“Nae?”
“Nae. I mean, no. I…have no wish to marry.” That was more or less true as well. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to marry. She’d just not met a man—in the twenty-first century—who created more than a spark of interest. That spark usually burned itself out after a few dates for one reason or another.
Fiona’s eyebrows rose. “Never?”
Would she never drop this subject? Charlotte looked around for the waiter, hoping their food would come, but no such luck. She turned back to Fiona. “I don’t much like being told what to do, and it seems to me that once a woman marries, she is subject to her husband’s whims. I like my independence.” Okay, maybe she was on a roll here and could change the subject. “That’s why I wanted to work in your father’s law office. I can earn my own money, which allows me to make my own decisions.”
“I canna fault ye for that.” Fiona still looked skeptical, though. “How long do ye plan to stay at Castle Dounie before ye move on, then?”
Shereallywouldn’t let the matter drop, would she? “I don’t know. Lord Fraser has extended an invitation to stay as long as I need to.”
Fiona leveled a look on her that could have pinned her to the wall if she’d been sitting near one. The girl leaned forward.
“Since that is the case, let me be clear. My father expects Niall and me to be betrothed verra soon.” She leaned back. “Niall Fraser is mine.”
Charlotte smiled weakly, thankful that the waiter finally arrived with the food and sparing her an answer. A few minutes ago she’d been looking forward to digging into the steaming beef pie with its delicious aromas, but she had lost her appetite now.
What Greer had told her must have been true, then. A betrothal was in the works for Niall and Fiona.
So she had gotten her answer. It just wasn’t the one she’d hoped for.
Chapter Twelve
“Ye are awfully quiet,” Niall said on the way home that afternoon. “Was there a problem at the office?”
Yes. Fiona Gordon showed up.Of course, Charlotte couldn’t tell Niall that, or at least, not the reasonwhythe girl had come to the office. Nor could she confront Niall about the situation, especially since Greer had, more or less, confirmed the story. Apart fromthatsmall fact, Charlotte had no dibs on the man, particularly since she hadn’t exposed the much bigger fact that she was from the future. She sighed.
Niall gave her a worried look. “Ye doona have to earn coin if ye are nae happy with the work.”
“It isn’t that.” She tried to shake off her bad mood. This was one of the few afternoons that Niall actually came to collect her by himself. Usually either Simon was with him or one of the groomsmen was sent. Under normal circumstances, she would be deliriously happy with being alone with Niall, even for the short ride home in the buggy. Niall was watching her, though, so she needed to say something.
“I am somewhat worried about what I overheard at the office today.” That was true at least.
He raised a brow. “Which was?”
“A Mister, er—Lord—David Alcho came in—”
“Colonel Alcho was here?”
So the man was a colonel in addition to being a lord. “Um, Mr. Gordon only said he was the son of an earl—”
“Same person. What did he say?”
She should have guessed the man was a soldier with high rank, given his bearing and the conversation she’d heard. “He said a General Huske was marching from Edinburgh with four thousand men.”
“Not good.” Niall’s face darkened. “He’s second-in-command up here.”
“Is General Hawley the first in command?”
“Aye.” He knotted his brows. “What did ye hear about him, lass?”
She hated imparting more bad news. “That Hawley is probably following him.”
She hesitated, then added. “They’re heading for Stirling, I think.”
Niall nodded. “That would make sense since we’ve laid siege to the castle.”
“But they’re going to fight at Falkirk.”
