Read Online The Border Hostage by Virginia Henley - Free Book Online
Authors: Virginia Henley
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become an enticing Gypsy girl for the night. Raven couldn't wait to see the look on Christopher Dacre's face when he discovered her identity!
C HAPTER 5
H eath Kennedy, garbed in a Douglas dress plaid, tore a strip from his old Douglas plaid, cut two eye slits in it, and fastened it across his eyes as a mask. The short kilt rode on his hipbones, exposing muscular thighs. He wore no shirt but instead draped the dark green and blue plaid across one broad, bare shoulder and tucked it into his belt along with his knife and his dirk.
Heath deliberately arrived late at the ball so that a good crowd would be gathered and he would not receive too close a scrutiny. He had reckoned without the young ladies, however. Word spread amongst them like wildfire that one of the handsome and powerful Douglas lairds was in attendance. They gathered in a group and followed him at a discreet distance, whispering and giggling.
Heath strode over to them and bowed before Beth Kennedy. “May I have this dance, mistress?” He saw the look of dismay on his half-sister's face, so before she could refuse, he swept her into a reel. “It's me, Heath,” he said low when they came together.
“Heath Kennedy, I cannot imagine
your
being invited here.”
He grinned. “I'll bet you are relieved I'm not a Douglas.”
“In truth, I am,” Beth admitted ingenuously. “I shall never know how my sister Valentina found the courage to marry Ramsay Douglas. He frightens me to death!”
“Valentina does have an overabundance of courage, and a good thing too. She's about to have twins.”
Beth went pale. “Oh dear, please tell her how sorry I am.”
“Sorry? She and Ram are celebrating this as if it were a gift from the gods. Anyway, you can let our father know. He'll be like a dog with two tails. He already thinks the sun shines out of Tina's arse, so this will put a halo round her head too.”
When Beth didn't reprove him for his coarseness, he knew something was wrong. “What's amiss, lass?”
“I cannot tell Father; Mother has left him,” she whispered. “She wants me to marry an Englishman, and he won't tolerate such a thing. We are moving into her family's town house next week.”
“Whom does Elizabeth have in mind for you?”
“Christopher Dacre,” Beth whispered again. “He frightens me as much as the Douglases.”
Heath Kennedy wanted to choke his father's wife. Dacre's heir was no fit match for his sheltered half-sister. Chris Dacre would take her dowry, then wipe his feet on the passive girl as if she were a doormat. “Under no circumstances must you allow your mother to push you into a betrothal. You must assert yourself as Tina has always done. You need a backbone, not a wishbone, Beth.”
“There
is
someone here I like,” Beth confided with a blush. “His name is Heron Carleton; he took me to the fair.” Her hand covered her mouth quickly, as if she had said something wicked.
Heath was surprised. She was talking about Raven's brother. It was a small world! “Sir Lance Carleton, whoused to be constable here, is related to your mother. Though English, he's a man of honor and integrity. If you want Heron Carleton, go after him!”
Heath felt a tap on his bare shoulder, and looked through the mask and into the eyes of the man cutting in. It was Christopher Dacre. Since the dance had ended and partners were being sought for the next reel, Heath relinquished Beth without a word.
From across the ballroom, Raven Carleton watched in amazement as the two handsomest men at the masquerade flanked Beth Kennedy. The Douglas laird was giving up the girl to Christopher Dacre. Raven immediately decided it was time to ditch the gold tissue cape. She removed it, scrunched it up, and stuffed it behind a potted plant. She left the gilded mask in place, then took the red poppies from her waistband and set one behind each ear. Raven was intent upon securing the notice of Christopher Dacre.
Heath Kennedy, who had been watching for the red
C HAPTER 5
H eath Kennedy, garbed in a Douglas dress plaid, tore a strip from his old Douglas plaid, cut two eye slits in it, and fastened it across his eyes as a mask. The short kilt rode on his hipbones, exposing muscular thighs. He wore no shirt but instead draped the dark green and blue plaid across one broad, bare shoulder and tucked it into his belt along with his knife and his dirk.
Heath deliberately arrived late at the ball so that a good crowd would be gathered and he would not receive too close a scrutiny. He had reckoned without the young ladies, however. Word spread amongst them like wildfire that one of the handsome and powerful Douglas lairds was in attendance. They gathered in a group and followed him at a discreet distance, whispering and giggling.
Heath strode over to them and bowed before Beth Kennedy. “May I have this dance, mistress?” He saw the look of dismay on his half-sister's face, so before she could refuse, he swept her into a reel. “It's me, Heath,” he said low when they came together.
“Heath Kennedy, I cannot imagine
your
being invited here.”
He grinned. “I'll bet you are relieved I'm not a Douglas.”
“In truth, I am,” Beth admitted ingenuously. “I shall never know how my sister Valentina found the courage to marry Ramsay Douglas. He frightens me to death!”
“Valentina does have an overabundance of courage, and a good thing too. She's about to have twins.”
Beth went pale. “Oh dear, please tell her how sorry I am.”
“Sorry? She and Ram are celebrating this as if it were a gift from the gods. Anyway, you can let our father know. He'll be like a dog with two tails. He already thinks the sun shines out of Tina's arse, so this will put a halo round her head too.”
When Beth didn't reprove him for his coarseness, he knew something was wrong. “What's amiss, lass?”
“I cannot tell Father; Mother has left him,” she whispered. “She wants me to marry an Englishman, and he won't tolerate such a thing. We are moving into her family's town house next week.”
“Whom does Elizabeth have in mind for you?”
“Christopher Dacre,” Beth whispered again. “He frightens me as much as the Douglases.”
Heath Kennedy wanted to choke his father's wife. Dacre's heir was no fit match for his sheltered half-sister. Chris Dacre would take her dowry, then wipe his feet on the passive girl as if she were a doormat. “Under no circumstances must you allow your mother to push you into a betrothal. You must assert yourself as Tina has always done. You need a backbone, not a wishbone, Beth.”
“There
is
someone here I like,” Beth confided with a blush. “His name is Heron Carleton; he took me to the fair.” Her hand covered her mouth quickly, as if she had said something wicked.
Heath was surprised. She was talking about Raven's brother. It was a small world! “Sir Lance Carleton, whoused to be constable here, is related to your mother. Though English, he's a man of honor and integrity. If you want Heron Carleton, go after him!”
Heath felt a tap on his bare shoulder, and looked through the mask and into the eyes of the man cutting in. It was Christopher Dacre. Since the dance had ended and partners were being sought for the next reel, Heath relinquished Beth without a word.
From across the ballroom, Raven Carleton watched in amazement as the two handsomest men at the masquerade flanked Beth Kennedy. The Douglas laird was giving up the girl to Christopher Dacre. Raven immediately decided it was time to ditch the gold tissue cape. She removed it, scrunched it up, and stuffed it behind a potted plant. She left the gilded mask in place, then took the red poppies from her waistband and set one behind each ear. Raven was intent upon securing the notice of Christopher Dacre.
Heath Kennedy, who had been watching for the red
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