Read Online Highlander's Reckoning (The Sinclair Brothers #3) by Emma Prince - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Emma Prince
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man’s
arm, Kennedy pulled him in for a private word.
“I’ve never had a handle on the girl, my lord. She
always seemed to outsmart me, or at least outlast me with that iron will of
hers. She’s far too wild for a lady. I just hope you can rein her in.”
With that, the boat pushed off and Kennedy gave a
final wave. As the residents of the castle started filtering back to their
tasks, he turned toward the yard, chewing on what his wife’s father had said.
Glancing over his shoulder, he realized that Rona still
stood on the docks, looking out at the diminishing outline of the boat carrying
her father away. He decided that it was best to give her a moment of privacy.
Though he hadn’t seen a great deal of affection between Kennedy and his
daughter, the lass seemed distraught at his sudden departure.
Daniel made his way back to the study, but when he
arrived in the small but well-appointed room, he couldn’t resist the urge to
look down at the docks again. He pulled the furs back from the window and
instantly made out Rona’s slim form and red hair. She still stood on the docks,
looking off toward the west where the village lay.
But then, instead of turning back to the castle, she
spoke to a boatman and boarded one of the small rowboats moored at the docks.
The boat disembarked from the castle, headed for the village.
Just then, Malcolm poked his head through the study
door.
“You asked for a report on the crumbling stone along
the northeast wall, my lord?” Malcolm said.
“Aye,” Daniel replied, still watching Rona out the
window. “Does Lady Rona go to the village often, Malcolm?” he said as lightly
as possible.
“Aye, my lord. The boatmen hardly pay her any mind,
so frequently is she among them.”
“She probably just enjoys gazing at the fine cloth
sold at the weaver’s, I’m sure.”
Malcolm’s brow furrowed. “Nay, my lord, I doubt
that. Lady Rona is well known to prefer simple clothes of stout wool for the
most part.”
“Then she goes to the village to ride a favorite
horse of hers? Or perhaps to visit a friend?”
“Not that I know of, my lord.”
Daniel did his best to smooth his features before
turning away from the window. “How strange,” he said casually. “Now, about that
crumbling section of the curtain wall.”
Malcolm began explaining the location of the rock
that needed repair, but Daniel barely heard him over the sound of his blood
pounding in his veins.
Could the lass be cuckolding him?
Was that why she was so hesitant about consummating
their marriage? If she wasn’t a virgin, he would surely realize it, and she
would be found out. It also explained why she was always sneaking off to the
village for hours at a time.
Gilbert Kennedy’s words came back to him. The man
had been too permissive with the lass, letting her gallivant freely around the
castle and the village. Now he had offloaded his overindulged daughter onto
Daniel. Had Daniel been too lenient as well? Had he allowed her to continue
some illicit affair right under his nose, all the while letting her evade his
questions and avoid their wedding consummation?
If it were all true, then Daniel had been lulled by
her pretty face and figure, by the heat he felt between them. But if the lass
was experienced, could her reaction to him, which made it clear she was
attracted to him, be an act too? That thought sent Daniel’s blood boiling.
No more. He would have the truth from her, one way
or another. And he would not be like her father, unable to control her. Daniel
was not the kind of man to forgive a trespass on his authority. Nor would he be
made to look the fool by his own wife.
He set his teeth, preparing for battle.
Chapter 9
Raef Warren eyed the white chess pieces arrayed on
the board in front of him. Slowly, he reached out and placed a finger atop one
of his pawns, which was carved to look like a man-at-arms. His eyes darted
between the white squares checkering the board and the red ones,
arm, Kennedy pulled him in for a private word.
“I’ve never had a handle on the girl, my lord. She
always seemed to outsmart me, or at least outlast me with that iron will of
hers. She’s far too wild for a lady. I just hope you can rein her in.”
With that, the boat pushed off and Kennedy gave a
final wave. As the residents of the castle started filtering back to their
tasks, he turned toward the yard, chewing on what his wife’s father had said.
Glancing over his shoulder, he realized that Rona still
stood on the docks, looking out at the diminishing outline of the boat carrying
her father away. He decided that it was best to give her a moment of privacy.
Though he hadn’t seen a great deal of affection between Kennedy and his
daughter, the lass seemed distraught at his sudden departure.
Daniel made his way back to the study, but when he
arrived in the small but well-appointed room, he couldn’t resist the urge to
look down at the docks again. He pulled the furs back from the window and
instantly made out Rona’s slim form and red hair. She still stood on the docks,
looking off toward the west where the village lay.
But then, instead of turning back to the castle, she
spoke to a boatman and boarded one of the small rowboats moored at the docks.
The boat disembarked from the castle, headed for the village.
Just then, Malcolm poked his head through the study
door.
“You asked for a report on the crumbling stone along
the northeast wall, my lord?” Malcolm said.
“Aye,” Daniel replied, still watching Rona out the
window. “Does Lady Rona go to the village often, Malcolm?” he said as lightly
as possible.
“Aye, my lord. The boatmen hardly pay her any mind,
so frequently is she among them.”
“She probably just enjoys gazing at the fine cloth
sold at the weaver’s, I’m sure.”
Malcolm’s brow furrowed. “Nay, my lord, I doubt
that. Lady Rona is well known to prefer simple clothes of stout wool for the
most part.”
“Then she goes to the village to ride a favorite
horse of hers? Or perhaps to visit a friend?”
“Not that I know of, my lord.”
Daniel did his best to smooth his features before
turning away from the window. “How strange,” he said casually. “Now, about that
crumbling section of the curtain wall.”
Malcolm began explaining the location of the rock
that needed repair, but Daniel barely heard him over the sound of his blood
pounding in his veins.
Could the lass be cuckolding him?
Was that why she was so hesitant about consummating
their marriage? If she wasn’t a virgin, he would surely realize it, and she
would be found out. It also explained why she was always sneaking off to the
village for hours at a time.
Gilbert Kennedy’s words came back to him. The man
had been too permissive with the lass, letting her gallivant freely around the
castle and the village. Now he had offloaded his overindulged daughter onto
Daniel. Had Daniel been too lenient as well? Had he allowed her to continue
some illicit affair right under his nose, all the while letting her evade his
questions and avoid their wedding consummation?
If it were all true, then Daniel had been lulled by
her pretty face and figure, by the heat he felt between them. But if the lass
was experienced, could her reaction to him, which made it clear she was
attracted to him, be an act too? That thought sent Daniel’s blood boiling.
No more. He would have the truth from her, one way
or another. And he would not be like her father, unable to control her. Daniel
was not the kind of man to forgive a trespass on his authority. Nor would he be
made to look the fool by his own wife.
He set his teeth, preparing for battle.
Chapter 9
Raef Warren eyed the white chess pieces arrayed on
the board in front of him. Slowly, he reached out and placed a finger atop one
of his pawns, which was carved to look like a man-at-arms. His eyes darted
between the white squares checkering the board and the red ones,
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