Page 107 of The Highlander's Kilted Bride
The young man rubbed a hand over his mouth. “I’m afraid not, miss.”
“How disappointing. Well, I’m going for a stroll about the gardens before I brave the lion’s den. Good night, Hamish.”
“Good night, Miss Charlotte.”
She slipped out to the terrace, bathed in a glow of lights from the drawing room one floor above. Through the open window, she could hear her father and Angus shouting at each other, and her mother vainly attempting to calm them down.
Really, it might be best to avoid the whole thing altogether.
Since it was a mild night, with a half-moon softly illuminating the path, she decided to walk to the gazebo. She’d always loved the gardens at night. As a child, she’d chased phantom hobgoblins and searched for fairies amongst the rosebushes and lavender. As she grew up, she imagined meeting a handsome man in the gazebo or down by the stream, a dashing beau who would carry her away into the wide, wide world.
Not that she’d ever had a beau, not really. But she occasionally still dreamed of one who would sweep her off her feet. Not surprisingly, that imaginary beau always possessed the most amazing cobalt blue eyes and a smile that made her heart ache with longing.
It was Kade, always Kade. And now he was here, and he more than lived up to her youthful dreams. He’d also made it clear that he was interested inher. She found that astonishing, because she’d never been the sort of girl a man like him would sweep away to the wide, wide world—especially nothisworld.
She stepped into the gazebo and plopped down onto the cushioned bench. It was time to stop mooning over Kade and deal with her problems, which now included Johnny’s problems. Her little brother was in trouble up to his neck, and she could only hope he still had the brooch. The notion of slimy Sir Leslie getting his hands on it was simply unacceptable.
When she heard footsteps crunching on the gravel, she craned her neck out to see who it was.
Hell and damnation.
It was Richard, heading right for her.
“There you are, you sneaky thing,” he exclaimed. “I’ve been stumbling about like a blasted fool, trying to find the right path to this gazebo. Although it’s a mighty romantic setting, Charlotte, I’ll give you that.”
He flashed what he probably thought was a charming smile. Sadly, it more resembled a leer.
Mentally sighing, Charlie rose. “What the devil are you doing out here, Richard?”
That gave him pause. “What?”
“How did you find me?”
“Things were getting rather hideous in the drawing room, so I decided to nip out and get away from all the brangling. I just happened to hear you telling the footman that you were going out to the garden, so I decided to find you.” Again, his unctuous smile. “Carpe diem and all that, eh?”
“Oh, God,” she muttered.
“What’s that?”
“Nothing. Actually, I was just about to join the others in the drawing room.”
Richard shook his head. “Don’t want to do that. Trust me.”
“Then I suppose I’ll just excuse myself and go to bed. Good night, Ri—”
He suddenly seized her hand and clasped it to his chest.
“Please do not flee me again,” he announced dramatically. “Allow me to make my case, once and for all. Surely you know how I feel about you, and yet you push me away at every turn. You are too cruel, my beautiful Charlotte. But please take pity on your helpless swain and make me the happiest of men.”
When he tried to kiss her, Charlotte dodged and yanked her hand from his grasp. “Really, Richard, you forget yourself.”
He tried to back her up against the cushioned bench. “If I do, it’s because you’re so lovely in the moonlight. A veritable Diana, a goddess of the hunt.”
She dodged him again. “I don’t mean to be rude, but would you please stop blithering such twaddle?”
“It’s not twaddle,” he replied, offended. “It’s how a fellow is supposed to talk to a lady he’s courting.”
“What a gruesome notion. But in any event, I’ve made it quite clear that I don’t want you to court me. You know we would not suit.”
