Read Online Passion and Plaid - Her Highland Hero (Scottish Historical Romance) by Anya Karin - Free Book Online

just out of his line of sight and then he felt a
glove on the back of his neck, and then cold steel on his throat.
    He froze.
    “Drop your knives. Now.”
    He did as he was told. Two thumps followed as his
daggers hit the forest floor.
    “Don’t make a sound or every last one of them
dies.”
    “R – right, alright. Who are you?”
    Whoever had him by the neck snickered.
    “Who are you, cruel bastard?”
    “You were wrong,” said his captor.
    “Wrong?”
    “About the ghosts. One of them has you by the
balls.”
    Gavin couldn’t help himself anymore; he slid his
knife back into his boot, and turned John around with his hands on his
shoulders. As soon as he did, he started laughing.
    And then a fist shot out and caught him square on
the chin.
    “Ow! What was that for then? Is that how you greet
your best friend?”
    “You obnoxious bastard, you scared me half to
death. A shot in the chin is the least you deserve. God above, it’s good to see
you. I’ve been worried sick since the sheriff made an appearance in Edinburgh.
How’d he get away?”
    “Ach, right to the point, aren’t you?”
    “Aye, and here’s another. How did you find us?”
    “As to the first, he lied to a stable boy when we
stayed at an inn. To the second, when Ben and Rodrigo drink, they both like to
talk very, very loud. The fire didn’t hurt either.”
    John held him still for a second longer. “It’s
damn good to see you Gavin. And to see you’re alright. Kenna? Is she?”
    “Aye, she’s well.” As Gavin answered, he got a
twinkle in his eye that was plain to see even in the shadowed forest. “We’ve
run against some trouble in Mornay’s Cleft. The mayor is...”
    “Wait a tick,” John said, putting his hand on
Gavin’s shoulder. “The others will want to hear it too. Save it for them.”
    “Right, but now you have to answer me a question.”
    John cocked an eyebrow.
    “Why are you out here? And with everyone along as
well?”
    “We were going after you. We saw the sheriff and
feared the worst.”
    “You’re good friends, you lot. The best a man
could ask for.”
    “You are too, that’s why we were coming. But since
we had no idea where you were, we’ve a few days of supplies. Hungry?”
    “Always. Lead the way,” Gavin said, walking after
his friend. “Whisky?”
    “Are you offering?” John said. “Sure, I’ll take a
dram.”
    Gavin laughed. “I don’t often think to pack
whiskey as the first thing when I’m on a short trip.”
    “Oh right, of course. Aye we’ve got some. Go get your
horse and your effigy. I’ll go rouse the others.”
    “John, one more thing. You’re the one who taught
me to make that sort of dummy. Shouldn’t you have recognized it?”
    “Ghosts,” John said. “When you think you hear
ghosts moaning, it’s hard to think about much else.”
    ––––––––
    “W ell I’ll be damned,” Ben Black said as he slapped
Gavin on the shoulder hard enough to make him almost fall over. “If it ain’t
the prodigal son of Scotland hissel’! Wouldn’t you know it as soon as we go
lookin’ for him he shows up here!”
    “Aye, I heard you laughing from about four miles
away, Ben,” Gavin said. “I thought I should probably come by and make sure you
hadn’t got yourself a family of lambs.”
    Rodrigo snickered, John laughed, Lynne rolled her
eyes but smiled, and Ben stared right at Gavin and crinkled his forehead. “What
use would I have for lambs? Got no place to keep them.”
    John pulled him aside and whispered in his ear.
    “Oh! You right bastard, Gavin Macgregor!” Ben said
with a start.
    Another round of laughter burst from the lot of
thieves and someone handed Gavin a little clay cup with the dram of whisky he’d
wanted so badly. First he sipped, then he quaffed the rest all at a go, and no
sooner than he did, another one appeared in his hand.
    “It’s good to see all of you again. Feels like a
great deal longer than the two days it’s been.”
    “Indeed,”