Page 7 of Memory of a Highlander (Arch Through Time #27)

C harlie was doing her best not to panic, but that was getting more difficult by the second. No matter what she did, she could not get a signal on her phone, or find a phone booth, or a tourist information office, nor anyone who seemed to have any idea what she was talking about when she asked them if they could direct her to a police station.

Instead, they had looked at her askance and then hurried away as though she might be a madwoman. Oh, lord, what the bloody hell was going on?

To try and get her bearings, she’d made her way to one of the few places she recognized: Holyrood Palace. This, at least, seemed to be the same as she remembered, although she hadn’t been able to get near the place due to the guards that kept watch over it.

Instead, she’d taken a seat on a stone bench just inside the entrance to the Royal Botanical gardens nearby. That was another anomaly. She didn’t remember the botanical gardens being anywhere near the palace.

She rested her hands on the stone to either side of her, trying to concentrate on the cold, hard surface to try and anchor her and keep the panic at bay.

Breathe, she told herself. Just breathe. There is an explanation for all this. You just need to figure out what it is.

The gardens were busy. As soon as she’d taken her seat, Charlie had noticed two groups of people gathered at opposite ends of a manicured lawn. Both groups appeared to be listening to men standing on boxes. From this distance she couldn’t make out the words and the speakers were shouting at the same time, as though trying to outdo the other, waving their arms and gesturing wildly. At intervals, the crowds cheered or booed.

“Miss?” said a voice suddenly. “Can we count on yer support? Do ye wish to see our fair country sacrificed? The death of our culture?”

A young man with an earnest expression was standing before her. He shoved a pamphlet in her face.

“It’s all explained in here.”

Charlie took it. “I don’t think—”

“Dinna listen to him!” said another voice, and Charlie looked around to see a young woman approaching. She glared at the young man before turning her attention to Charlie. “Duncan doesnae have a mind of his own and is only spouting what his aristocratic masters tell him! Of course they dinna want the articles to go ahead—they want to keep this country in chains because it benefits them! The union will save Scotland and drag us into the modern era!” She spoke with all the fervor of a true believer—although what she believed in, Charlie had no idea.

“Here,” the young woman said, thrusting another pamphlet at Charlie. “Everything ye need to know is in here. Once ye’ve read it, I’m sure ye’ll support us. If ye have any questions, ye can find me over there.” She hiked a thumb over her shoulder at the group gathered on the right-hand side of the lawn.

“And if ye agree with us , ye’ll find us over there,” added the young man, nodding at the other group.

“Look, I just want to sit quietly, okay?”

“See?” the young woman said to the young man. “I told ye ye shouldnae have bothered her! Come on!” She took the young man’s arm and dragged him away.

Charlie breathed out slowly. She dropped her gaze to the pamphlets in her hands. The one from the young woman had the title: The Seven Ill Years are over: a new dawn for Scotland! Support the Articles of Union!

The young man’s pamphlet read, No slavery to the English! Support the House of Stewart! Support a free Scotland!

Charlie screwed up her face, wondering exactly what she was looking at. Articles of Union? The House of Stewart? What the hell?

Her eyes drifted to the top corner of one of the pamphlets where a date was printed. Her heart stopped.

May 16th, 1699.

Charlie went cold all over. Quickly, she looked at the other pamphlet. This, too, bore a date printed in the corner.

May 16th, 1699.

Charlie stared. No. That could not be real This was some sort of joke, right?

Her eyes widened as she looked around the gardens, at the clothing of the two groups gathered on the lawn, at the lack of modern amenities, at the screen of her phone that would not catch a signal.

It all pointed to the same conclusion. A conclusion that sent her heart racing and panic swirling through her like acid.

No , she told herself. No way. Absolutely no way. This is all a mistake. It has to be.

She stood abruptly, her hands trembling as she shoved the pamphlets into her coat pockets. A figure appeared in her periphery. A man, tall and broad-shouldered, dressed in the same period clothing as everyone else. He walked with a purposeful stride and halted right in front of her. He had a shaved head, a tangled beard, and hands that looked like they could crush rocks.

“My mistress wishes to speak to ye, miss,” he said.

She took a step back. “I beg your pardon?”

“I said, my mistress, Lady Murray, wishes to speak with ye.” His accent was thick and his words were heavy with an unmistakable Scottish brogue.

“I’m sorry, but I think there’s been some mistake,” Charlie said, taking another step back.

“No mistake, lass,” he growled. “Ye are to come with me.”

He grabbed her arm.

“Let go of me!” Charlie bellowed, struggling in his grip.

“Dinna make a scene, woman,” the man said. “It wouldnae be seemly.”

Charlie didn’t give two shits what was seemly. With a cry, she kicked him between the legs. The man grunted and doubled over, releasing her arm.

Charlie turned on her heels and fled, sprinting for all she was worth, towards the garden entrance. But just as she dashed out of the gates, she crashed into something solid. Or rather, some one solid. Arms flailed and Charlie found herself sprawled on the ground.

A second later, a weathered face framed by a white beard entered her line of sight. “Miss Charlotte?”

Charlie blinked. “Joseph?”

He held out a hand to help her up and she took it gratefully, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

“Is everything all right?” he asked, looking her up and down. “Ye were running like ye had the very devil on yer tail.”

No! she wanted to shout. Everything is not all right! I think I’m in the wrong time!

But the sight of a familiar face undid her. She burst into tears.

“There now, lass,” Joseph said gently. “There’s no need for that. Come on, let’s get ye home and ye can tell Flora and me what the matter is.”

Charlie nodded dumbly and allowed Joseph to lead her away.

***

N IALL BURST THROUGH the door, sending it slamming back against the wall. He was breathing heavily from his almost-run through Edinburgh’s streets and his hair was sticking to his forehead with sweat. He hurried down the hall and shouldered open the kitchen door.

