Read Online Heart of the Highlands: The Beast (Protectors of the Crown Book 1) by April Holthaus - Free Book Online
Authors: April Holthaus
Ads: Link
of my mission. Can ye just trust that I am only looking out fer yer safety and that I will disclose to ye what I can when the time comes?”
Keira saw nothing but sincerity in his eyes. Perhaps she had been a tad irrational and quick to judge. After all, he had kept his word thus far.
“Alright! Ye leave me little choice but to trust ye.”
“Good.”
Keira let out a breath and followed Ian. Over a small hill, she spotted his horse grazing on the tall grass. Amazed at the sight of it, she was still perplexed at how he had followed her, on horseback of all things, without her knowledge. Perhaps her banter had kept her from noticing the obvious.
Keira allowed Ian to help her mount the tall creature without dispute. Mounting behind her, he led the horse back the way they had come.
Chapter 7
Ian and Keira returned to the camp just as the men were beginning to awaken. She was surprised to find that she had not gotten as far as she’d hoped when Ian came upon her, as their return trip took only a matter of a few moments. Even if he hadn’t found her, based on the distance she’d managed to travel this morning, it would have taken at least a month for her to reach the border of her land. It only proved that she had little choice but to trust Ian and his word to return her to her family.
“Where have ye been?” Rylan asked.
“Fer a short ride,” Ian replied.
Keira shot a glance over at Ian. He lied for her. Why? Perhaps he did not wish to anger his men with her rash decision to leave. Whatever the reason, she felt grateful. It was as clear as spring water, these men did not think highly of her and she did not want to do anything that would further provoke them.
“Are ye and Leland packed?” Ian asked.
“Aye, we are,” Rylan responded, looking at them both suspiciously.
Ian turned his attention back to Keira. His look was like the calm before a storm.
“My lady, if ye wish fer some privacy before we leave, I suggest ye do so now. I wish to cover as much land as possible today.”
“How long will it take to get there?” she asked.
“Tis a two day journey from here. Can I trust ye no’ to run?”
Keira bit her bottom lip. She had every right to run, but the scowl on Ian’s face had a way of making her feel guilty about her need for freedom.
“Aye,” she whispered, speaking the truth.
Ian allowed Keira her privacy but stayed within hearing distance, making sure that she did not back down from her promise.
He had never known a lass to keep her word. One or two had made an attempt to keep their word to him, but in the end, women always did what they wanted if they could get away with it.
“She ran, dinna she? I told ye, she would be nothing but trouble,” Rylan said, more as a statement than a question, grabbing his pack from the ground and swinging it over the saddle.
Ian grimaced at his accusation but did not respond. He’d made one excuse for the lass already; he was not about to make another. Nothing ever seemed to get past Rylan. The damn man was too clever for his own good, but that cleverness made him a good warrior.
A few moments later, Keira reappeared. Her eyes were puffy from lack of sleep and it appeared she had to will her body to move. It served her right for trying to escape in the first place!
Ian looked down at her skirt as she walked. He imagined it was hard for the lass to ride with such a large bundle of fabric underneath her bottom. Then an idea came to him. Ian pulled out a small, short-bladed dirk from his belt and tossed it to Keira. She caught the small knife in her hands and studied the blade.
“Do yerself a favor and cut off the under layers of that skirt of yers. All that fluff is no’ necessary and removing it will prevent ye from tripping all o’er it when ye walk. Plus it will make ye much more comfortable on the horse.”
~*~
Keira looked down at the sharp blade in her hands. How could he have been so trusting to think that she wouldn’t use
Keira saw nothing but sincerity in his eyes. Perhaps she had been a tad irrational and quick to judge. After all, he had kept his word thus far.
“Alright! Ye leave me little choice but to trust ye.”
“Good.”
Keira let out a breath and followed Ian. Over a small hill, she spotted his horse grazing on the tall grass. Amazed at the sight of it, she was still perplexed at how he had followed her, on horseback of all things, without her knowledge. Perhaps her banter had kept her from noticing the obvious.
Keira allowed Ian to help her mount the tall creature without dispute. Mounting behind her, he led the horse back the way they had come.
Chapter 7
Ian and Keira returned to the camp just as the men were beginning to awaken. She was surprised to find that she had not gotten as far as she’d hoped when Ian came upon her, as their return trip took only a matter of a few moments. Even if he hadn’t found her, based on the distance she’d managed to travel this morning, it would have taken at least a month for her to reach the border of her land. It only proved that she had little choice but to trust Ian and his word to return her to her family.
“Where have ye been?” Rylan asked.
“Fer a short ride,” Ian replied.
Keira shot a glance over at Ian. He lied for her. Why? Perhaps he did not wish to anger his men with her rash decision to leave. Whatever the reason, she felt grateful. It was as clear as spring water, these men did not think highly of her and she did not want to do anything that would further provoke them.
“Are ye and Leland packed?” Ian asked.
“Aye, we are,” Rylan responded, looking at them both suspiciously.
Ian turned his attention back to Keira. His look was like the calm before a storm.
“My lady, if ye wish fer some privacy before we leave, I suggest ye do so now. I wish to cover as much land as possible today.”
“How long will it take to get there?” she asked.
“Tis a two day journey from here. Can I trust ye no’ to run?”
Keira bit her bottom lip. She had every right to run, but the scowl on Ian’s face had a way of making her feel guilty about her need for freedom.
“Aye,” she whispered, speaking the truth.
Ian allowed Keira her privacy but stayed within hearing distance, making sure that she did not back down from her promise.
He had never known a lass to keep her word. One or two had made an attempt to keep their word to him, but in the end, women always did what they wanted if they could get away with it.
“She ran, dinna she? I told ye, she would be nothing but trouble,” Rylan said, more as a statement than a question, grabbing his pack from the ground and swinging it over the saddle.
Ian grimaced at his accusation but did not respond. He’d made one excuse for the lass already; he was not about to make another. Nothing ever seemed to get past Rylan. The damn man was too clever for his own good, but that cleverness made him a good warrior.
A few moments later, Keira reappeared. Her eyes were puffy from lack of sleep and it appeared she had to will her body to move. It served her right for trying to escape in the first place!
Ian looked down at her skirt as she walked. He imagined it was hard for the lass to ride with such a large bundle of fabric underneath her bottom. Then an idea came to him. Ian pulled out a small, short-bladed dirk from his belt and tossed it to Keira. She caught the small knife in her hands and studied the blade.
“Do yerself a favor and cut off the under layers of that skirt of yers. All that fluff is no’ necessary and removing it will prevent ye from tripping all o’er it when ye walk. Plus it will make ye much more comfortable on the horse.”
~*~
Keira looked down at the sharp blade in her hands. How could he have been so trusting to think that she wouldn’t use
Similar Books
