Stealing a Lady's Heart: A Regency Fairytale (Fairfield Fairytales Book 1) (10 page)

“Charlotte, I will give my life for yours.  It is mine to give but I cannot take what isn’t mine.” 

Despair ripped through her, and she smacked at his face with her hands. He allowed her to hit him.

“Get off of me.” She swatted him again. He slowly withdrew the tip of his maleness and then began to sit up, pulling her with him.

“Charlotte,” his voice pleaded.

She was ready to tell him how much she hated him when the camp erupted in cries and yells.

Charlotte clutched at Graham, her anger forgotten. He scooted her onto the other side of the trunk of the tree where they couldn’t be seen from the camp. Then he lifted her above his head and pushed her up into the branches. “Climb higher and hide.”

Charlotte did as she was told. She climbed higher into the canopy of the tree. As she climbed, the moon shone down on the branches, lighting her way. The tree seemed almost to glow with it.

She froze, fearing that the light would also give her away.

A dark shadow charged towards the tree.  While she couldn’t see any person or animal, she could see this shadow, against the moonlight.  The dark spot stopped at the tree.  A deep growl emanated from the figure and Charlotte felt herself shaking in fear.  Now she longed to be back in the safe circle of Graham’s arms.

The moon shone brighter and, even in the dark, Charlotte recognized the Marquess of Huntly.  She pressed herself against the tree’s trunk.

“You cannot escape me.”  He reached out to part the branches of the tree but then yelped in pain, dropping the branch. A cry of frustration ripped through the air.

“There!”  Will’s sharp yell emanated through the forest.

Instantly the marquess turned and disappeared into the woods. 

“Brother,” Graham called from under the tree and then began climbing to retrieve Charlotte.

When he reached her, he locked her in his arms, planting his lips on hers. His kiss was fierce but brief. Then he began buttoning her dress.

The two climbed out of the tree. Will, Tom and Nick were underneath its branches.

Tom gave the couple a long look, his eyebrows furrowed. “Why did you leave the camp?”

Graham sighed, “Charlotte couldn’t sleep. She took a walk, I followed.” Before Tom could respond, he explained what had happened with the marquess.

“There was something strange in the way that he found us. I heard nothing until he was right on top of us,” Will looked perplexed. “I hear a deer move its head when it is bedded in the grass. It is even stranger that he couldn’t touch the tree. And that Charlotte found the one spot he couldn’t get to her.”

“It was lucky you did leave.” Nick’s eyes were wide with surprise.

“Luck was on our side tonight.” Graham closed his eyes. Luck had indeed been on their side but if Lord Bard could find them once then he could find them again. His brother was right. Dark forces were at work. They had to find protection from the marquess.

STEALING A LADY’S HEART

CHAPTER EIGHT

The next morning dawned bright and sunny. The group ate a small breakfast and lit out.   Charlotte was now on the horse. She was amazed at how quickly the men moved. She knew why. The devil himself was nipping at their heels.

They took a short break at lunch but didn’t have any food to eat. Will did not want to take the time to hunt.

Graham touched her arm. Charlotte did not look at him. She was still hurt by his rejection the night before. 

“We will move as quickly as we can and try to find a protected place to sleep under tonight.”

She nodded and said nothing. She could feel him still looking at her but she kept her eyes averted.

When night fell, they found a bay willow to sleep under. Will caught a small meal and Charlotte lay on her blanket to sleep. She kept her back to Graham, not touching him.

She heard Graham sigh. Then he reached for her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her towards him.

He snuggled her into the crook of his body. “I know you are angry with me. But I’ll not let you freeze tonight and I certainly won’t let anyone take you away. I meant what I said Charlotte. Everything in this world that is mine to give you, I would give. Including my life.” His finger brushed a stray hair from her cheek and she turned to look at him.

“What about your name. Would you give that to me?” Her voice trembled as she asked the question.

He did not say anything for a moment. “What if your father disowned you? You would be the wife of a locksmith.” Regret laced his voice.

“I have never cared about London or the ton or fancy dresses. I would set up an orphanage and a soup kitchen--I could help your father bring people back to the North.” Charlotte laced her fingers with his.

“Charlotte, I could never ask you to give those things up. You would hate me for it…” Charlotte cut Graham off.

“Perhaps we shouldn’t get married. You don’t seem to know me at all.”  She sniffed.  She could hear the other brothers shifting around her, they could hear every word.

Graham could hear them too. “Let me get you back to the manor.  I want you alive first and then we can talk about our future.”

Charlotte smiled at the words our future. They sounded so good. She closed her eyes and fell blissfully asleep.

* * * *

As the first rays of light crested the sky, Graham woke up.  He hadn’t slept well even after Charlotte had finally fallen asleep. He felt guilty. He knew he led Charlotte on with those last words. He wanted to get her back safely. But he would not steal her from her father and he would not knowingly ruin her life.

The rest of the camp began to wake around him and soon everyone was up and the group was moving. They needed to get back home as quickly as possible.

