Marti Talbotts Highlander Series 1 - Anna Rachel u Charlet

have the name of a traitor. Charlet will be mine.”
    “You both lose,” Blair roared. “She has agreed to marry me!”
    MacDonald spun around to face Kenna, “Charlet is that...” Only then did he realize she was no longer behind him. “Charlet?”
    Near the door, Charlet leaned around Connor. “I am over here.” When MacDonald turned back around, she smiled and waved to the elder man.
    MacDonald was still scratching his head when Forbes spoke up. “MacGreagor, you said the one who brought you the Englishman would have her.”
    It was Kevin’s turn to glare. “You heard wrong. I said I would encourage her to accept the lad, who brought me the Englishman, not force her. Be gone with you, you tire me.”
    “You have not heard the last of this.” Forbes stormed out the door yelling for his guard at the top of his lungs.
    Kenna could wait no more. She ran across the room and threw her arms around Charlet. “I am so happy you are safe! I have missed you so.”
    Charlet hugged her back. “I have missed you too. I am getting married.”
    “So am I.” Kenna’s eyes widened. She realized she hadn’t actually accepted Ferguson’s proposal and she looked at him. He was pleased and she guessed she had just said yes.
    Kevin was smiling, Connor was relieved, Blair was calming down and the only one not happy was Laird MacDonald. Laird MacDonald looked from one redheaded beauty to the other and back again. “I am too old for this.” He quickly and quietly walked out the door.
    Kevin laughed. “All this and we only managed to offend one of them.” He opened his arms and waited for Charlet to run into them. “I have nearly lost my mind with worry over you.” He began to take her in his embrace when he remembered. “Is your arm badly hurt? Let me see it.”
    She showed him and tried to ease his worried look. “I did not even see the Englishmen. If Blair had not been there...”
    “I know, Thomas told us what happened. Is it true you wish to marry Blair?”
    She smiled, walked to Blair, boldly kissed his lips and faced Kevin again. “With your permission, of course.”
    “Granted. Now, you must go upstairs and see Anna. She is waiting and wants very much to see you.”
    “I have missed all of you so much!” Charlet quickly kissed Blair on the lips again and rushed up the stairs. Then she stopped and turned to look back. “Kevin, he did not shame me.”
    “I knew he would not.”
    Anna took one look at Charlet and stuck her head out of the bedchamber door. “Kevin, Charlet would like a bath and could you send someone to fetch clean clothing?”
    “I will see to it.”
    “Thank you, love.” Anna closed the door and both she and Charlet shrieked with delight at seeing each other again.
    Ferguson went to Kenna and grabbed her hand. “I would like to speak to you, alone.” He opened the door, ushered her out and winked at Kevin just before he closed the door.
    Kevin took a forgotten breath and handed Blair a goblet of wine. “At last we will have peace again in this home. Did she try to run?”
    “Aye, that is how they got to her. The fault is mine, Kevin. I should have been watching her more closely.”
    “I blame myself, Thomas blames himself and you blame yourself. The only one who takes no blame at all is the King of England.” Kevin shook his head. “What will you do about your traitor?”
    “As much as I want to kill him, I will let Thomas decide.”
    “You are a good lad. Go home and see to your rest. I expect we will be seeing you around here often until you manage to take her away from us.”
    Blair downed the wine and nodded. “I could use a bath myself.”

    CHAPTER VII

    Charlet gasped. “ I will become the Queen of England?”
    Anna nodded. “You are first in line. The king believes his nephew is the one trying to kill you. The nephew is second in line to the throne.”
    Clean and once again clothed in a MacGreagor plaid, Charlet sat by the fire and let Anna brush her long red hair dry. She closed her eyes and tried to absorb all that Anna told her. “The nephew will not give up until I am dead, will he.”
    “I have come to the same conclusion.”
    “But after I marry Blair...”
    Anna stopped brushing. “It would seem to be the answer, but husbands die and if Blair...”
    “Do not say it, Anna; I could not live without him.”
    “I feel the same way about Kevin. But sweetheart, what if someone decides you would make a better sovereign than the king’s nephew? Someone