Queen Of Emeralds (The Scottish Stone Series Book 1) by Kelsey McKnight

Author:Kelsey McKnight [McKnight, Kelsey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Limitless Publishing, LLC
Published: 2017-04-03T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

Charlotte awoke the next morning feeling refreshed and as if she had been given another chance. Conner had forgiven her fully and now they were friends again. But, were they friends? She threw off the comforter and stared at her small feet dangling beneath the lace hem of her nightgown. Conner had implied that Charlotte was trying not to love him, but she wasn’t sure if any of his words were true. Her heart beat faster when he was close and the thought of seeing him filled her to the brim, but was it love?

The sound of several blaring horns jarred Charlotte out of her musings. Curious, she pulled a robe around her and slipped out of her room, padding down the hall barefoot until she reached a large window by the stairs that looked out over the main courtyard.

In the dim morning light, Charlotte could make out a group of a dozen riders and one large carriage. Squinting, she looked toward the group, wondering who they were. Judging by their livery and English ponies, they certainly weren’t Scottish. Charlotte assumed they were merely looking to trade or to pay court to the lord of the highlands.

Charlotte turned to go back to her room as Conner came bounding up the stairs. “Charlotte, wait!”

She clutched her robe closer around her, wishing she had thought to comb her hair or get a proper dress on before wandering the halls. “Conner, I’m not dressed!”

“No time for all that,” he growled, pulling her into her bedroom. “We need to talk.”

Charlotte pulled her arm out of Conner’s firm grip. “What’s going on? Why are you acting so strange?”

“We have visitors.”

“Well, unless you’re going to be receiving them in my bedroom, I don’t see why you feel the need to talk to me about it before I’m properly clothed.”

“It’s Richard Howard.”

Charlotte blanched and felt her knees weaken. “No…it can’t be.”

“Well, it is. He’s under the impression that ye have been kidnapped by a bunch o’ ruthless Scots.”

“I…I think I’m going to faint…”

Conner grasped her around the waist as her legs gave way. “Are ye all right? Do ye need a doctor?” He carried her over to one of the plush armchairs in her sitting room before pulling on her bell to summon a maid.

“Richard can’t be here. Oh, Conner, what do I do?”

“Do no’ worry, it’ll be fine. I have one o’ my men talkin’ to him now to see what he wants.”

“He has to be here for me! There’s no other reason for him to come all this way!”

Conner knelt next to her chair and held one of Charlotte’s limp hands in his. “He will no’ get to ye, I promise ye that.”

“What will I do? What if he demands I go with him?” Tears began streaming down her pale cheeks. “I can’t marry him, Conner.”

“Charlotte, he has no power in Scotland. He is in my country, on my land, and is in no position to be makin’ demands.” His voice was foreboding and held much more vigor than Charlotte could ever hope to have in that moment.

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