The Highlanders English Lass

Chapter 16

2 weeks later

The summer weather was coming to an end for England of course. Arabella had ridden long but took her time, making sure no one would follow her. Her skirts were muddy and torn and she was hungry.

It was hard to find much to eat while traveling. The last time she traveled this road she had ross by her side. He hunted and found food. It was to risky to go into any towns. Someone might recognize her and send work back to mackay.

She was close, so close to being back where she needed to be. Somewhere she didn't want to see again. Her home.

It was midday as she rode through the familiar forests she used to ride through. It felt different like it was no longer her home. Arabella rode to the barn and let the horse break, this was it she needed to see her parents.

The home was drafty and cold as if no one was here anymore. Come to think of it the stable boy wasn't in the barn. No maids walked the halls, everything was dark and covered. Where was her family?

Arabella walked down to the drawing room the same one that ross declared he would marry her. The windows were covered and closed, sheets were draped on the chairs and tables. Where did her family go? 

She walked upstairs to her old room. It looked as if they used her room for storage. Kate's room look like it was just covered just like her parents room. Clothes were gone as if the packed and just left.

Where did they go?

A crash broke her from her thoughts. Was someone home? who? why?

Arabella ran from the room down the stairs. A tall dark haired man stood at the bottom of the stairs.

"Charles?"

He turned to face her, "ara? what on earth are you doing here? wheres ross?"

Arabella didn't stop to answer she just ran to hug her brother. It felt like forever since she had seen him. He looked older more like a father should look.

"why are you here Charles wheres mother and father?"

Charles looked down, "They are gone ara they left in a hurry."

"Why though and where is kate?"

Everything was gone but why? 

"Arabella you need to leave, mother and father left. They are going to the continent and never coming back."

They left...and weren't coming home. It felt wrong why did they leave?

"what about kate what happened to her?"

Tears now filled her eyes, her family was gone and they didn't tell her.

"Kate left too she ran off with some guy from the gaming hell. She got sad she hated her life. People heard that she was turned down by a laird and rumors spread. People were mean about it too, no man wanted to court her or marry her."

That sounded nothing like her sister, Kate was quite flirty but she never pushed the limits. She never went to gaming hells or places they were not aloud to go. So why now, where would they find her?

"why did mother and father leave? This is there life."

Charles looked as he almost wasn't going to tell her. Like it hurt to much to say. 

"Everything he made and built was lost. He had been making poor choices all our lives Ara. When he had a fourth child to marry off that was a daughter he and mother became unhappy."

How was this possible? How was she blinded by this. It made sense to why her older brother married and never came to see them. Also why Charles married quick too but he never left because of her.

It explained why kate was the next to be married off, it was because ara was the one they didn't want. Somewhere down the line things got worse.

"so if they are all gone why are you here?"

It seemed strange as to why Charles would come down.

"I own this house now, the house has nothing to do with the debts. Everything else was taken away though. I was thinking of moving back here with the baby."

Pain flashed in his eyes what had happened?

"what about your wife?"

Charles looked away from her as he spoke, "She is dead."

His word rang in her mind, his wife was dead.....she was no older then 24. she was young and healthy how. The baby how was he or she was it ok?

"The baby is fine she is fine.....we named her rose. before she died."

Charles face looked cold and hard as if his everything was gone. In some ways it was gone but she left something apart of her behind.

"how did she pass, in birth?"

Charles looked cold hard a small part of him sad.

"No she didn't pass in birth....someone killed her in the nursery, it was a murder. Cold hearted murder."  Charles reached into his pocket and passed her a paper. "who ever killed her left a note"

~ no more little wifey for you enjoy, give up I am coming for the people you love

The writing was the same as the notes Arabella had been given. Was this the same person who was threatening her?

"where are you staying ara and where is ross?"

Should she tell him? how could she.

"I came alone I was going to visit the family but I guess its just you now"

Charles nodded "come stay with me then I have missed you and I would very much like for you to meet your niece"

Charles and and Arabella rode back to his house, In the back of her mind she knew Charles didn't believe that story she told him. It was best she kept to the story though she needed to keep ross safe. It wasn't going to be that simple though. What if someone came for Charles or the baby.

It was time to take things into her own hands and find who ever was doing this and take them down.