Page 157 of The Highlander's Kilted Bride
“Ho, Kendrick,” Papa barked. “You will cease flirting with my daughter this instant.”
“I wouldn’t dream of flirting with her, my lord,” Kade replied.
“Then what the devil is going on between you two?”
“Kinloch, yer actin’ mighty dense at the moment,” Angus dryly put in.
Kade took his grandfather’s arm and steered him out of the gazebo. “Enough, Grandda. Let’s get back to the house.”
“There’s nae need to rush me,” Angus protested. “I’m nae as young as I used to be.”
“Charlotte, this is allmostirregular,” her father complained. “I do not approve.”
“I know, Papa,” she said, taking his arm. “I’ll explain everything once we get back to the house.”
She glanced back at Simmons and Tommy, who’d managed to get their burden fairly steady on his feet. Sir Leslie was peering about him in some confusion, as if unsure of his whereabouts. That wasn’t surprising, since she’d given him a rather stiff knock.
“Please put an armed footman outside the dressing room,” she said to Simmons, handing him her shotgun. “My father will be up shortly to deal with Sir Leslie.”
By now, their butler had recovered his countenance and simply gave her a dignified nod, as if locking up one’s guests was an everyday occurrence. “Very good, Miss Charlotte.”
“And have the housekeeper take a look at his head, will you? I gave him a rather good smash.”
“Yes, miss.”
“He can hang for all I care,” her father grumbled. “Now, come along, Charlie.”
They hurried along the path, catching up with Kade and Angus on the terrace.
“Everything all right, lass?” Kade asked with a wry smile.
She nodded, letting her father precede them into the house. “Papa is not in a good mood,” she whispered. “I’m not sure how he’ll react to—”
“Do not dawdle, Charlotte,” her father said over his shoulder in a severe tone.
Sighing, she followed him upstairs to the drawing room. Kade and Angus brought up the rear.
“Good God,” Mamma exclaimed, fluttering over when they filed in. “You look like a gang of Highland marauders. Why are you armed?”
“Because we were dealin’ with a desperate villain,” Angus said. “Scabby Sir Leslie was ready to bash our Kade over the head and throw him into the pond.”
Melissa, who’d jumped to her feet when they entered the room, sank back onto the sofa with a little shriek. “Heavens, are you quite all right, Mr. Kendrick?”
Kade smiled at her. “Yes, I’m perfectly fine. We’re all fine.”
Colin took Melissa’s hand. “See, darling? I told you everything would be all right. Your father and Mr. Kendrick had everything quite under control.”
Kade glanced at Charlie, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “In point of fact, it was your sister who saved the day.”
“And how exactly did she do that?” Mamma warily asked.
“She bashed the scoundrel in the face with her shotgun,” Papa said as he stomped over to the drinks trolley.
Her mother simply sighed.
“Well done, old girl,” Colin said to Charlie. “From what Johnny’s been telling us, the man’s a complete villain.”
Melissa screwed up her face. “Very true. But I’m not sure if it’s quite proper for Charlotte to go about smashing men in the face, even if they are villains.”
