Read Online Highland Champion by Hannah Howell - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Hannah Howell
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aye, ’tis good to see ye again as weel,” Mary said. “’Twill soon be e’en better, when we—”
“Allow me to introduce my wife,” he interrupted hastily, not wanting Mary to get too precise in her reminiscing. Keira undoubtedly knew he had bedded this woman, but she did not need to know the how, the when, or the where.
Keira opened her mouth to heartily deny Liam’s claim, but a quick, sharp look from him made her choke back the words. Her common sense told her there were some very good reasons for such a pretense. She would rather share a room with a man she was beginning to think was a rampant lecher, than sleep alone and unguarded. Some of the men gathered in the alehouse did not look as if they would be troubled much by a locked door or an unwilling woman. For all of his faults, Liam would never try to force her. It was going to be a long, uncomfortable night, however, she thought as she forced herself to briefly smile a greeting to a gaping Mary. When her mind added a lot of nasty qualifications after the woman’s name, Keira hastily silenced it. It was not Mary’s fault that Liam seemed unable to keep his breeches laced tightly against temptation. She just wished she could stop her mind from filling her head with painful images of Liam and Mary together, in a bed, naked.
“Married?” Mary screeched finally, then quickly took a step back and curtsied somewhat clumsily to Keira. “So that is where ye have been, Liam. Och, aye, and ye have been injured. Your cousins came here looking for ye, ye ken.”
“When?” asked Liam.
“Oh, twice now. They last stopped here three, mayhap four, days ago.” Mary grinned. “A fine-looking crop of braw laddies. We did have fun.”
So, perhaps her mind was not wrong in naming Mary a whore, Keira thought. A pretty, cheerful one at that, and one who made no secret of her wanton ways. It did not matter. She knew men often sought out such women, some even after they were married. Her own kinsmen did so while they were free of all vows and bonds. It did not make it any less painful to know that Liam had done so or to have to look one of those women in the eye.
It does not matter , she sternly told herself. For a little while she had fooled herself, allowed herself to think she could be of interest to a man like Sir Liam. It was good that she had been awakened from that dream before she had done something there would have been no retreating from.
After gleaning what information he could about his cousins, Liam requested a room, a bath, and a meal. As a still chattering Mary led him and Keira to the small bedchamber they would share, Liam kept glancing back at Keira to make sure she was still with him. Her continued silence was making him uneasy.
There would be no wooing Keira this night, he thought as Mary ushered them into a bedchamber, still talking. Liam idly wondered if Keira would even speak to him, and for a brief moment, thought that silence might be welcome. He had never noticed how much Mary talked, but then, he had been too busy scratching an itch to care, he ruefully admitted. It pained him to admit it, even if only to himself, but his cousin Sigimor mayhave been right when he had said there might come a day when he paid for all that scratching. Liam just did not think he deserved to pay so dearly.
Keira remained silent as a bath was prepared for her. She would truly like to speak pleasantly and to act as if she cared not at all that Liam was a lecherous swine, but she feared what might burst out if she opened her mouth. When he left her to her bath asking only that she not take too long for he would also enjoy a wash with warm water, Keira sighed and began to undress. As she sank her weary body into the warm water, she sighed with pleasure and could almost feel sorry for Liam because he would not be able to enjoy this delight. It would be another fortnight before he could sink himself into a bath, and even then, he might need help getting in and out
“Allow me to introduce my wife,” he interrupted hastily, not wanting Mary to get too precise in her reminiscing. Keira undoubtedly knew he had bedded this woman, but she did not need to know the how, the when, or the where.
Keira opened her mouth to heartily deny Liam’s claim, but a quick, sharp look from him made her choke back the words. Her common sense told her there were some very good reasons for such a pretense. She would rather share a room with a man she was beginning to think was a rampant lecher, than sleep alone and unguarded. Some of the men gathered in the alehouse did not look as if they would be troubled much by a locked door or an unwilling woman. For all of his faults, Liam would never try to force her. It was going to be a long, uncomfortable night, however, she thought as she forced herself to briefly smile a greeting to a gaping Mary. When her mind added a lot of nasty qualifications after the woman’s name, Keira hastily silenced it. It was not Mary’s fault that Liam seemed unable to keep his breeches laced tightly against temptation. She just wished she could stop her mind from filling her head with painful images of Liam and Mary together, in a bed, naked.
“Married?” Mary screeched finally, then quickly took a step back and curtsied somewhat clumsily to Keira. “So that is where ye have been, Liam. Och, aye, and ye have been injured. Your cousins came here looking for ye, ye ken.”
“When?” asked Liam.
“Oh, twice now. They last stopped here three, mayhap four, days ago.” Mary grinned. “A fine-looking crop of braw laddies. We did have fun.”
So, perhaps her mind was not wrong in naming Mary a whore, Keira thought. A pretty, cheerful one at that, and one who made no secret of her wanton ways. It did not matter. She knew men often sought out such women, some even after they were married. Her own kinsmen did so while they were free of all vows and bonds. It did not make it any less painful to know that Liam had done so or to have to look one of those women in the eye.
It does not matter , she sternly told herself. For a little while she had fooled herself, allowed herself to think she could be of interest to a man like Sir Liam. It was good that she had been awakened from that dream before she had done something there would have been no retreating from.
After gleaning what information he could about his cousins, Liam requested a room, a bath, and a meal. As a still chattering Mary led him and Keira to the small bedchamber they would share, Liam kept glancing back at Keira to make sure she was still with him. Her continued silence was making him uneasy.
There would be no wooing Keira this night, he thought as Mary ushered them into a bedchamber, still talking. Liam idly wondered if Keira would even speak to him, and for a brief moment, thought that silence might be welcome. He had never noticed how much Mary talked, but then, he had been too busy scratching an itch to care, he ruefully admitted. It pained him to admit it, even if only to himself, but his cousin Sigimor mayhave been right when he had said there might come a day when he paid for all that scratching. Liam just did not think he deserved to pay so dearly.
Keira remained silent as a bath was prepared for her. She would truly like to speak pleasantly and to act as if she cared not at all that Liam was a lecherous swine, but she feared what might burst out if she opened her mouth. When he left her to her bath asking only that she not take too long for he would also enjoy a wash with warm water, Keira sighed and began to undress. As she sank her weary body into the warm water, she sighed with pleasure and could almost feel sorry for Liam because he would not be able to enjoy this delight. It would be another fortnight before he could sink himself into a bath, and even then, he might need help getting in and out
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