Charlie jerked back, almost falling off the bench. Kade grabbed for her, but she quickly recovered.
Sighing, he turned to face his grandfather. Angus waited on the gazebo steps, practically vibrating with impatience.
“Mr. MacDonald, I didn’t see you there,” Charlie brightly said.
“Aye, ye were bothoccupied,” Angus meaningfully replied.
Kade stood. “Grandda, next time you might trying making a little noise before startling people out of their wits.”
“I wasn’t exactly sneaking up on ye, laddie. No wonder ye got stabbed in Paris by that Russian spy.”
Charlie gaped at Kade. “Is that what happened?”
“It was nothing,” he replied, trying not to grind his molars into dust. “Grandda, could you please not bandy about that subject so carelessly? It’s supposed to be a secret, remember?”
Angus batted his objection away like a fly. “I only told Miss Charlie a wee bit, and I’ll wager she can keep a secret.”
“You have no idea,” she muttered.
Kade shot her a sideways glance before answering Angus. “All right, you found us. What’s amiss?”
“Everything! Kinloch refuses to give up that barmy idea about offering Miss Charlie up as a prize, even though I did my best to make him see he was bein’ a jinglebrains. And that scabby Sir Leslie is winding everyone up, too.”
“If that’s how you expressed it to Lord Kinloch, no wonder you failed. I presume Ainsley and Royal did their best to inject some sense into the discussion?”
“Both Royal and young Johnny did, but Ainsley had to help cart Melissa up to her room.” He shook his head. “I hate to criticize yer family, Miss Charlie, but that girl’s a piece of work.”
“At least you don’t have to live with her,” she drolly replied.
“As fascinating as all this is, Grandda,” Kade said, “you have yet to explain why you sought us out.”
“Because ye need to start lookin’ for that blasted brooch right away, ye noddy. Scabby Sir Leslie is now swearin’ to find it, which made ninny Campbell pitch a fit. That’s what set Melissa off again, just after her puir ma finally got her calmed down.”
Charlie stood up. “I’d best go back in and see if I can help my mother with Melissa.”
“Ainsley will get her sorted, never fear,” Angus said. “But ye and Kade need to start searchin’ for the brooch. Work together, as it were.”
Kade could practically hear the cogs and wheels churning away in his grandfather’s head.
“And it looks like ye already were doin’ that,” the old fellow added.
“We were simply discussing the situation,” Kade replied. “Nothing more.”
“Ye need to do more than jaw about it, so get off yer arse and get to work. If someone else finds the brooch, then Miss Charlie will be in a right pickle.” Angus waved a finger at him. “And ye dinna want to let the fair lassie slip through yer fingers. That’s a prize ye should be happy to claim, lad.”
Bloody hell.
Charlie started flapping her arms like a gull about to take flight. “No one needs to do anything. I’m sure the brooch will turn up on its own. Or not. Likely not because it was probably stolen. Or something. Besides, I have no intention of getting married, regardless of my father’s ridiculous ideas.”
Charlotte Stewart was not the sort of woman to incoherently babble, but now she definitely was. And she was more agitated than Kade had ever seen her.
“I’m happy to help, Charlie,” he said. “With no strings attached, I promise.”
“That’s very kind but entirely unnecessary. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must see to my sister.”
Then she was off like a shot, heading up the path without a backward glance.
His grandfather flopped down on the bench. “Ye buggered that one up, lad. Ye’d best be careful or someone will steal a march on ye.”