“Where are we?” Charlotte asked as the men moved at an even faster clip.

“We are nearing the English border. Once we cross, we have friends that we can borrow a vessel from and possibly make it home by nightfall.” Graham pulled the reins of the horse and picked up the pace. He needed to get Charlotte safely under a roof.

“I have a cousin who lives near the border. The Duke of Roxburge.” Charlotte mentioned.

Graham turned back to her and the group ground to a halt. “Are you close relations?”

She started in surprise at his intensity. “He is as close a relative as I have besides my father. Though it has been a long time since I have visited his home, he comes come quite often to London.  He has a son I haven’t met yet. Perhaps we could visit and get supplies…” Charlotte stopped suddenly. She cocked her head. “Did you hear that?”

Nick nodded. He seemed to hear it too.

“What is it?” Will asked grabbing the hilt of his sword.

Suddenly Graham caught a faint sound. A soft cry that came somewhere from the left.

Charlotte climbed off the horse and ran towards the sound. Graham could have sworn it was the persistent cry of what sounded like a child.

Graham took off after Charlotte. He caught her easily and then passed her. “What are you do--” Charlotte’s voice was strangled with worry but Graham held out his hand for her to stop.

Graham canvased the area. Up ahead, he could see the tall grass moving slightly.

“Stay here,” he commanded as he crept toward the sound. He looked back to see Charlotte covering her mouth with her hand. Graham came to the spot where the grass moved and then dropped to the ground.  There in the grass was a small boy.

Graham scooped the child up in his arms and ran back towards Charlotte.

“Send Will to hunt. Have Tom start a fire. Hurry.”  Graham’s face was set in rigid lines and Charlotte rushed to do his bidding.

Charlotte ran towards the three men. “Get food, build a fire. We have found a child.” 

The three stared at her for a long second before they dispatched. Graham came up behind her. She immediately got out both blankets. The child was still alive but freezing.

She took the boy in her arms and pressed him against her body.  Then Graham wrapped them both in the blankets.  He sat both of them down on his lap. 

Tom worked quickly building a fire and Nick found water, giving the child a drink.  The warmth plus the water seemed to bring some color back to the child’s cheeks.  Will returned with a couple of pheasants and set to plucking and roasting them.

“What’s your name?”  Charlotte softly asked the boy. 

“Ewan MacPherson, my lady,” the boy looked as if it was obvious but Charlotte started in surprise.

“Who is your father, child?”  Graham asked gently.

“Lord MacPherson,” the boy responded. Will handed the boy a pheasant wing, which he devoured.

Charlotte looked up. Her voice shook, “My cousin. The Duke of Roxburge.”

“Hello cousin Charlotte,” Ewan smiled as he uttered his greeting.

“How did you know who I was?” Charlotte looked at the boy in surprise.

“Graham must have said your name,” Tom shrugged.

Nick looked up, “I have traded with MacPherson on several occasions. He has done well here in the North while others have not. I will return the boy to his father, the rest of you press on. I will find my way home.”

Charlotte protested. “We will see him home together. I can’t leave my cousin now.”  Her eyes drifted to the boy still cuddled against her.

Tom raised his hand. “Every extra second we spend in Scotland puts you in danger, we should stick to the plan. “

Graham shook his head. “Normally I would agree brothers, but I think Charlotte is right.”

Will looked furious as did Tom and Nick.  Graham continued.  “I have to believe that fate is guiding us this trip.  We have found this child for a reason and returning him is necessary. I don’t know why yet but I am sure we will find out. Besides, surely a family member of Charlotte’s will help us on our journey.”

Charlotte beamed at Graham but Tom looked skeptical. “What if he doesn’t believe us?  What if he wants to keep Charlotte and return her himself?  He might not understand the danger the Marquess poses. There is that business with the messenger and the tree the other night.”

Ewan sat up.  “He knows about the Marquess’ magic.  I told my father that he kidnapped Cousin Charlotte.”

All five of them stared at the child not saying a word.  No one had mentioned the kidnapping in front of the boy. They were sure of that. And while strange things had happened, magic seemed a bit farfetched. Still, it was incredibly strange what the child just seemed to know.

“Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you. My father will help you too.” Ewan smiled sweetly.

“You might be right, brother,” Tom muttered softly. “Fate is guiding our hands.”

Charlotte and Ewan climbed on the horse. Charlotte snuggled the boy into the blankets as his eyes drifted closed. She smiled softly at the child and then looked at Graham. Their eyes met and he gently touched her arm and then the boy’s head. She had spent many hours caring for children at orphanages but something about holding this boy made her yearn for a child of her own. 

The brothers easily found a more travelled road and quickly got directions to the home of Lord MacPherson.

By mid-day the group had arrived at a stately manor. It was surrounded by a large wall.  In front of the wall two rivers joined together. They were the Tweed and Teviot rivers and they seemed to ring almost the entire structure. The area between the wall and the rivers was planted with at least seventy bay willow trees.