Read Online Mary Reed McCall by The Sweetest Sin - Free Book Online Page A

his mind again, didn’t want to remember. But it was there. It would always be there—the sight of the woman he’d loved, still and lifeless at his feet.
    Closing his eyes, he rolled onto his side. No further reminder was needed. Aileana MacDonell was a forbidden temptation, his opponent in this battle of wills. And if he had to work like hell, he’d get her to tell him where the Ealach was. Soon. But he had a sinking feeling that until he did, he’d be spending much of his time immersing himself in the distractions he might find in the great hall.
    Or anywhere else that the accusing, seductive gaze of one honey-eyed, flame-haired temptress might not be able to reach him.

Chapter 5
    T he smell of warm oatmeal pulled Aileana out of sleep, making her smile with satisfaction an instant before she remembered where she was. At first, she stiffened under the covers, her mind blurry with images of the horrible day that had changed her life. Pictures of the battle, of Gavin wounded and bleeding, of hiding the amulet in Morgana’s secret grove. Then she remembered last night and Duncan’s casual, infuriating comments. You will sleep in my chamber on that pallet over there, except in the wee hours, when you will come to my bed so that Bridgid won’t suspect anything amiss…
    Satan’s fire, she was in Duncan MacRae’s bed.
    She gasped and peeped from beneath the thick blanket, cheeks burning as she realized that he must have carried her from the pallet while she slept. Her gaze darted around his chamber. Thank the saints, but he’d left already. Relaxing again, Aileana scrunched down,pulling the covers up to hide the tip of her nose. Then she froze.
    She sniffed, scowling in concentration. It was a pleasant scent, light and clean. With a start she’d realized that it was his fragrance coming from the bedclothes…the same sharply sweet smell as the square of hard soap Bridgid had taken from the tub last night before she’d tossed her a pot of soft lye soap from the kitchen. The realization was enough to propel her out of bed and into a chemise and kirtle that she found draped across one of the room’s carved chairs. The garments were of serviceable weave, coarse but well crafted. Aileana felt a twinge of regret for her own gowns back home; they were of fine fabric and woven in colors to suit her.
    Home . She had to stop thinking of Dulhmeny like that. This was home to her now, whether she liked it or not. And today was the first full day of her new life here. Her usual good nature tried valiantly to reassert itself and failed. Her mind kept straying to the revenges she’d conjured up last night to play against Duncan. How could she feign a peaceful demeanor? Life as the Ealach ’s keeper had been difficult enough with its isolation and loneliness. But she’d only traded one kind of captivity for another, and this one was decidedly less tolerable.
    Biting back a scowl, Aileana tried to ignore the growling of her stomach as she finished dressing and walked down the stairs to the great hall. Several tables jutted at odd angles round the room; they were full of men, some standing hunched over trenchers of steaming oatmeal, others sitting on the benches and ripping off hunks of dark bread and stuffing them in their mouths. Many of them looked unkempt, their flowing hair and beards snarled, their bare legs dirty beneath wrinkled plaids and tunics. Aileana sniffed at the vulgar display; it was becoming ever more apparent why everyone called this clan the wild MacRaes.
    A prickle of apprehension slid down her spine an instant before she saw him. He sat at the far end of the hall, his silver gaze fixed on her, penetrating. Unlike his clansmen, Duncan exuded a sense of clean, calm orderliness. He looked refreshed from his night’s rest, though she thought she saw a glint of annoyance in his eyes before he turned to Kinnon, sitting next to him.
    At that moment Bridgid huffed up to Aileana and dropped a heavy iron pot into her