“Could we do that? Could we really get away without having to take a dozen guards?”
His mouth curved up in a mischievous smile. She didn’t realize just how much he had learned in his time living amongst the villagers. Getting away from the castle guards wouldn’t be a problem if he had anything to do with it.
“I am the Laird, Charlotte. Surely if I decide to take my betrothed into the village, nay one will say a word against it.”
“What about Alastair?” she questioned, her hesitancy feigning.
“What he does nae ken will nae hurt him. If we go to the stables now, we will be able to sneak away before anyone even realizes that we are gone.”
She chewed on her bottom lip, unable to remain unaffected by his excitement.
“I can keep ye safe,” he promised, “if that is what ye are worried about.”
Her chin notched higher and he knew he had won her over.
“I am nae worried. Let’s go.”
Taking the lead, she grabbed his hand and raced off through the woods back the way they had come, laughing as they went.
Coming out of the woods, his eyes strained to readjust to the brightness that the sun provided. Her face instantly shot up, as if she couldn’t get enough of the warmth on her face. Her hair glimmered in the light and for a moment, he imagined her as a sunflower, stretching up to freedom. Their steps faltered a bit as they walked and when he tugged on her arm to slow her pace, she looked back at him, her smile more radiant than any ray of sunshine he had ever seen.
The air knocked from his lungs, though he wasn’t concerned about having another breathing attack. It was not his panic that stole his breath, but the sight of her. As he fought to keep his emotions at bay, he thought of just how much trouble she was going to cause him.
At a much more leisurely pace, they finished their walk to the stables, their hands intertwined. He was surprised at just how long she held onto him, as though it was the most natural thing in the world for her to do. But as soon as the stables came into view, she dropped his hand and took a half step away, creating more distance between them.
“What are ye—” he started to ask, and then he saw Alec.
The stable boy’s back was turned to them, focused on what he was doing, but the mere sight of him had been enough to scare Charlotte away. Cameron bit his tongue and grit his teeth, angry that another man could have such a hold over her. It wouldn’t last for much longer, he promised himself. And the two of them being seen together would be good for everyone. Cameron wouldn’t be backed into a corner.
He shot a careful glance over to Charlotte, whose face had lost all enjoyment, only to be replaced with apprehension. Her eyes flitted to the ground, rather than soaking up the sunshine as she had been doing only minutes before. He hated to see such drastic changes in her.
Squaring his shoulders, Cameron cleared his throat. He was the Laird of this castle and would act as one, especially in these circumstances.
Alec spun around and an array of emotions swam across his face. At first, Cameron could tell Alec only saw Charlotte. There was a smugness to the smile he offered her, but as he kept looking to see Cameron there as well, Alec’s smile dropped into a grimace.
“How can I help ye, Laird?” Alec bit out, each word terse.
“Mybetrothed,” Cameron told him, emphasizing the word, “and I would like to go for a ride. Saddle two horses for us.”
Alec glanced between them in a way that Cameron didn’t care for. He knew that Alec was protective and possessive of Charlotte, but the implication that Cameron would be a danger to her was insulting. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow, doing his best to impersonate Alastair’s intimidating stare.
“Now.”
The word sent the stable boy into action, though it was clear that everything was done begrudgingly. He jerked the saddles around and was more rough with the horses than Cameron liked to see, an issue that would soon be dealt with. But Cameron didn’t want to let Alec ruin the day he and Charlotte had been having.
Turning to her, he shot her a smile.
“We will need disguises,” he told her, his voice low enough for only her to hear.
“Och?” she questioned, clearly trying to match his playful energy but falling a bit short.
“Aye. These will do.”
He stepped closer to her, encroaching on her space, and reached behind her to the pair of cloaks that hung on the wall. Taking his time, he fastened one around her neck, pulling it over her shoulders, and tugging the hood up to cover her head. His hands lingered on the sides of her face and she did not pull away but pressed into his palm. The look that they shared spoke more than any words could and by the time they were seated and riding away from the castle, all thoughts of Alec were long gone.
