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One

Charleston, South Carolina, 1799

“Think about the Highlands,” TC Connor said to his goddaughter, Cay “Think about your father’s homeland, of the people there He was the laird, so that hter, which means—”

“Do you thinkofat him

TC lay on his bed with a splint fro just hours before and griave Cay a weak s of his precious daughter, he’d tieme across a couple of mountains”

“I’ll go,” Hope said froe and—”

TC put his hand over hers and looked at her fondly Hope was the only child of Bathsheba and Isaac Chap ruered on TC Connor claimed he was just “a friend of the fa the women that there had been more between Bathsheba and TC than just friendship It was even whispered that TC could possibly be Hope’s father

“That’s very kind of you to offer, dear, but” He trailed off, not wanting to state the obvious Hope had been raised in a city and she’d never been on the back of a horse She traveled only in carriages And, also, she’d fallen down a staircase when she was three and her left leg had healed incorrectly Under her long skirts she wore a shoe with a two-inch-thick sole

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“Uncle TC,” Hope said patiently, “what you’re asking of Cay is impossible Look at her She’s dressed for a ball She can’t very well ride a horse wearing that gown”

TC and Hope looked at Cay and the sparkling splendor of her nearly lit up the room Cay was just twenty years old and, while she’d never be the classical beauty her mother was, she was very pretty Her dark blue eyes peered out fro lashes, but her best feature was her thick auburn hair that was now pinned up, with curls escaping and softening the strong jaw line she’d inherited from her father

“I want her to go directly fro place to the ball” When he tried to sit up, TC had to suppress a groan “Maybe I can—”

Hope gave hiainst the mattress She wiped his sweat-covered forehead with a cool cloth

Winded, he looked back at Cay The gown she had on was exquisite A white satin overlaid with gauze, it was covered with hundreds of little crystal beads set in intricate patterns It clung to her slius McTern Harcourt, the dress cost ht,” TC said “You can’t possibly go in erous for anyone, especially for a young girl If only Nate were here Or Ethan or Tally”

At the mention of three of her four older brothers, Cay sat down on the chair by the side of the bed “I can outride Tally,” she said of her brother as less than a year older than she was “And I can shoot as well as Nate”

“Adam,” TC said “If only Adam were here”

Cay gave a sigh She couldn’t do anything as well as her oldest brother Adam could But then, only her father was a match for Adam