Read Online The Great Scottish Devil by Starla Kaye - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Starla Kaye
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making things better here. He needed to stop growling at everyone who crossed his path. It was time to forget the past he could not remember and make new bonds with his people, find peace in the man he was now. It was time to begin making plans for a wedding ceremony, though he intended to put off the occasion for a month or mayhap a fortnight. He would give Lady Stonewall time to get to know the man she would marry, and give her time to decide if she would rather decline the betrothal.
Brodie came to the closed door of Annabel’s bedchamber and stopped. How was she this morn? He suspected her pert little bottom would be tender. He wasn’t proud that she’d angered him enough that he’d given her a sound leathering with his belt. Especially after she’d been dealing with the puzzling note she’d found. Braden…Ala…vow to kill Anna . Again, his head throbbed at the thought of this “Braden.” There was something deep within his memories about the name.
He shoved that thought aside. What he couldn’t push aside was the threat to Anna. His hands curled into fists. He would not allow any harm to come to her! He would protect her to his dying breath. As, he knew, would all of the men within the walls of Urquhart.
Muffled sounds of movement came to him through the closed door. She was up now and getting around. Her short hair would be tousled from sleep. She would mayhap take a few seconds to reach back and rub her tender bottom, probably purse her lips in annoyance at the thought of what he’d done. She would…
The door opened and she came barreling out in her usual no-nonsense determination to go somewhere, do something. Before he could even think about moving out of her way, she slammed into him. She gasped and he felt her breasts press against him before she stumbled backward in surprise.
“I am sorry, Lord Devil.” She struggled to compose herself, brushing nervously at the sides of her long gown.
He stared at the pink tingeing her cheeks, concentrating on not lowering his gaze to her breasts. “A gown?” His own cheeks heated as he realized what a foolish thing he’d said. But she’d only worn a gown around him one other time.
Annabel blinked at him, still blushing. “I wanted to look presentable when your…when your betrothed arrives.”
“She might not arrive until the morrow.” His palms were sweating in his battle not to reach for her and pull her back into his arms. He scowled, as if it were her fault for how he felt.
“Ah, now that is the face I am familiar with. The one holding a frown fierce enough to scare away any who dares to cross your path.” Then she smiled in amusement. “I pity your betrothed. She will have much to deal with being married to the likes of you.”
With that she scurried by him, her slender hips swaying and darkening his mood even more.
“The man who gets ye as his wife will also have much to deal with,” Brodie snapped and followed after her down the stairs. “Ye are far too sassy. Stubborn as well.”
She pretended to ignore him and walked casually to take a seat at one of the trestle tables with a number of his soldiers. Angus Gordon being one of them. They all looked surprised, and far too pleased at her presence. Far too many were staring at her bosom.
Brodie stormed right behind her, bent down to grab her around her waist, and hauled her to her feet. “Ye eat on the dais with me.”
Gordon stood as if prepared to test him, which he wished the man would do. It would give him an excuse to dismiss him and send him away from Urquhart.
Annabel squirmed out of Brodie’s hold and huffed in clear irritation. Then she faced Gordon and said gently, “’Tis all right. It matters naught where I break my fast. I will talk with you later.”
“I am glad to ken ye are feeling better this day. Mayhap we can have our walk tonight.” He sent Brodie a look of challenge.
Brodie wanted to protest but instead took Annabel’s hand and drug her with him to the
Brodie came to the closed door of Annabel’s bedchamber and stopped. How was she this morn? He suspected her pert little bottom would be tender. He wasn’t proud that she’d angered him enough that he’d given her a sound leathering with his belt. Especially after she’d been dealing with the puzzling note she’d found. Braden…Ala…vow to kill Anna . Again, his head throbbed at the thought of this “Braden.” There was something deep within his memories about the name.
He shoved that thought aside. What he couldn’t push aside was the threat to Anna. His hands curled into fists. He would not allow any harm to come to her! He would protect her to his dying breath. As, he knew, would all of the men within the walls of Urquhart.
Muffled sounds of movement came to him through the closed door. She was up now and getting around. Her short hair would be tousled from sleep. She would mayhap take a few seconds to reach back and rub her tender bottom, probably purse her lips in annoyance at the thought of what he’d done. She would…
The door opened and she came barreling out in her usual no-nonsense determination to go somewhere, do something. Before he could even think about moving out of her way, she slammed into him. She gasped and he felt her breasts press against him before she stumbled backward in surprise.
“I am sorry, Lord Devil.” She struggled to compose herself, brushing nervously at the sides of her long gown.
He stared at the pink tingeing her cheeks, concentrating on not lowering his gaze to her breasts. “A gown?” His own cheeks heated as he realized what a foolish thing he’d said. But she’d only worn a gown around him one other time.
Annabel blinked at him, still blushing. “I wanted to look presentable when your…when your betrothed arrives.”
“She might not arrive until the morrow.” His palms were sweating in his battle not to reach for her and pull her back into his arms. He scowled, as if it were her fault for how he felt.
“Ah, now that is the face I am familiar with. The one holding a frown fierce enough to scare away any who dares to cross your path.” Then she smiled in amusement. “I pity your betrothed. She will have much to deal with being married to the likes of you.”
With that she scurried by him, her slender hips swaying and darkening his mood even more.
“The man who gets ye as his wife will also have much to deal with,” Brodie snapped and followed after her down the stairs. “Ye are far too sassy. Stubborn as well.”
She pretended to ignore him and walked casually to take a seat at one of the trestle tables with a number of his soldiers. Angus Gordon being one of them. They all looked surprised, and far too pleased at her presence. Far too many were staring at her bosom.
Brodie stormed right behind her, bent down to grab her around her waist, and hauled her to her feet. “Ye eat on the dais with me.”
Gordon stood as if prepared to test him, which he wished the man would do. It would give him an excuse to dismiss him and send him away from Urquhart.
Annabel squirmed out of Brodie’s hold and huffed in clear irritation. Then she faced Gordon and said gently, “’Tis all right. It matters naught where I break my fast. I will talk with you later.”
“I am glad to ken ye are feeling better this day. Mayhap we can have our walk tonight.” He sent Brodie a look of challenge.
Brodie wanted to protest but instead took Annabel’s hand and drug her with him to the
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