Read Online Highlander Medieval 06 - Her Highland Hero by Terry Spear - Free Book Online Page A

away. “It can never be.”
    Her heart took a dive and she bit her lip. “Do not say that. My father will change his mind. I will make sure of it.”
    Marcus considered her again, his expression weary. “His title and lands are too important. Dinna you see? He will never agree that we should wed.”
    Isobel fought the tears welling up in her eyes. She would never give Marcus up. Never.
    He reached out to her again, and this time she sat next to him on the bed. He folded his arms around her and held on tight, despite his injury, for one last time. She treasured feeling his arms around her, and she would cherish this moment forever.
    Then he kissed her forehead. “You must go.”
    She felt safe here in his arms. She didn’t want to go. She wanted to be with him like this always.
    Someone knocked on the door. Rob said through the closed door, “I must return our guest.”
    “Aye.” But Marcus sounded like he truly didn’t wish it.
    Rob opened the door. “Come, we must go.”
    She kissed Marcus then, with the passion she felt for him, and he returned the kiss just as passionately. Then she reluctantly left the bed, their hands clasped. “I will wed no other,” she vowed again to have Marcus for her husband.
    She pressed her lips against his warm and willing mouth one last time, her heart weighing heavily. With the fear of returning safely to her keep, that they would be in the midst of a fight where men on either side would be killed or badly injured, and trying to slip back inside the keep without anyone noticing, she felt anxious all over again. At least she knew that for now, Marcus was alive and on the mend.
    She assumed that he would give his cousins hell after she was returned safely to the keep. She loved them for helping her to see him, and she vowed to repay them someday.
    “I have to go. I…I love you, Marcus. Get well so that I may see you again soon.”
    He didn’t repeat her sentiment. She swallowed hard, afraid he had decided they had no chance to be together and after this last incident, he no longer would fight the inevitable. But she would.
    Rob closed the door after her and hurried her down the stairs and out of the tavern. Before long, they were riding once again across the border with the Scots at their side and were headed back to her keep.
    When they were only a mile or so from her castle, a force of a dozen men—her father’s men—led by Sir Halloran, captain of the guard, charged her and her escort. Her heart couldn’t have beat any faster with fear.
    Rob and his escort and that of the Scot’s quickly drew swords and encircled her as before, only with a larger force this time.
    “Nay!” she shouted as loud as she could manage and rode through her escort to reach her men. “Hold! ‘Tis me! Lady Isobel! They are not here to fight, but to escort me home safely! Let them return to the border without a fight!”
    Rob and some of the others had rejoined her, not allowing her to face the Englishmen alone, should they not believe who she was. She pushed back the cloak, some of her hair loose and falling about her shoulders.
    Her men looked furious with her, maybe a little worried. “I will not return to the keep and will fight you myself if you battle with these men,” she warned.
    “Aye, be off with you then,” Sir Halloran said to her escort. “We will not fight you here. Come, Lady Isobel, we will escort you back to the keep.”
    “After the Scots and the Highlanders are gone,” she said. She didn’t want them to be pursued after she was returned to the keep.
    “Aye.” Sir Halloran scowled at her, looking highly displeased.
    She hurried to dismount and handed the reins to one of Rob’s men. Then she said good bye to Rob, telling him in private that she would wed Marcus and that he better not marry a Highland lass in the meantime or he would wish he hadn’t.
    Rob smiled and bowed to her. The party turned and headed back toward the border.
    Sir Halloran rode forth then and she