Read Online One Man's Love by Karen Ranney - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Karen Ranney
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Gilmuir the loch was narrow, surrounded by blue-tinged hills. In the distance, Loch Euliss widenedinto the firth, flowing beneath towering cliffs before meeting the sea.
Alec unfolded his arms, turned, and walked slowly toward her. He didn’t answer her, merely studied the bruising on her jaw. The blow angered him still; so much that he mentally rearranged the major’s duty schedule. A protracted patrol would not be amiss.
He suddenly wanted, unwisely perhaps, to protect her, keep her safe from the consequences of her own courage and from those who would think nothing of harming her.
Alec told himself it was because she was a link to his past, even as he realized the discord of that thought. His finger reached out and traced the line of bruising on her jaw.
His hand was slapped away by the old man at her side. “The bargain doesn’t include touching our women,” he said fiercely, his wrinkled face twisted by anger.
Although he could not recall his name, Alec remembered him from his childhood. Back then, he’d thought him ancient. The intervening years had not marked his face further, but the old man was trembling badly either from disease or fear. A brave man, to challenge Alec with words when he had no other weapons.
He inclined his head, conceding the inappropriateness of the gesture. “You should not have come,” he said. “Send your laird to me and I’ll bargain with him.”
“There are so few of us left, there is no need for a leader,” the old man said.
Alec wanted to ask Leitis the fate of the others, to know for certain what had happened to the laughing Fergus and the solemn James, and her father, who had always been kind to him. But he did not ask thequestion, preferring the ignorance of the moment to the bluntness of the truth.
“My uncle is all the family I have left,” she said, as if she’d heard his thoughts. Her chin tilted up and her lips firmed into a thin line.
They exchanged a glance. He could not ease her pain and she should not know his sudden, bitter regret.
“Return to your village,” he said, addressing the group. “I will release Hamish shortly.”
An old woman spoke up. “Why?” He didn’t recognize her. Either she had changed so much in the past years or he had simply not known her as a boy.
“You beg me for my compassion, then question it?” he asked wryly.
“An Englishman always has a price for his generosity,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him.
“Because I have a hostage for his good behavior,” he said, reaching out and encircling Leitis’s wrist. He knew the second she understood.
“No!” she said angrily, attempting to pull away. He held her easily.
“Leave now,” he said to the others, “and I’ll guarantee you safe passage. Linger, and you’ll be prisoners.”
The others moved away, looking back as if they challenged their own courage in doing so. They’d come to rescue one of their own and lost another.
Perhaps it would teach them that it would not be wise to act so precipitously in the future.
After all, he was the Butcher of Inverness, a soldier given that sobriquet by the Scots themselves. A man of fearsome reputation and deadly intent.
He smiled and began to walk toward the laird’s chamber.
Chapter 5
T he Butcher signaled with his free hand and a man emerged from the shadows. His face was unnaturally lean, both his chin and nose pointed. He fell into step behind them as they moved through the archway and what was left of the clan hall. The Butcher was relentless in his grip, but his hold on her was not painful all the same.
She could almost hear the voices of her brothers admonishing her for her foolishness, the soft wails of her mother, her father’s angry remonstrances. Other voices, too, but not so recognizable. The Butcher’s previous victims?
What had she done?
He opened a door, stood aside motioning for her toenter before turning to the other man. “I want you to guard my guest, Harrison,” the Butcher
Alec unfolded his arms, turned, and walked slowly toward her. He didn’t answer her, merely studied the bruising on her jaw. The blow angered him still; so much that he mentally rearranged the major’s duty schedule. A protracted patrol would not be amiss.
He suddenly wanted, unwisely perhaps, to protect her, keep her safe from the consequences of her own courage and from those who would think nothing of harming her.
Alec told himself it was because she was a link to his past, even as he realized the discord of that thought. His finger reached out and traced the line of bruising on her jaw.
His hand was slapped away by the old man at her side. “The bargain doesn’t include touching our women,” he said fiercely, his wrinkled face twisted by anger.
Although he could not recall his name, Alec remembered him from his childhood. Back then, he’d thought him ancient. The intervening years had not marked his face further, but the old man was trembling badly either from disease or fear. A brave man, to challenge Alec with words when he had no other weapons.
He inclined his head, conceding the inappropriateness of the gesture. “You should not have come,” he said. “Send your laird to me and I’ll bargain with him.”
“There are so few of us left, there is no need for a leader,” the old man said.
Alec wanted to ask Leitis the fate of the others, to know for certain what had happened to the laughing Fergus and the solemn James, and her father, who had always been kind to him. But he did not ask thequestion, preferring the ignorance of the moment to the bluntness of the truth.
“My uncle is all the family I have left,” she said, as if she’d heard his thoughts. Her chin tilted up and her lips firmed into a thin line.
They exchanged a glance. He could not ease her pain and she should not know his sudden, bitter regret.
“Return to your village,” he said, addressing the group. “I will release Hamish shortly.”
An old woman spoke up. “Why?” He didn’t recognize her. Either she had changed so much in the past years or he had simply not known her as a boy.
“You beg me for my compassion, then question it?” he asked wryly.
“An Englishman always has a price for his generosity,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him.
“Because I have a hostage for his good behavior,” he said, reaching out and encircling Leitis’s wrist. He knew the second she understood.
“No!” she said angrily, attempting to pull away. He held her easily.
“Leave now,” he said to the others, “and I’ll guarantee you safe passage. Linger, and you’ll be prisoners.”
The others moved away, looking back as if they challenged their own courage in doing so. They’d come to rescue one of their own and lost another.
Perhaps it would teach them that it would not be wise to act so precipitously in the future.
After all, he was the Butcher of Inverness, a soldier given that sobriquet by the Scots themselves. A man of fearsome reputation and deadly intent.
He smiled and began to walk toward the laird’s chamber.
Chapter 5
T he Butcher signaled with his free hand and a man emerged from the shadows. His face was unnaturally lean, both his chin and nose pointed. He fell into step behind them as they moved through the archway and what was left of the clan hall. The Butcher was relentless in his grip, but his hold on her was not painful all the same.
She could almost hear the voices of her brothers admonishing her for her foolishness, the soft wails of her mother, her father’s angry remonstrances. Other voices, too, but not so recognizable. The Butcher’s previous victims?
What had she done?
He opened a door, stood aside motioning for her toenter before turning to the other man. “I want you to guard my guest, Harrison,” the Butcher
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