Joseph looked up from where he was perusing the latest set of pamphlets. He was alone.

“Where is she?” Niall demanded. “What happened?”

“Easy, lad,” Joseph said, holding out a placating hand. “She’s upstairs with Flora. All is well.”

Niall took a deep breath, trying to still his racing pulse. When one of Joseph’s men had come to find him and tell him that Charlotte had been accosted, he’d feared the worst.

Wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, he released his breath in a long, slow exhale. Charlotte was safe. He dropped into the chair opposite Joseph and leaned back, taking a second to catch his breath.

“What happened?”

“I dinna rightly know,” he replied. “I followed her as ye instructed and in truth, it wasnae difficult. I tracked her to the botanical gardens. She came running out of there like a whippet. Some man had tried to abduct her by all accounts.”

Niall’s stomach tightened with sudden fury. “What man?”

“I dinna know. I havenae been able to speak to her properly yet. I brought her straight back here and Flora took charge of the lass. I sent Davey out to find ye and—” he spread his arms wide, “the rest ye know.”

Niall sat back in his chair, digesting this news. He wasn’t sure what to make of it.

Joseph was watching him steadily. “What did ye discover at the meeting, lad?”

Niall sighed. He went on to tell Joseph about MacAllister’s presence at the meeting, his interest in Charlotte, and the way he was talking to Lady Murray at the ball last night.

When he finished, Joseph sucked on his teeth. “It isnae enough. Rumor and hearsay willnae cut it in front of the magistrates. We need more.”

“I know it. But we willnae get more now. I think MacAllister suspects me. We need to get out of Edinburgh for a while until all this blows over.”

Joseph nodded. “Flora will be mightily glad to hear ye say that. As am I, truth be told. All this maneuvering gets under yer skin. Makes ye see enemies where there aren’t any. I dinna like it.”

Any further conversation was precluded by the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. A moment later, the door opened to admit Flora into the kitchen, closely followed by Charlotte.

Niall’s breath quickened at the sight of her. She had changed into a dress of sapphire blue that brought out the soft blue of her eyes. The dress, simple in design, clung to her slender figure and fell in elegant folds to her ankles. Her fiery hair shone like copper, brushed out and falling in waves around her shoulders.

Charlotte paused at the threshold of the room, her eyes flicking between the two men before settling on Niall. A soft blush crept across her cheeks, making her freckles stand out against her skin.

“Well,” she said with a shrug. “I seem to be making a habit of this.”

Niall rose. “I heard what happened. Are ye all right?”

She waved away his concern. “I’m fine. Just got a bit spooked, is all. Luckily Joseph was there to un-spook me.”

“Aye, well, I’m glad he found ye before anyone else did,” Niall said. “It seems there are many people interested in ye after last night.”

“Last night? What do you mean? Okay, so I gate-crashed a party, but that’s hardly a hanging offense is it?”

“Nay, but impersonating a countess has set tongues wagging.”

“I didn’t impersonate anyone! That bloody announcer-guy heard my name wrong, that’s all!”

She let forth a string of curses in a language he did not know, possibly Welsh.

“But ye looked the part of a countess and people believed it. And now they are curious.”

“Curious about what?” Charlotte asked, looking genuinely perplexed.

“About ye , lass,” Niall answered. “About who ye really are and what brought ye here.”

“But I’m nobody!”

“That’s not how they see it,” Joseph explained gently. “In their eyes, ye’ve become someone of interest.”

Charlotte laughed a little shrilly, then pressed her hand to her forehead. “This is crazy,” she muttered under her breath. “I just want to go home.”

Niall shared a glance with Flora and Joseph then leaned forward. “And where is home, exactly?”

Charlotte looked at him. “Cardiff, like I told you. I only came up here for the weekend.”

“And how did ye get here?”

“I flew, of course! On a plane!”

Niall frowned at her sarcasm. Although, he supposed the lass had a right to sarcasm after what she’d been through. He didn’t respond to her flippant remark, only raised an eyebrow.

Charlotte paled suddenly and licked her lips. Her gaze darted between the three of them. “Um...that is...I er...paid for my ticket up here.”

Niall said nothing. She was being evasive. Had she come all the way here by stagecoach? That would be a long, dangerous and expensive journey. Would she really come all that way just to help her cousin procure a wedding dress? Her story did not add up.

And yet, he believed her. She was keeping things from him, that much was obvious, but the things she had told him were true, he was sure of it.

A swell of protectiveness rose inside him. He didn’t know why he felt such a pull to this strange woman who’d so unexpectedly shown up in his life, but he knew he would not, could not leave her to the predations of a man like Boyd MacAllister.

“Come with us,” he said suddenly.

Charlotte blinked. “Come with you? Where?”

“To Glennoch, my estate just north of the capital. I have a trading caravan coming in a few days and the man running it has mercantile contacts all over the country. I’m sure we can find a way of getting ye back to Cardiff safely.”

Charlotte said nothing. Her eyes were wide and wary as she looked at Niall, then at Joseph, and finally at Flora. He could almost see the thoughts churning behind her eyes. She was deciding whether she could trust him, whether she dare take that risk.

“You mean you don’t live in Edinburgh?”

“Not permanently,” Niall replied.

“So you have a house here for just when you want to visit the city and an ‘estate’ out in the country? You must be rich.”

Niall shifted uncomfortably. “My family...owns some land,” he said lamely.

Charlotte watched him. Now he was the one being evasive, and it was clear from her gaze that she saw right through him.

She opened her mouth as if to ask further questions, but then snapped it shut again. Finally, she nodded. “All right. Thank you.”

Joseph clapped his hands together. “All right, then. It’s settled.” He stood. “I’ll go sort the horses. We leave within the hour.”