Page 8 of A Nameless Highland Laird
Eventually, the carriage rolled to a stop. Charlotte still felt like her whole body was jostling around and she wasn’t sure when that feeling would go away. She hoped it was before she had to face Laird Knox.
With one final glance to Alec out of the window and then to Elizabeth, Charlotte squared her shoulders and slid on the bench to the door. She pushed on the handle and let it swing open before she stepped outside.
Her first breath of fresh air in countless hours felt heavy in her lungs as she took in her new view. The grass was still green and the sun was still shining, birds were chirping and the added noise of the village behind her was a familiar touch. But there was nothing warm and welcoming about the castle. Everything about her future home seemed to contradict the blooming colors of the world around them.
It was a tall, imposing structure, interrupting the skyline the same way her beloved mountains did back home, with much less grace and magnificence. Every single part of the castle was a dull, drab gray that sucked the life out of the air. The gardens had long since been forgotten, along with any other repairs or improvements to the castle, save for the ones that aided in its defenses. She couldn’t begin to count the turrets or the amount of guards that could be stationed on the outer walls. The door alone was big enough to require an ox to move it.
Of course, it didn’t help things that there was no one outside to greet her or welcome her into the castle. Normally, such an event would require the Laird and all of his servants to line the stairs for introductions, but she doubted she could anticipate many manners from Laird Knox. That was not what he was known for.
Without anyone to see her, she spun around to look at the courtyard and everything that lay just beyond it. There were dozens of people bustling around, moving through their chores for the day. They didn’t seem to pay her or her entourage any mind. She wondered how frequently they had a line of guests coming into town.
A loud creak had her twisting back around to the castle. The door moved on unoiled hinges, opening just wide enough to let out a small slip of a servant.
“This ought to be good,” Elizabeth muttered behind her, groaning as she stretched to cover up the critical words.
Charlotte was barely able to paste on a smile before the woman approached.
“Ye must be Laird Sinclair’s daughter. We’ve been expecting ye.”
That was the only welcome Charlotte got before the maid turned on her heels, waving for Charlotte to follow. The woman moved quickly, so Charlotte didn’t have time to waste.
She put one foot in front of the other and started after her feeble welcoming party. Every step closer to the castle had Charlotte wondering about just what was in store for her. She wondered when she would meet Laird Knox and what kind of life she was going to be chained to from this point forward.
Shaking herself, Charlotte sighed and then picked up her pace.
