Read Online Her Highland Rogue: A Wild Highland Guardian Novel by Violetta Rand - Free Book Online Page B

she’d kept on her emotions disintegrated and tears filled her eyes. Margot tsked and held her away from her body so she could see Aileana’s face.
    “What happened?”
    “Have you not heard the rumors?” She palmed the tears away.
    Margot’s jaw tensed, but her gentle blue eyes showed nothing but compassion. “These little twits say many things, and if I took them all to heart, I’d find an early grave. Edme is waiting for us in the larder. Come…” She handed Aileana a basket. “We need help transferring some meat. We’re expecting MacKenzies tonight.”
    Aileana gladly took the basket. Margot kept a protective arm wrapped about her shoulders as she led her down a narrow corridor and a set of stairs. Several cavernous rooms carved from stone were located partially underground. Cooler air greeted Aileana as she entered the largest cellar, wall torches providing enough light to see the racks of meat hanging on iron pegs hammered into the stonework. Edme stood before a wild boar with a knife.
    “See who the young master brought back to us,” Margot announced as she encouraged Aileana to step deeper inside.
    Edme turned around and smiled. “And where did ye think you’d be able to hide?”
    “I’m so sorry,” Aileana sniffled, never able to hide her feelings from these two dear women.
    Spinster sisters, they’d loved her unconditionally from the moment she showed up. Edme had gotten a wet cloth and cleaned Aileana’s face and hands while Margot worked quickly to put together a meal. They sat with her at the servants’ table, watching her eat so fast she was sure to have the worst bellyache of her life. But they didn’t discourage her. And only when she’d finished the last hot bannock did the questions start. That’s all she remembered from her first night in the MacRae keep. She woke up the next morn in bed with Edme, wrapped in clan plaid and pleasantly warm. And in the eight years she’d lived under their guidance and protection, not once had they raised their voices at her or beat her.
    “The laird came to the kitchens looking for you,” Margot said.
    “Acted as if ye were his own flesh and blood.” Edme put the knife down on the worktable and wiped her hands on the towel draped around her waist. “Did you run away because Broc asked for yer hand?”
    Her breath caught in her throat. “What?”
    “Once Errol left to find ye, Broc requested a meeting with us. Imagine how flattered we were that he took the time to speak with us before approaching the laird.”
    “But he doesna love me.” Aileana leaned on the wall to steady herself. “ ’Tis my fault. I’ve hidden the truth for too long. I wanted to protect you from the vile things Broc had done. I know you admire him.”
    Margot looked to her sister first, then back at Aileana. “Has the man hurt ye?”
    “Just my pride.” Anger welled up inside her. Keeping quiet had done more harm than good. “Whenever you weren’t about, and usually after the fool had drank too much ale, he’d lumber in and try to have his way with me.”
    “His way?” Edme sounded furious.
    “He touched me,” she explained so there were no misconceptions about the man. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment.
    “The deceptive arse had us both believing his intentions were honorable,” Margot said. “Wait until I see him again.”
    “No, please.” Aileana shook her head. “I am the cause of too many problems already. Errol…”
    Edme tilted her head sideways and stared unblinking. “You address the laird’s son too informally, child.”
    “What happened on your trip home together?” Margot asked.
    Aileana regarded her thin face. “Nothing of note,” she said. “We spoke of little, we were too desperate to make it back to the keep before we froze to death to think of anything else.”
    She would never tell them about Sgùrr, or the kisses she’d just shared with Errol at the loch. But if she weren’t more careful about how she spoke of the