Read Online The Angel and the Highlander by Donna Fletcher - Free Book Online
Authors: Donna Fletcher
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its fallen needles cushioning the ground.
He joined her. “His death leaves you troubled?”
She casually placed her hand over his. “What doesn’t trouble me? I worry over the fate of those who arrived here in need and wonder if more will seek refuge. I worry that this senseless battle will spread and consume the farm families. So, yes, much troubles me. But that is the very reason I am here…to offer help and comfort.”
Suddenly his guilt over wanting the sisters returned home vanished. Now he simply wanted Sister Terese safe and free from worry.
“You cannot possibly care for everyone,” he assured her.
“I can try,” she said emphatically.
“You are but one person.”
“If not one than how many,” she snapped. “How many will it take to help those in need, those suffering, those children that wander alone, hungry and frightened.”
She certainly made him feel the selfish fool.
“You are good with children,” she said more calmly. “You will make a good father.”
“When the time is right,” Lachlan said.
“There is a right time for children?” she asked curiously and answered her own question. “I always thought a babe chose his time.”
“I will wed and have children in my time,” Lachlan confirmed with a nod.
“You are so sure.”
“I know what I want, and I will have it all in good time.”
“How nice for you,” she said with a gentle smile. “To be so sure of what your life will bring.”
“I am confident I will find the perfect woman to wed,” he said with a teasing glint and was surprised when she scrambled to her feet, a sudden scowl on her face, and he worried that he somehow upset her.
“I must go. I will be gone for a few days.”
He jumped to his feet, intending to stop her from running from him, while wondering why she felt the need. “I will go with you.”
“No, I will go myself.”
“No, you will not,” he argued.
“You have no right to dictate to me. I obey the church, not a Sinclare. Where I go you will not be welcome.”
“Then you will not go,” he ordered, thinking her too stubborn for her own good.
Her hands went to her round hips and the smirk on her face dared him to challenge her again. “I go where I please.”
“I am here to protect—”
“We protect ourselves! You remain here out of our generosity! Do not for once think you can command me!”
Lachlan stood staring at Sister Terese, the force of her voice and her commanding stance made him look twice to be sure he spoke with the same woman.
“Sister Terese,” Piper said appearing out of nowhere. “I need to speak with you.”
The two were gone in a flash, Sister Terese acknowledging her departure with nothing more than a bare nod.
He wasn’t sure of what had just happened, but he knew one thing. Sister Terese wouldn’t be going anywhere without him.
Chapter 7
T erese took a deep breath and walked around the back of the common shelter with Piper. Once out of Lachlan’s sight she took another deep breath, squeezed her eyes shut, and dropped back against the rough-hewn wall.
“You nearly lost your temper,” Piper said, though not accusingly.
Terese’s eyes popped open and she sighed with a nod. “He got me so mad, dictating to me.”
Megan approached having seen the whole exchange and followed the two sisters. “We have gotten too used to being on our own, with no one to give us orders, no one to command our lives. We live as we please.”
“I like it,” Piper said.
“As do we all,” Megan agreed, “which is another good reason we should find a new home.”
“Unfortunately, the search must wait,” Terese said. “We have more important matters.”
She shared the news about the mercenaries with Megan and the woman paled.
“What are we to do?” Megan asked anxiously.
Terese motioned for the two to follow her. They made their way a few feet into the woods where the dense trees and thick foliage concealed them from prying eyes and ears.
“I am going to
He joined her. “His death leaves you troubled?”
She casually placed her hand over his. “What doesn’t trouble me? I worry over the fate of those who arrived here in need and wonder if more will seek refuge. I worry that this senseless battle will spread and consume the farm families. So, yes, much troubles me. But that is the very reason I am here…to offer help and comfort.”
Suddenly his guilt over wanting the sisters returned home vanished. Now he simply wanted Sister Terese safe and free from worry.
“You cannot possibly care for everyone,” he assured her.
“I can try,” she said emphatically.
“You are but one person.”
“If not one than how many,” she snapped. “How many will it take to help those in need, those suffering, those children that wander alone, hungry and frightened.”
She certainly made him feel the selfish fool.
“You are good with children,” she said more calmly. “You will make a good father.”
“When the time is right,” Lachlan said.
“There is a right time for children?” she asked curiously and answered her own question. “I always thought a babe chose his time.”
“I will wed and have children in my time,” Lachlan confirmed with a nod.
“You are so sure.”
“I know what I want, and I will have it all in good time.”
“How nice for you,” she said with a gentle smile. “To be so sure of what your life will bring.”
“I am confident I will find the perfect woman to wed,” he said with a teasing glint and was surprised when she scrambled to her feet, a sudden scowl on her face, and he worried that he somehow upset her.
“I must go. I will be gone for a few days.”
He jumped to his feet, intending to stop her from running from him, while wondering why she felt the need. “I will go with you.”
“No, I will go myself.”
“No, you will not,” he argued.
“You have no right to dictate to me. I obey the church, not a Sinclare. Where I go you will not be welcome.”
“Then you will not go,” he ordered, thinking her too stubborn for her own good.
Her hands went to her round hips and the smirk on her face dared him to challenge her again. “I go where I please.”
“I am here to protect—”
“We protect ourselves! You remain here out of our generosity! Do not for once think you can command me!”
Lachlan stood staring at Sister Terese, the force of her voice and her commanding stance made him look twice to be sure he spoke with the same woman.
“Sister Terese,” Piper said appearing out of nowhere. “I need to speak with you.”
The two were gone in a flash, Sister Terese acknowledging her departure with nothing more than a bare nod.
He wasn’t sure of what had just happened, but he knew one thing. Sister Terese wouldn’t be going anywhere without him.
Chapter 7
T erese took a deep breath and walked around the back of the common shelter with Piper. Once out of Lachlan’s sight she took another deep breath, squeezed her eyes shut, and dropped back against the rough-hewn wall.
“You nearly lost your temper,” Piper said, though not accusingly.
Terese’s eyes popped open and she sighed with a nod. “He got me so mad, dictating to me.”
Megan approached having seen the whole exchange and followed the two sisters. “We have gotten too used to being on our own, with no one to give us orders, no one to command our lives. We live as we please.”
“I like it,” Piper said.
“As do we all,” Megan agreed, “which is another good reason we should find a new home.”
“Unfortunately, the search must wait,” Terese said. “We have more important matters.”
She shared the news about the mercenaries with Megan and the woman paled.
“What are we to do?” Megan asked anxiously.
Terese motioned for the two to follow her. They made their way a few feet into the woods where the dense trees and thick foliage concealed them from prying eyes and ears.
“I am going to
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