A groan answered her and Jake figured the man was still alive. He heard a vehicle pull up out front and then his phone rang in his pocket. Keeping a c...reful eye on the men he flipped it open after seeing Lana's number."Jake, Dad's cuffed too. They worked him over pretty good, but I think he'll be ok. Aunt Val was awake, she was cuffed too. Call your dad..." Listen honey," Jake cut her off. "Someone just pulled up outside, I need to make sure it's not the rest of them coming back. Can you come. He wore the long black habit and bonnet of a clergyman.The footman held a black leather bag ."Welcome,Friar Benedict," James said. "His Lordship has directed that you be made comfortable and that he will see you in the library at 7pm this evening," James continued.Esther waited for the Friar to reply,but he juts nodded. She showed the Friar to his room and left him. She wondered what this was all about.She asked James what his opinion was and he told her that Lord Paul was going to make a large. Of course Duncan's code of honor would have never let him do anything even remotely forward with Deirdre, regardless of their past together. And it was obvious that Deirdre adored her husband and the feeling was mutual. Duncan was wistful sometimes at their love. He had not had anything like that since Tessa. He always reminded himself about how that had ended when he started getting too envious.One day he was lounging on their sofa as Deirdre prepared supper. William and Duncan had practiced. Erica's plane landed a few minutes ago and had taxied to the terminal. Just a 12 seat puddle-jumper, Erica was the third and last passenger out. Damn, she'd gotten taller since I'd seen her last year. She was wearing western clothes, which were just "clothes" out here, but in the city she was from they were a "western" affect and she stood out. It had been an issue when she first came to stay with me when she was 14. Erica's first trip out, age 14.When she was 14, mom suggested that she come.