Angus elbowed Kade again. “Give the lassie a leg up.”
“That’s all right,” the girl hastily responded. “I can manage.”
“It’s no trouble at all, Miss Stewart,” Kade said, walking over to help her.
“Oh, uh, thank you. And call me Charlie. Everyone else does. Except for my mother and sister. They don’t go in for nicknames. And you aren’t obliged to call me that, of course. It’s just that you did when we were children.”
“I’ll call you whatever you wish,” he said.
She’d been an unusual and talkative child. Clearly, she’d grown into an unusual woman, too, although he suspected she was rambling a bit because she was nervous.
Her brown-velvet gaze tracked over his features. She grimaced slightly, as if she could read his thoughts.
“Shall we?” he said, flashing his most charming smile.
“Yes. Thank you,” she replied in a clipped tone.
Charlie slipped her booted foot onto his cupped hands, and he boosted her into the saddle. Her kilt rode up above her knee, partly exposing her leg. And quite a nice leg it was—slender, with creamy skin that looked as smooth as satin.
A moment later, she flicked her kilt down over her knee and settled herself. Kade stepped back, castigating himself for being a moron.
Charlie gathered her wealth of hair in one hand and flipped it back over her shoulder before flashing a quick smile at the group.
“I’ll see you all at the house,” she said. “It’s only a few minutes past the next bend. You’ll see the gatehouse, so you can’t miss it. And,” she added with a slight grimace, “would it be awful if I asked you not to mention our meeting? Mamma would be mortified to know I was acting like a Highland hooligan again.”
Kade smiled at her turn of phrase. “My family is well used to Highland hooligans. Your secret is safe with us.”
Once again, her gaze swept over him. “You’re not a hooligan, though. You never were.”
He blinked, but before he could respond she clicked her tongue and sent the white stallion trotting into the lane. Once clear of the carriage, the horse quickened to a gallop. Golden hair streaming out behind her like sunlight, Charlie disappeared around the bend, and the beat of hooves faded into the distance.
Royal shook his head. “What an extraordinary encounter.”
“What an extraordinary girl,” Ainsley said in a musing tone. “I had no idea.”
“Hardly a girl,” Kade pointed out. “She’s only a few years younger than I am.”
“Aye, she’s a woman grown,” Angus said. “And a foine one at that.”
“If a bit eccentric,” Kade replied. “Even for the Highlands.”
“Yer just so used to city ways that ye dinna ken a keeper when ye see one.”
Kade shot his grandfather a startled glance. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I think she’s a pip,” Tira interjected.
“And I think it’s time to be on our way,” Royal said. “Brown has been glaring daggers at us.”
He waved them all into the carriage, and they were on their way.
Less than ten minutes on, they came to the gatehouse marking the estate. The carriage turned in between the scrolled wrought iron gates and bowled up a paved lane lined by stands of oaks and elm trees. Beyond the trees were healthy meadowland and pastures, dotted with primroses and heather. It was a peaceful, bucolic scene set against the stark peaks of Loch Leven.
“Quite a good estate Kinloch has here,” Kade noted.
“Aye, the old bugger has deep pockets,” Angus grumbled. “I’ll give him that, but not much else.”
“I’m sure the entire family is charming,” Ainsley said. “My aunt always thought highly of Lord Kinloch, and I’ve very much enjoyed Lady Kinloch’s letters. And they are family on both sides,” she pointedly added. “On mine as well as yours, Grandda. As you’ve told me on numerous occasions, family is everything.”
