“Whoa...” Charlie said. “That’s...”
“My home,” Niall said, swiveling in his seat to look at her. His eyes were soft and a genuine smile curled his lips rather than the cocky grin he usually wore. “Welcome to Glennoch.”
Charlie squinted at the massive building. It looked half-castle, half country house, with imposing walls circling it and a large courtyard at the front and side. She swallowed. Oh, hell. This was a million miles away from everything she knew. How was she supposed to fit in here until she found a way home?
She climbed down from the cart after Flora and as they approached the gates set in the curtain wall, a small army of servants appeared from nowhere. They swarmed around the cart, unloading crates and bags and disappearing back into the house as quickly as they’d emerged.
“Ye must be tired, lass,” Flora said, coming to Charlie’s side and putting her arm through hers. “Come, let’s get ye freshened up before dinner.”
Charlie glanced at Niall and he gave a tiny nod. “Um...right. Sure.”
Before she could say anything else, Flora swept her into the house.
***
“YE BETTER HOPE THEwind doesnae change, lad,” said Joseph as he unloaded a sack from the cart. “Or ye’ll stay that way.”
Niall blinked, turning to look at the old man. “What?”
Joseph hefted the sack onto his shoulder and grinned. “Ye were staring after the lass like a brainless fool.”
Niall scowled. “I was not.”
Joseph gave a little chuckle, and then made his way into the house. Niall sighed and rubbed the side of his face. He hadn’t been staring, had he?
With a growl of irritation, he turned his attention to his surroundings, sucking in a great lungful of air. It was clean and fresh, smelling of fields and tilled earth, nothing like the cloying atmosphere of the capital.
It was good to be back here. More than good. He felt...free in a way he never could in the city.
He made his way around the side of the house to the courtyard. As he pushed open the heavy gate, something small and wriggly slammed into him with enough force to send him tumbling onto his backside with an oomph. Before he could recover, another something hit him and he was enveloped in a tide of small wriggly things that filled the air with excited whines, wagging tails, and slobbery kisses.
Niall laughed and fought his way up to seated, pushing off the excited newcomers.
“Ach! Get down ye rascals!”
But he might as well have talked to a wall as the dogs—two collies and three border terriers—continued to swarm him, leaping about with wagging tails and lolling tongues.
Eventually, he gave up trying to calm them and surrendered to their enthusiastic welcome, lying flat on his back in the middle of the courtyard, catching his breath.
“Lord Niall,” came a deep voice from somewhere above him. “Quite the welcome party, I see. Anyone would think they’ve missed ye.”
Niall turned his head to see Donald, the manor’s bald-headed, somber-faced chamberlain, standing by the gate with an amused expression on his face.
“Donald,” he replied with a grin, pushing himself up off the ground. “Good to see ye.”
Donald’s stern face broke into a rare smile. “And ye as well, my lord. It’s been too long.”
Niall brushed the dirt off his clothes as he got to his feet, the dogs still whirling around him in an excited frenzy. “Aye, it has.”
“Good hunting in Edinburgh?”
Niall grimaced. “Not as good as I would like.”
“Oh, I dunno,” Donald said, raising one eyebrow. “It seems ye caught a fish or two.”
Niall frowned at that, knowing he was referring to Charlotte. “She’s not...I mean...she’s just...” He struggled for words.
“A guest?” Donald supplied.
