Read Online Regency Romance: The Rake's Fake Marriage (Historical Arranged Marriage Romance) (19th Century Victorian Romance) by Sarah Thorn - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sarah Thorn
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''The most beautiful I have ever seen. But we must not defy father.''
''Perhaps we can have a little fun with her before we slay her?'' Angus looked exactly like his father. He was big, six feet three, and quite fat. His red hair was wild, and his beard hung down to his chest. Wrapped in red and white tartan, he looked intimidating.
''Yes, that's a good idea. We can have her first,'' Bran said, his cheeks puffed and red with the exertion of walking ten miles.
Eana felt goose pimples and knew she should put her shoes back on. Years of conditioning had taught her tha t when she felt goose pimples, danger was imminent. As she fastened her laces, she scanned the trees looking for anything that would confirm how she felt. She saw nothing. She stood and began to walk back from where she had come. When she heard the sound of breaking wood, she began to run up the hill as fast as she could.
''Quick, she's seen us,'' Angus said, jumping up and running after her, his brother following close behind. They ran down the hill, jumped over the stream and began to follow Eana up the other side of the glen. She looked behind her and saw them, two large red-haired men, in vivid tartan bearing down on her. She knew they were Sutherland Clan, and the thought of what they would do to her if they caught her made her sprint. She was slight, fit and remarkably fast, but the brothers had longer strides, and they soon began to catch her. If, as everyone thought, she'd had any powers of evil she would have used them to stop her pursuers, but what use were her well intended powers in this situation?
The path became much steeper, and Eana slowed as the muscles in her legs began to burn. The two brothers although overweight were strong and they were now just yards behind her.
There's only one way, she thought. She left the path and ran to the left along the hillside, weaving in and out of the trees and ducking under branches. The two large men began to slow, their bodies not as agile as Eana's . She'd learned a few things about warfare from her father. He'd always told her having knowledge of the ground was a great advantage in a fight. She hoped it would be now.
''We're catching her,'' Angus shouted when he saw Eana slowing. Eana was standing with her hands on her knees, totally exhausted, unable to run another foot.
''Grab her,'' Angus shouted. He lunged forward and put out his arms to take hold of her, but she ducked and rolled away to the side, down an embankment. Angus, unable to stop his bulk from moving forward, fell over the cliff. Bran was able to stop himself, and when he looked down, he saw his beloved brother's body career into the rocks two hundred feet below.
Eana got up and started to run back up the hill. Bran wasn't capable of continuing the chase. All he could do was cry out his brother's name and vomit at the sight of his contorted body.
*****
Laird Irving wiped his brow on his tartan sleeve and sat down next to the huge fireplace in the castle's grand hall. He looked at his wife and smiled. He'd married her twenty-five years earlier. Not for a single second in all those years had he had any regrets about marrying her. She'd given him a beautiful daughter and she'd always been ready to give her advice at times when he'd had no idea how to proceed.
''I've spoken to him,'' he said.
''What did he say?'' she asked. Her husband was older now, but still very attractive, she thought. He was a big man, and she felt protected by him. Strong and athletic he was fiercely loyal to his clan and despite being heavily outnumbered by the Sutherland clan, he'd always stood his ground. The deep scar on his left cheek was a testimony to that.
''He agreed we need each other. The Sutherland clan is larger than it was last time they attacked us, and after Angus's death, Laird Sutherland has declared his intention to slaughter all of us.''
''Then she will marry Laird Muir's son?''
''Yes. She will unite the Muir Clan and the Irvine Clan, and
''Perhaps we can have a little fun with her before we slay her?'' Angus looked exactly like his father. He was big, six feet three, and quite fat. His red hair was wild, and his beard hung down to his chest. Wrapped in red and white tartan, he looked intimidating.
''Yes, that's a good idea. We can have her first,'' Bran said, his cheeks puffed and red with the exertion of walking ten miles.
Eana felt goose pimples and knew she should put her shoes back on. Years of conditioning had taught her tha t when she felt goose pimples, danger was imminent. As she fastened her laces, she scanned the trees looking for anything that would confirm how she felt. She saw nothing. She stood and began to walk back from where she had come. When she heard the sound of breaking wood, she began to run up the hill as fast as she could.
''Quick, she's seen us,'' Angus said, jumping up and running after her, his brother following close behind. They ran down the hill, jumped over the stream and began to follow Eana up the other side of the glen. She looked behind her and saw them, two large red-haired men, in vivid tartan bearing down on her. She knew they were Sutherland Clan, and the thought of what they would do to her if they caught her made her sprint. She was slight, fit and remarkably fast, but the brothers had longer strides, and they soon began to catch her. If, as everyone thought, she'd had any powers of evil she would have used them to stop her pursuers, but what use were her well intended powers in this situation?
The path became much steeper, and Eana slowed as the muscles in her legs began to burn. The two brothers although overweight were strong and they were now just yards behind her.
There's only one way, she thought. She left the path and ran to the left along the hillside, weaving in and out of the trees and ducking under branches. The two large men began to slow, their bodies not as agile as Eana's . She'd learned a few things about warfare from her father. He'd always told her having knowledge of the ground was a great advantage in a fight. She hoped it would be now.
''We're catching her,'' Angus shouted when he saw Eana slowing. Eana was standing with her hands on her knees, totally exhausted, unable to run another foot.
''Grab her,'' Angus shouted. He lunged forward and put out his arms to take hold of her, but she ducked and rolled away to the side, down an embankment. Angus, unable to stop his bulk from moving forward, fell over the cliff. Bran was able to stop himself, and when he looked down, he saw his beloved brother's body career into the rocks two hundred feet below.
Eana got up and started to run back up the hill. Bran wasn't capable of continuing the chase. All he could do was cry out his brother's name and vomit at the sight of his contorted body.
*****
Laird Irving wiped his brow on his tartan sleeve and sat down next to the huge fireplace in the castle's grand hall. He looked at his wife and smiled. He'd married her twenty-five years earlier. Not for a single second in all those years had he had any regrets about marrying her. She'd given him a beautiful daughter and she'd always been ready to give her advice at times when he'd had no idea how to proceed.
''I've spoken to him,'' he said.
''What did he say?'' she asked. Her husband was older now, but still very attractive, she thought. He was a big man, and she felt protected by him. Strong and athletic he was fiercely loyal to his clan and despite being heavily outnumbered by the Sutherland clan, he'd always stood his ground. The deep scar on his left cheek was a testimony to that.
''He agreed we need each other. The Sutherland clan is larger than it was last time they attacked us, and after Angus's death, Laird Sutherland has declared his intention to slaughter all of us.''
''Then she will marry Laird Muir's son?''
''Yes. She will unite the Muir Clan and the Irvine Clan, and
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