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Chapter Sixteen
Lord Mortimer Darling stood with his hands behind his back, overlooking the training of soldiers in the backlands of Fort William. Both General Andrews and a few lesser officers were assisting in the training, and Lord Darling wished to be there to make sure that everything was done according to proper regulations.
He sighed. He had never expected his mission to be so easy. He had heard rumors of General Andrew’s easy manner and malleable will, but he didn’t expect this. He was glad that the General’s regulations and dealings with the men were not lax, but with his daughter, they were most certainly so. He had noticed it right from the beginning.
That girl was going to be trouble, and the faster she was out of there, the better. When he’d met her, he could tell she was the type that believed she could control men with her little finger, her beauty, and intellect being her weapons. The way she spoke to her father had told Mortimer that she was used to many years of being in control. Alas, that could no longer be the case. He was in charge now, and he needed every obstacle out of the way.
He had found someone for the girl who would prove to be a perfect husband – on paper, at least. The father would agree for the man was both titled and wealthy, and then Charlotte Andrews would be out of his way for good. With that firmly sorted in his mind, his thoughts returned to his reasons for being there, and his jaw tightened in anger, an anger that would be appeased in the truest and sweetest revenge.
His brother had been murdered, and it had all been covered up by none other than the soft General himself. He could feel the sweat breaking out on his brow. It was getting harder and harder to remain silent when his revenge was soon at hand. He would find out who the man was who had actually killed his brother, and he would find a way to have him killed.
War was the best option. He smirked to himself. He would get the brutes to kill each other if he could, and he knew just where to start: The Campbells. Long, secret alliances of the British, he would journey to their castle tomorrow.
* * *
The next morning, Elizabeth and Charlotte made light, casual conversation over breakfast while their fathers sat in discussion. They had resolved not to let either of their fathers know about their budding friendship. If Charlotte’s father knew, then he would certainly tell Lord Darling. If Elizabeth’s father knew, then he would find a way to put a stop to it. And that didn’t work for Charlotte’s plans to get Liam and Elizabeth to meet again and to teach Elizabeth how to be confident around other people, especially Liam.
The men finished their morning meal and stood. General Andrews cleared his throat. “My dear Charlotte, and Miss Darling, I must inform you that I have urgent business to attend to at Fort George, nearly a half day's journey from here. There are new supplies and methods of training that I need to speak to the General there about.” He gave a sideways glance at the Earl, and the Earl nodded slightly as if to approve of his words.
Charlotte wished to scoff with disgust but thought better of it. She was sad that her father would be leaving.
“I will need to stay the night there and then return the next day, late in the evening.”
Charlotte’s face fell. She would need to be alone with Lord Stone Heart for two days. “Oh, I shall miss you, Father. I hope you will have a safe journey.”
He smiled and nodded at his daughter. “Not to worry, I will be accompanied by a few of my men to put your mind at ease.”
Lord Darling began to speak. “And I shall be gone as well. I have a meeting with the man in control of food distribution to discuss the reduction of food.”
Charlotte wanted to roll her eyes at the man’s words, but inside, her heart soared. This was her chance to get away, just for one night. She watched as Elizabeth listened to every word her father said in a demure silence. Charlotte was not sure that she would ever be able to master that skill. She would try to rid Elizabeth of that behavior as well if she could.
Elizabeth nodded in understanding and replied, “I understand, Father. See you upon your return.”
Lord Darling smiled in that same awkward way and said, “Elizabeth, I trust you and Miss Andrews shall conduct yourselves with decorum in our absences.” There was a sharpness in his glance when he turned to Charlotte.
Elizabeth replied calmly, “But, of course, Father. You can depend on us.” She looked at Charlotte quickly, and Charlotte could almost detect a smile at the corner of her lips. Elizabeth Darling is turning into quite a changed woman.
Lord Darling continued. “There will be the normal men on watch, and of course, we have the housekeeper and other servants that will be at your service. If you should need anything, you must merely call upon one of them. The next head officer shall be in charge of your safety and, upon pain of death, shall assure it.”
He nodded tersely, and the men turned to leave. Charlotte stood, confused. Her father would always embrace her whenever he was about to leave for a long journey. General Andrews turned back to her, a pained look on his face. It almost seemed as though he was about to continue through the door with Lord Darling, but he fought against that and came and hugged Charlotte. “Goodbye, my dear. Please be good.”
Charlotte smiled but felt a tug at her heart. She was losing her father. She could feel it as he slipped out of her arms and out of the door, nodding to Elizabeth before he turned away. She was losing him to this new, evil man who seemed to gain power, strength, and pleasure from the control of others. What could she do about it?
She turned back to a smiling Elizabeth. Today was not the day to solve that problem. The more immediate problem was getting across the Sound. She had to figure that out first. “Well, it appears we have been left to our own devices for two days or even more, depending on when your father will return. And I have just the plan for how we shall spend our time.”
Elizabeth lifted an eyebrow, her spectacles firmly pinching her nose. “Oh, do say it’s cards. My new passion is whist, and I shall become an expert.”
Charlotte laughed and sat down, clasping her new friend’s hands. “No, Elizabeth. I was thinking something a little bit more…personal. How would you like to visit a Scottish castle?”
* * *
“You must be joking! How could we ever achieve such a thing?” Elizabeth was staring back at a grinning Charlotte, her mouth open in surprise.
Charlotte stood and tapped the tips of her fingers together. “It will take a little doing, but this is the perfect place in which to enforce a lady’s privacy if ever there was one. We have no lady’s maids, and the only women that could attend upon us would never dream of entering our chambers unannounced. All we must do is state that one of us is ill, and the other has retired for a long while to catch up on her correspondence.” Charlotte waved a casual hand in the air. “You see? It’s all perfectly logical. We will tell them that neither of us wishes to have our dinner alone, and so we shall go without. We can stay the night in the castle and return the following morning.”
Elizabeth sat thoughtfully for a moment. “But, how will we gain entry into the Fort once more? There are eyes everywhere.”
Charlotte sat down and crossed her arms over her green silken bodice. “You are right. I have thought about that. But I think that one of us should return today, later in the afternoon or once the dark of night has covered over the shores. You can walk by unseen in a dark cloak and slip in through the back. You can claim that you were lost or were waylaid for some reason.”
