Read Online Claimed By A Charmer (The Pith Trilogy) by Kara Griffin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kara Griffin
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moment.”
The men ceased their conversation
when she spoke. All glanced at her. Most smiled, except for Douglas and
Brendan, who hardly ever smiled. Candace didn’t know how to ask her request.
Douglas would balk at traveling to England to retrieve her friend. She had to
figure out a way to gain his agreement. Even if she had to cry until the
morrow, she’d do so, as long as he agreed.
*****
Douglas yawned again, and set down
his ale. He wasn’t sure why he was tired, but he felt as though he could sleep
for a week. His sister stood afar, but he could tell she’d been crying, and her
face seemed long. He motioned for her to come forward.
“Aye, Candace, I have time. Come
and join us.”
She seemed bothered, and pulled at
her sleeve, a telltale action that he knew well.
“Nay, I would rather speak to you
in private. I can’t tell you what I … I must speak to you alone, it concerns a
personal matter.”
“Colin, continue without me.”
Douglas led her through the doors
of the hall. She seemed rigid as they walked along, and appeared to be working
out whatever she wanted to ask in her mind. He sensed her hesitation, which was
so unlike her, but he grinned at her strange manner. He loved his sister, even
though she’d been born of a different mother. His stepmother, Shelagh, took
care of them, and his home. Since his father passed, Douglas became responsible
for them. In fact, he’d introduced Candace to her intended husband.
Willard MacIver was a member of a
clan the Kerrs were allied to. They would marry in the spring, after the next
winter season. Candace seemed delighted about it, and his mother was fond of
the MacIvers as well. Mayhap she had a change of mind?
“You’re not having second thoughts
about wedding Wills, are ye?”
“Nay, of course not, I’m pleased to
be marrying Will. I do need a favor, Douglas, and I’m not sure how to ask. ‘Tis
a difficult task.”
Douglas noticed that she squeezed
her hands so tightly, her knuckles turned white. Why was she nervous? He yawned
again, covering his mouth, before he could speak.
“Just ask, lass. I won’t be angry.”
He gave her a grin to ward off her hesitancy. They stopped beneath a gnarled
oak, where he leaned against the trunk and waited. The shade from the dense
leaves cooled him. “Whatever it is, lass, I can’t help if you don’t talk to me.
What is it?”
“It concerns my friend, Isabel.”
“Isabel?” He pretended ignorance.
“You’ve forgotten her? She’s the
lady I visited at the Gordon’s. You met her when ye came because father …” she
didn’t finish, and lowered her eyes.
He knew she disliked speaking of
their father’s death. It was still too difficult to accept.
“That was almost two years ago, I
cannot believe you remember her.” Isabel . He remembered her all right,
but wouldn’t own that he did.
“We made a promise to each another.
I’ve been remiss, and now must see to it.”
His sister’s smile made him
lighten. “What kind of promise?” He knew better than to agree before he
understood exactly what it was he would undertake.
“I swore to send for her when I was
to marry. I need you to bring her here.”
“You want her to come here? Why?”
“We promised to be at each other’s
weddings. She’s my best friend. I need her.” Candace pulled at the sleeve of
her gown, the fabric would likely tear.
He noticed the action and frowned. “You
have your clan. Ye don’t need her.” He folded his arms across his chest,
shaking his head.
“I do need her.”
“I cannot leave now. If I go, it’ll
have to await the spring, before your wedding. Mayhap in March, that will give
you plenty of time to visit before you marry.”
Candace lowered her gaze to the
ground. He took her arm, and felt her stiffen. She began weeping, and damn it
all, he couldn’t help but be swayed by her tears.
“Candace, you know I cannot abide
tears. Please, don’t cry.”
“I can’t help it,” she wailed.
The men ceased their conversation
when she spoke. All glanced at her. Most smiled, except for Douglas and
Brendan, who hardly ever smiled. Candace didn’t know how to ask her request.
Douglas would balk at traveling to England to retrieve her friend. She had to
figure out a way to gain his agreement. Even if she had to cry until the
morrow, she’d do so, as long as he agreed.
*****
Douglas yawned again, and set down
his ale. He wasn’t sure why he was tired, but he felt as though he could sleep
for a week. His sister stood afar, but he could tell she’d been crying, and her
face seemed long. He motioned for her to come forward.
“Aye, Candace, I have time. Come
and join us.”
She seemed bothered, and pulled at
her sleeve, a telltale action that he knew well.
“Nay, I would rather speak to you
in private. I can’t tell you what I … I must speak to you alone, it concerns a
personal matter.”
“Colin, continue without me.”
Douglas led her through the doors
of the hall. She seemed rigid as they walked along, and appeared to be working
out whatever she wanted to ask in her mind. He sensed her hesitation, which was
so unlike her, but he grinned at her strange manner. He loved his sister, even
though she’d been born of a different mother. His stepmother, Shelagh, took
care of them, and his home. Since his father passed, Douglas became responsible
for them. In fact, he’d introduced Candace to her intended husband.
Willard MacIver was a member of a
clan the Kerrs were allied to. They would marry in the spring, after the next
winter season. Candace seemed delighted about it, and his mother was fond of
the MacIvers as well. Mayhap she had a change of mind?
“You’re not having second thoughts
about wedding Wills, are ye?”
“Nay, of course not, I’m pleased to
be marrying Will. I do need a favor, Douglas, and I’m not sure how to ask. ‘Tis
a difficult task.”
Douglas noticed that she squeezed
her hands so tightly, her knuckles turned white. Why was she nervous? He yawned
again, covering his mouth, before he could speak.
“Just ask, lass. I won’t be angry.”
He gave her a grin to ward off her hesitancy. They stopped beneath a gnarled
oak, where he leaned against the trunk and waited. The shade from the dense
leaves cooled him. “Whatever it is, lass, I can’t help if you don’t talk to me.
What is it?”
“It concerns my friend, Isabel.”
“Isabel?” He pretended ignorance.
“You’ve forgotten her? She’s the
lady I visited at the Gordon’s. You met her when ye came because father …” she
didn’t finish, and lowered her eyes.
He knew she disliked speaking of
their father’s death. It was still too difficult to accept.
“That was almost two years ago, I
cannot believe you remember her.” Isabel . He remembered her all right,
but wouldn’t own that he did.
“We made a promise to each another.
I’ve been remiss, and now must see to it.”
His sister’s smile made him
lighten. “What kind of promise?” He knew better than to agree before he
understood exactly what it was he would undertake.
“I swore to send for her when I was
to marry. I need you to bring her here.”
“You want her to come here? Why?”
“We promised to be at each other’s
weddings. She’s my best friend. I need her.” Candace pulled at the sleeve of
her gown, the fabric would likely tear.
He noticed the action and frowned. “You
have your clan. Ye don’t need her.” He folded his arms across his chest,
shaking his head.
“I do need her.”
“I cannot leave now. If I go, it’ll
have to await the spring, before your wedding. Mayhap in March, that will give
you plenty of time to visit before you marry.”
Candace lowered her gaze to the
ground. He took her arm, and felt her stiffen. She began weeping, and damn it
all, he couldn’t help but be swayed by her tears.
“Candace, you know I cannot abide
tears. Please, don’t cry.”
“I can’t help it,” she wailed.
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