"You will change your mind about me, just you wait and see." With that, he got up, grabbed his hat away from Alistair, and left the room.
McKenna watched Alistair hurry after Charles and shook her head. "How does a despicable child come from such very fine parents?" She jumped when she heard the front door slam.
By the time Alistair returned to the kitchen to finish his breakfast, every quizzical eye was on him and he might have made light of it, had he not been so incensed. "Charles Whitfield. When Mr. MacGreagor hears, he will…"
"Hears what?" Hannish asked, walking into the kitchen as he usually did in the mornings. "Who was at the door?"
"Mr. Charles Whitfield. I tried to prevent him, but he demanded to see Miss McKenna and followed me to the sitting room."
Hannish narrowed his eyes. "What did he want?"
"To take her to The Garden of the Gods, but she refused him. He vowed she would soon change her mind and left."
"'Tis not the first time I have had to save my sister from a wretch like that. We best be more alert. If he is that brazen, she might just shoot him."
"I hope she does," Dugan muttered.
Hannish looked at Dugan and grinned. "From now on, I shall have my potatoes mashed just the way you did for Charles Whitfield." He accepted the cup of tea from Jessie and went to find McKenna. Behind him, he could hear the servants laughing.
*
It happened on the evening of the next day, and everyone was tired. A quick evening meal was in order and then rest. McKenna and her brother had just taken their places at the dinner table and Keith was about to serve, when Charles Whitfield walked into the dining room. "Good evening." He pulled the chair opposite McKenna away from the table and sat down. "Dinner looks divine."
It took a moment for Hannish to grasp what had just happened, and as he slowly stood up, Prescot and Alistair rushed into the room.
"Forgive me, Mr. MacGreagor, he slipped past me," said Prescot.
Hannish raised his hand to silence the butler and glared at Charles. "If ever you enter my house again without an invitation, my lads have permission to shoot you on sight."
Charles stayed where he was and grinned at McKenna. "But I feel so at home here."
Hannish gritted his teeth. "Dinna make me throw you out."
Fearing what might happen, McKenna quickly got up and went to stand behind Alistair. She had seen her brother's wrath before and it frightened even her. At the same time, Keith realized he best get out of the way and backed into one of the sideboards, knocking the clock over.