Read Online Highland Legends 04 - Captive Highlander by Connie C. Scharon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Connie C. Scharon
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indelibly? A combination of things Ian decided. He
admired her bravery to hatch such a wild plan and carry it out with so little
help. Beautiful and headstrong, she bewitched him every time he saw her. Those
sea-green eyes lit when she challenged him. Again, the mere thought of her inflamed
him.
What if Rannoch interfered with
her return to the dungeon? Ian could starve in this hell hole or worse. He
could hear the rats shuffling in the distance. The darkness made them braver.
Despite his surroundings, Ian found a sleep full of sea-green eyes and red-gold
hair.
The sudden rattle of the key in
the lock woke Ian with a start. Katie stood before him carrying a lantern and
another sack of food. That didn’t bode well. If she intended to free him, it
would not be necessary to feed him in this hell hole. He rose and faced her
letting his gaze feast on her soft curves in the dim light. Her light blue
shift made her look angelic in the candlelight.
“Milady, I see you have come
back.”
“I would speak with you while you
eat,” she petitioned. “I listened to what you said earlier and I have things to
discuss with you.”
He moved as close as his chains
would allow. She brushed past him and began setting forth a meal of roast lamb
and fresh bread on the table. Ian sat down across from her watching her discomfort
in the dim light.
“If you would like to discuss my
release, I would be happy to talk,” he began. “Sadly, I dinna think that is why
you have come.”
Her face colored, but she held
her head high. “Please eat while I gather my courage.”
The aroma of the lamb filled his
nostrils bringing back the memory of the night she served him lamb stew in the
tavern. He began eating, waiting patiently for her to tell him what troubled
her. When he finished the plate and mopped up the juices with his bread, he sat
back and looked at her. “What is it, Katie? Has your father taken a turn for
the worse?”
“Nay, Milord, he improves
slightly.”
“So I was wrong about the
poisoning?”
She shook her head negatively.
“You were right.”
“How do you ken?”
“I spied on Rannoch and Sorcha.”
Ian pounded his fist on the
table. She jumped. “Are you daft? If they caught you they would kill you!”
“I am thankful you are concerned
about my well being, Milord, but from what I heard I am more valuable to them
alive.”
“Please tell me more. How did you
overhear them without endangering yourself?”
“There is a spy hole in the small
room off Rannoch’s chamber. I watched them and listened to what they said.”
“Sorcha was in his chamber.”
Katie’s face grew pale and she swallowed hard.
“What did you see, Katie?”
“He took her. He had her bound to
a table near the fire and he….”
“They are lovers.”
“Aye.”
“You watched?”
“Dinna make it sound like
something it was not. As soon as I saw what they were doing, I turned away and
waited for them to finish.”
Ian drew a deep breath. “Had you
ever seen the like before?”
“Nay, Milord,” she said quickly.
“When they finished, they spoke of the potion Sorcha is giving my father. He
told her to cut back on the amount so that my father would not die before…
before….”
“Before what?”
“Before he could get our king’s
permission to take me for his wife.”
“Zounds! He seeks to marry you
and kill your father.”
“So it would seem, Milord.”
“You need to release me so I can
get you and your family to safety.”
“What can one man do against so
many?”
“I canna believe your father’s
clansmen would support Rannoch if they knew what he is about. He would be left
with twenty or so of his kinsmen.”
“Rannoch is a dangerous man. He
sent Keith somewhere. There is no one I can trust.”
“I canna help you unless you free
me.” He reached his hand across the table and took hers. “Katie, I dinna want
anything to happen to you. In better days, your father and mine were friends.
Let me help
admired her bravery to hatch such a wild plan and carry it out with so little
help. Beautiful and headstrong, she bewitched him every time he saw her. Those
sea-green eyes lit when she challenged him. Again, the mere thought of her inflamed
him.
What if Rannoch interfered with
her return to the dungeon? Ian could starve in this hell hole or worse. He
could hear the rats shuffling in the distance. The darkness made them braver.
Despite his surroundings, Ian found a sleep full of sea-green eyes and red-gold
hair.
The sudden rattle of the key in
the lock woke Ian with a start. Katie stood before him carrying a lantern and
another sack of food. That didn’t bode well. If she intended to free him, it
would not be necessary to feed him in this hell hole. He rose and faced her
letting his gaze feast on her soft curves in the dim light. Her light blue
shift made her look angelic in the candlelight.
“Milady, I see you have come
back.”
“I would speak with you while you
eat,” she petitioned. “I listened to what you said earlier and I have things to
discuss with you.”
He moved as close as his chains
would allow. She brushed past him and began setting forth a meal of roast lamb
and fresh bread on the table. Ian sat down across from her watching her discomfort
in the dim light.
“If you would like to discuss my
release, I would be happy to talk,” he began. “Sadly, I dinna think that is why
you have come.”
Her face colored, but she held
her head high. “Please eat while I gather my courage.”
The aroma of the lamb filled his
nostrils bringing back the memory of the night she served him lamb stew in the
tavern. He began eating, waiting patiently for her to tell him what troubled
her. When he finished the plate and mopped up the juices with his bread, he sat
back and looked at her. “What is it, Katie? Has your father taken a turn for
the worse?”
“Nay, Milord, he improves
slightly.”
“So I was wrong about the
poisoning?”
She shook her head negatively.
“You were right.”
“How do you ken?”
“I spied on Rannoch and Sorcha.”
Ian pounded his fist on the
table. She jumped. “Are you daft? If they caught you they would kill you!”
“I am thankful you are concerned
about my well being, Milord, but from what I heard I am more valuable to them
alive.”
“Please tell me more. How did you
overhear them without endangering yourself?”
“There is a spy hole in the small
room off Rannoch’s chamber. I watched them and listened to what they said.”
“Sorcha was in his chamber.”
Katie’s face grew pale and she swallowed hard.
“What did you see, Katie?”
“He took her. He had her bound to
a table near the fire and he….”
“They are lovers.”
“Aye.”
“You watched?”
“Dinna make it sound like
something it was not. As soon as I saw what they were doing, I turned away and
waited for them to finish.”
Ian drew a deep breath. “Had you
ever seen the like before?”
“Nay, Milord,” she said quickly.
“When they finished, they spoke of the potion Sorcha is giving my father. He
told her to cut back on the amount so that my father would not die before…
before….”
“Before what?”
“Before he could get our king’s
permission to take me for his wife.”
“Zounds! He seeks to marry you
and kill your father.”
“So it would seem, Milord.”
“You need to release me so I can
get you and your family to safety.”
“What can one man do against so
many?”
“I canna believe your father’s
clansmen would support Rannoch if they knew what he is about. He would be left
with twenty or so of his kinsmen.”
“Rannoch is a dangerous man. He
sent Keith somewhere. There is no one I can trust.”
“I canna help you unless you free
me.” He reached his hand across the table and took hers. “Katie, I dinna want
anything to happen to you. In better days, your father and mine were friends.
Let me help
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