McKenna's eyes widened. "Arrested for what?"
"I do not think I can even say it." Abigail put her hand on her chest and shook her head.
"I shall ring for tea." McKenna got up, rang the bell and sat back down.
"Bigamy," Abigail muttered.
"What?"
"She has been charged with bigamy, can you believe it?"
"Bigamy? I am truly shocked."
"I can scarcely believe it myself."
"Has Charles married her?" McKenna asked.
"He will not say, but McKenna, I think he has. He has gone to London to see about getting her out of jail. Of course, he needs more money and Claymore might not send him any. We think Charles should come home now."
"That might be best."
Abigail scooted back in the chair, watched Ronan bring the tea tray in and begin to serve them. "Charlotte and her brother have left town finally. They did not say where they were going, back to Denver, I suppose."
"I cannae say I am sorry to hear that."
"Neither am I. Oh, I do hope Charles has not married her. What will we do if he has? What on earth will we do if he has married a bigamist?"
No one was expecting it when Donnel did not wake up one morning, least of all her sister Blanka and Donnel's sons, Dugan and Ronan. She seemed in perfect health the night before, although she complained of a slight headache and went to bed early.
The doctor was called, but Donnel's flesh was cold and there was no denying she had been gone for several hours. Of all the women in the house, Cathleen was the most upset and Egan, the one who escorted her to America from Scotland, seemed to be the only one who could console her. He sat beside her, held her hand just as he had on the train and let her cry on his shoulder.
The undertaker brought a casket to the mansion and waited until Blanka, Sarah and McKenna finished dressing Donnel in her best dress. With the help of her sons, he carefully laid the body in the burial box and then the men carried the casket into the parlor.
The footman brought in extra chairs from the dining room and when they were ready, Donnel's family and friends sat in a circle around the body. It was a time of remembrance, and for quite a while, no one spoke.
At last, Hannish said, "She thought to kill me once?"
"I remember that," said McKenna. "What was it you took without permission?"
"The liniment for her knee. I had a sore shoulder and I thought it would help," Hannish explained.