Read Online Highland Lover: Book 3 Scottish Knights Trilogy by Amanda Scott - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Amanda Scott
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the prow of the coble, and she was not about to stand to do so.
For one thing, she was uncertain that she would be able to perform either movement, as cold as she was. She also knew that she would stay calm only if she continued to place her trust in the coble and in the two men sailing it.
Jake had lost his hat, and his dark hair had plastered itself to his head. Strands of it stuck to his face. It had been windblown when she recognized him on the deck of the
Maryenknyght
. But she remembered his dark soft curls from his visit to MacGillivray House. That eveninghad been a pleasant one, and as far as she could tell, he had not altered in the year that had followed it.
Since he was Ivor’s friend, she knew she could trust him to look after her until they found Niall or learned what had become of him, because Ivor would take a dim view of anyone who betrayed her trust. And people never liked it when Ivor took a dim view. But what, she wondered, would they do next?
Will wanted to rejoin Jamie Stewart. But what if the pirates had
not
returned to Bridlington’s harbor? If they had gone elsewhere, how would anyone find them? And if the four of them did find the pirates, what then?
“The
Maryenknyght
be nae more the noo,” Will said, as if his thoughts had followed a similar track. “How will we get Jamie tae France if we
do
find him?”
“Orkney is wealthy and powerful,” she said. “If the pirates don’t know that, if they took them aboard only because the
Maryenknyght
was sinking and have released them hereabouts…” She stopped, seeing tears in Will’s eyes. “What is it?”
“Nowt,” he muttered. “I just ha’ a gey bad feeling about all o’ this.”
A tingling sensation touched her as he spoke. And the shudder that ran from her nape to her shoulders and rippled through her body had naught to do with the chilly wind. She recognized its meaning. Will was right, more so than he knew.
Jake’s thoughts followed a similar track as he considered what lay ahead. He had to discover what had happened to Orkney and James.
His two passengers would be devilishly in the way, and he could not do a thing about that. He itched for a few minutes with her ladyship’s husband to tell him what a fool he was for having brought her on such a voyage.
In any event, he couldn’t abandon her or Will. And rejoining the
Sea Wolf
quickly might not be an option while the wicked weather continued. Still, Coll would aim for the coast near the center of Filey Bay, as Jake had ordered him to do.
So the first order of business was to learn what he could and decide what his options were. The next would be to see to Lady Alyson’s safety.
They would have to walk north along the cliffs lining the bay to meet the
Sea Wolf
. Since that would take them away from Bridlington, he might have to depend on what news he could glean from folks on the headland or along the cliffs.
Unless the pirates left James and Orkney in Bridlington, he suspected that the Fates had seriously limited his options.
The harbor mouth looked larger as they neared it, and the coble passed with ease between the flanking chalk cliffs. Ahead, he saw a long jetty and a deep sandy beach at the base of the cliffs. Besides sand, though, there were scattered rocks and boulders. On any normal day, beaching safely would be easy. However, the heaving seas were driving huge waves inland despite the ebbing tide. In such an inlet, one rarely expected to find such powerful rollers.
Swiftly scanning the shore as he dropped the sail, he saw a pathway leading uphill from the jetty. It looked steep, but he would be glad to exert himself. The exercise would warm them all. He was sure that both of his passengers must be freezing in their wet clothing. He was none so warm himself.
The effects of the wind were less powerful in the harbor than on the bay. He saw two boats larger than the coble tied on the leeward side of the jetty, dancing wildly on the waves. He would keep his
For one thing, she was uncertain that she would be able to perform either movement, as cold as she was. She also knew that she would stay calm only if she continued to place her trust in the coble and in the two men sailing it.
Jake had lost his hat, and his dark hair had plastered itself to his head. Strands of it stuck to his face. It had been windblown when she recognized him on the deck of the
Maryenknyght
. But she remembered his dark soft curls from his visit to MacGillivray House. That eveninghad been a pleasant one, and as far as she could tell, he had not altered in the year that had followed it.
Since he was Ivor’s friend, she knew she could trust him to look after her until they found Niall or learned what had become of him, because Ivor would take a dim view of anyone who betrayed her trust. And people never liked it when Ivor took a dim view. But what, she wondered, would they do next?
Will wanted to rejoin Jamie Stewart. But what if the pirates had
not
returned to Bridlington’s harbor? If they had gone elsewhere, how would anyone find them? And if the four of them did find the pirates, what then?
“The
Maryenknyght
be nae more the noo,” Will said, as if his thoughts had followed a similar track. “How will we get Jamie tae France if we
do
find him?”
“Orkney is wealthy and powerful,” she said. “If the pirates don’t know that, if they took them aboard only because the
Maryenknyght
was sinking and have released them hereabouts…” She stopped, seeing tears in Will’s eyes. “What is it?”
“Nowt,” he muttered. “I just ha’ a gey bad feeling about all o’ this.”
A tingling sensation touched her as he spoke. And the shudder that ran from her nape to her shoulders and rippled through her body had naught to do with the chilly wind. She recognized its meaning. Will was right, more so than he knew.
Jake’s thoughts followed a similar track as he considered what lay ahead. He had to discover what had happened to Orkney and James.
His two passengers would be devilishly in the way, and he could not do a thing about that. He itched for a few minutes with her ladyship’s husband to tell him what a fool he was for having brought her on such a voyage.
In any event, he couldn’t abandon her or Will. And rejoining the
Sea Wolf
quickly might not be an option while the wicked weather continued. Still, Coll would aim for the coast near the center of Filey Bay, as Jake had ordered him to do.
So the first order of business was to learn what he could and decide what his options were. The next would be to see to Lady Alyson’s safety.
They would have to walk north along the cliffs lining the bay to meet the
Sea Wolf
. Since that would take them away from Bridlington, he might have to depend on what news he could glean from folks on the headland or along the cliffs.
Unless the pirates left James and Orkney in Bridlington, he suspected that the Fates had seriously limited his options.
The harbor mouth looked larger as they neared it, and the coble passed with ease between the flanking chalk cliffs. Ahead, he saw a long jetty and a deep sandy beach at the base of the cliffs. Besides sand, though, there were scattered rocks and boulders. On any normal day, beaching safely would be easy. However, the heaving seas were driving huge waves inland despite the ebbing tide. In such an inlet, one rarely expected to find such powerful rollers.
Swiftly scanning the shore as he dropped the sail, he saw a pathway leading uphill from the jetty. It looked steep, but he would be glad to exert himself. The exercise would warm them all. He was sure that both of his passengers must be freezing in their wet clothing. He was none so warm himself.
The effects of the wind were less powerful in the harbor than on the bay. He saw two boats larger than the coble tied on the leeward side of the jetty, dancing wildly on the waves. He would keep his
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