Page 70 of Highlander's Sinless Nymph
“Father, you’re set on believing the word of this animal that you sent after me over mine, and there’s nothing I can do to change that seemingly,” she said. “Why I offend you so much I do not understand––perhaps because I am a living reminder of mother and the awful way in which you treated her, or––”
Her father’s hand whipped out again, this time with enough force to send her sprawling.
“I’m not interested in the speculations of a little tramp such as you,” Captain Bolton said, in a voice that dripped disgust with every syllable.
“A little tramp! Oh, yes, but what do you think compelled me to seek solace with a Scottish stranger, hm?” Charlotte yelled at him, suddenly quite losing control on her temper. Suddenly, she found that she was sick to death of constantly fearing what her father might say or how he might react.
“Be very careful, girl,” Captain Bolton said. Over his shoulder, the eyes of the silent Hirst narrowed to slits of vindictive joy. “You might have acted the way you did to get to me––I don’t pretend to understand the workings of the female mind––but my leniency only stretches so far.”
“Yes, I lay with him!” Charlotte screeched. “I lay with Edward MacAlpein, but I didn’t do it to get toyou. I did it because I love him! I love him, Father. Love; something I don’t think you ever had in you.”
Her father’s face had gone ghostly white. When her short tirade came to an end, she sat on the ground where she had fallen, breathing hard, her gaze locked with that of the Captain.
I have gone too far. Finally, we’ll see what he is really capable of.
Instead of a rain of blows though––which is what Charlotte had been expecting––Captain Bolton merely shook his head.
“Idiocy and willful ignorance I expected––I expect a youthful woman could only be cooped up in an army camp for so long before she starts acting out. A slattern, I could, perhaps, have forgiven in time. But, a traitor to England…”
Charlotte could not believe it.
He is more concerned with the reputation of his beloved England than he is of the wellbeing of his own daughter…
“Do you not see though,” she said, some of the fire going out of her voice, at his unexpected reaction to her admission. “Now, there is no reason to attack the MacQuarries. It was my choice to leave with Edward. My choice to––”
The Captain raised his hand as if to strike her again, but then he paused.
“No reason?No reasonto attack the MacQuarries?” he said, in an amused voice. He exchanged a mirthless smile with Hirst.
The sight of that smile was enough to make Charlotte doubt––for the very first time in her life––that her father wasn’t just a bad man, but an entirely insane one.
“They took my daughter from me––they had one of their men sully her,” the Captain said. “And, in doing so, they sulliedmyreputation. Such a thing will not be borne by me.”
Charlotte looked over at Hirst, to see if the man––as a soldier following Captain Bolton––found the fact that they seemed to be risking the lives of all the English soldiers in one man’s feud against a Scottish clan at all as disgraceful as she did. However, Hirst looked quite delighted by the prospect.
“You have given me the perfect excuse, daughter, to crush those loathsome MacQuarries entirely,” her father said.
“But––”
“To wipe them from the face of the earth.”
“Father, you can’t––”
“Just as I started with the Laird’s wife, so shall I finish with the Laird himself,” Captain Bolton said. “The Highlanders are little more than wild animals at any rate.”
Hirst pointed questioningly in Charlotte’s direction, raising an eyebrow on the uninjured side of his face.
“Get her out of my sight,” spat the Captain. “I’m not sure what I want to do with her just yet. Keep her in her tent, under lock and key and with two men stationed outside.”
Hirst pulled Charlotte roughly to her feet and began to usher her out.
“And Hirst?” Captain Bolton said.
Hirst stopped, his hand clamped painfully around Charlotte’s arm.
“If we should be attacked during the course of the night, or any sort of raid should be mounted by any Scotsmen intent on freeing my daughter, I want you to make sure that she dies before falling back into their vile clutches. Tell the guards that, won’t you?”
Hirst nodded and shoved the thunderstruck Charlotte out of her father’s tent.
