he read that the duchess had finally admitted her many husbands were a figment of her imagination.

  No other mother’s came to the claim the sisters, and they never heard from Mrs. Doyle again.

  Over the next five years, the world was in a constant state of change. The war between the Japanese and Russian empires began, was fought and ended – Japan won. A bronze statue of Christ was raised in Argentina, England put their first electric train into service and the ice cream cone was invented.

  The Governor-General of Finland was assassinated and a flash flood pushed a Colorado train off a bridge killing ninety-six. New Yorkers began building Grand Central Station and a woman was arrested for smoking a cigarette on 5th Avenue. An earthquake killed 3000 in San Francisco and Ellis Island saw its busiest immigration year ever. United Parcel Service was founded in Seattle, and a plunging stock market threatened a run on the banks, but was narrowly avoided. Oklahoma became a state, oil was discovered in the Middle East, and an airplane crash claimed its first fatality. Bank robbers, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid died in Bolivia, and Henry Ford produced his first Model T automobile.

  More children were born, the mansion filled with love and laughter and everyone got six years older.

  And then – the telephone rang.

  Hannish was seated at the roll top desk in his study when Alistair notified him of the call. These days, there were so many MacGreagors talking on the telephone, rarely were the calls for him.

  “Mr. MacGreagor?”

  “Aye.”

  “This is Doctor Morris. I regret to say Gormelia Graham has escaped.”

  Hannish sat up straight in his chair. “How?”

  “I believe she persuaded our new gardener to help her. I have notified the authorities, but finding her in a city this large shant be easy. I am quite sorry, Mr. MacGreagor, quite sorry indeed.”

  Through his window, Hannish stared at a content and happy Blair MacGreagor. At thirteen, she had acquired many friends and just now, they were all sitting in the backyard talking. He had not considered how much she looked like the duchess in years, but there was no mistaking whose daughter she truly was. She had the same defined features, black hair and sparkling blue eyes. One glimpse of Blair, and the duchess would know too.

  Hannish slowly put the earpiece in the cradle and began to thoughtfully rub his forehead. “Now what do we do?”

  ~the end~

  Coming soon –Marblestone Mansion, Book 8

  Sign up to be notified when the next book is published at http://www.martitalbott.com

  More Marti Talbott Books

  Pick up Marti’s latest book – The Billionaire’s Will – a clean mystery/romance.

  Marti Talbott’s Highlander Series, (books 1 – 13) is a continuing saga that spans four MacGreagor generations, and sees them through plagues, wars, kidnappings, poisonings, and the day-to-day challenges of love and survival.

  The first five books contain twenty short stories, while the rest are complete novels. They include: Betrothed, Book 6, The Golden Sword, Book 7, Abducted, Book 8, A Time of Madness, Book 9, Triplets, Book 10, Secrets, Book 11, Choices, Book 12, Ill-Fated Love Book 13, and The Other Side of the River, Book 14.

  The Viking was written after the first twenty short stories, yet it is a prequel that explains how the clan came into being. The Viking’s Daughter is a continuation of this story.

  Marti’s Marblestone Mansion (Scandalous Duchess Series) follows the MacGreagor clan into Colorado’s early 20th century.

  Other Marti Talbott Books include: The Promise, (Carson Series, Book 1), Broken Pledge, (Carson Series, Book 2), and Seattle Quake 9.2.

  Talk to Marti on her Facebook Page at: www.facebook.com/marti.talbott or on her website at: www.martitalbott.com

  Table of Contents

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  CHAPTER 9

  CHAPTER 10

  CHAPTER 11