Page 65 of Highlander's Sinless Nymph
It was a new experience for Edward; to be caught in a cleft––between his duties as a Laird’s son and his own feelings. What made the situation even stranger was that these feelings that he was experiencing directly contravened the group mood of his clan, of his family.
It is nay simple thing fer me to just marry the Sassenach.
He understood what his father was saying well enough. He would have rebelled at the idea of marrying the daughter of Adair Bolton––been disgusted at the very notion––only a few days ago.
To the MacQuarries as a collective, Charlotte Bolton was just the offspring of the most hideous and reprehensible man to come out of England in living memory.
“Faither,” Edward said, “surely, I should––”
“There’ll be nay discussion about it, lad,” the Laird said sharply. “Ye brought back to MacQuarrie Castle the single most valuable treasure that Captain Bolton possesses––and the thing most guaranteed to bring the full weight of his ire down upon us. It was damned foolish, but now we must deal with it as we may.”
The Laird looked with a cold and disapproving eye at his son. Edward, much to his chagrin, saw that there was more than a little disappointment in that stare.
“Perhaps ye want to wed her out o’ some notion of loyalty to the clan,” said the Laird. “Perhaps for some other reason I cannae fathom. But, I shall tell ye this; there’s nay way in hell that it’s goin’ to be ye that weds this lass.”
Edward could feel the frustrated rage building up inside of him again. Somehow, he felt like this was not the way that things should have ended. Somehow, along the way, he had developed feelings for this woman––a woman that he should have hated above all others.
“Do ye accept me decision, Edward?” the Laird asked.
There was no way, that Edward could see, for him to reject or counter his father’s logic, without openly admitting––in front of Guthrie and Mulloy no less––that he harbored romantic feelings towards Charlotte.
Edward looked over at the woman that had looked after him––saved his life. Then he looked back at his father, the man that he respected and cherished over all others.
“Aye, Faither,” he said, “I understand.”
22
He cannot declare his feelings for me––if, indeed, he was telling the truth about such things––in front of his father, and certainly not in front of his father’s advisors.
This was the thought that chased itself round and round Charlotte’s head all through the rest of the afternoon and the evening. So greatly was she distracted that she barely heard the maid who poured and helped her bathe whisper, “Miss, I just liked to say, on behalf o’ the men and women below stairs, that we’re grateful fer ye savin’ the life of Edward. He’s always been good to those who work in the castle.”
Charlotte merely nodded, smiled blandly and said, “Well, he’s a fine man, and he saved me first after all.”
Charlotte had left Edward, Guthrie, Mulloy, and the Laird arguing in the Laird’s study. She had asked to be excused and been led to these well-appointed chambers by a polite footman.
Tempted as she had been to think that Edward had, perhaps, been all talk and no follow-through––after what he had been saying to her on the ride up to the castle––it had only taken a few hours of dazed contemplation for the realistic young Englishwoman to acknowledge that he was in quite a tight spot.
Betrothed to a stable boy… It is not the way that I thought my day would end, but the fact that I am alive is surely cause for thanks.
Later on, she was sat by the fire, whilst the same maid plaited her freshly washed hair for her. Suddenly, there was a sharp rap on the bedchamber door.
“Charlotte, it’s Edward,” came Edward’s deep voice through the wood. “May I come in, Sassenach?”
The maid hurried to the door, allowing Charlotte’s unruly hair to spring free of the braid. The girl opened it.
“Agnes,” Edward said, rubbing distractedly at his stubbly cheek, “would ye be so kind as to leave us, please?”
“O’ course, Edward,” the little maid answered and she hurried out, shutting the door behind her.
Charlotte’s gaze fell upon Edward. He looked pale with worry in the light of the fire in the hearth. It was clear to Charlotte that the Highlander had most probably been arguing with his father ever since she had left them. Trying to convince the Laird that Charlotte was worth the saving.
Before she could say a thing, Edward strode across to where she was sitting and flung himself into the armchair next to her. His face was all steely determination. He leaned forward.
“I’ll nae see ye wed off to some stranger, Sassenach,” he said to her, in his deep, powerful voice. Despite the dark circles under his eyes, he still commanded all her attention, still stirred something within her.
They were, when it came down to it, simple words, but she struggled to voice them all the same.
“Edward,” she said, “it is fine. I don’t mind. I understand why it must happen.”
