Read Online The Hellion and the Highlander by Lynsay Sands - Free Book Online Page A

insisted I must be and helped me learn to control it,” she said quietly. “The day after I tried to run away and kicked the captain of the guard, she started to teach me to control it.”
    “Run away?” Will looked shocked. It was obvious he knew nothing about any of it.
    “How did she teach you, Averill?” Kade asked quietly. For teaching a five-year-old anything was quite difficult, but trying to make one go against her own nature was nearly impossible.
    “Every time I lost my temper, she made me take a bath in cold water.” Her voice was almost absent as she said it, with no sign of rancor at the punishment…and punishment it would have been, Kade thought grimly. He couldn’t imagine anyone forcing a child to sit in cold water. Aside from unpleasant, it was surely dangerous to risk her catching a chill like that.
    Averill suddenly snatched the compress away and scowled up at her brother. “I suppose you hate me now.”
    “Nay, of course not,” Will said at once, then grinned, and added, “Actually, I rather like you like this. Where did you learn to curse that way?”
    “From you,” she said dryly, dropping the compress back over her face. “And from the soldiers who man the wall. They are forever shouting curses back and forth, and I hear it all from my chamber when the shutters are open.”
    “Hmm, I shall have to take more care in the future and perhaps speak to the men on the wall,” Will muttered, but he seemed more amused than anything. He then turned to Kade and arched an eyebrow. “Is she still too sweet?”
    Kade turned to peer at the girl. She had pulled the compress away again, and her beautiful green eyes were shifting from one man to the other with suspicion. The bonnet she’d worn to meet Lord Seawell had been discarded, and her tresses now lay splayed over the bed on either side of her head, fiery locks he’d like to gather in his hands and press to his face. Her cheeks were flushed with color from her temper, her sweet, soft lips twisted with irritation, and he’d never seen her look more beautiful.
    “Nay,” he growled. “I’ll have her.”
    Will grinned and slapped his shoulder happily. “Welcome to the family.”
    “What?” Averill sat up, confusion on her face. “Whatever are you—” She stopped abruptly, one hand going to her stomach, the other to her head. She closed her eyes with a moan, opened them again, and gasped, “Why will this accursed room not stay still?”
    Kade stepped to the side of the bed, pushed her back to lie flat with one hand, then returned the cold compress to her face. “Rest. The room’ll right itself do you do so.”
    She resisted him briefly, but then gave in and allowed herself to flop back on the bed with a miserable little sigh. “I shall never drink again.”
    Kade waited a moment, but when she stayed still and seemed to drift off to sleep, he glanced to Will. “I’ll talk to yer father.”
    “I will come with you,” Will announced, following when he started across the room. Kade had just arrived at the door and reached out to pull it open when sounds from the bed caught his ear. He glanced back in time to see Averill lunge upward, retching violently.
    “I’ll fetch her maid,” Will said at once, hurrying from the room as Kade rushed back to Averill.
     
    “You’re awake.”
    Averill reluctantly reopened her eyes. She’d blinked them open a heartbeat ago, only to groan as candlelight attacked her, sending pain throughher head. This time was no better, and she moaned and closed them once more.
    “Head paining you?” Bess asked.
    Averill opened her mouth to answer but paused on a sigh of relief as a cold, damp cloth was laid over her eyes and forehead.
    “Oh, Bessie, bless you,” she whispered, as the cool damp began to ease the drumming in her head.
    “I have a tonic here when you think your stomach can stand it,” Bessie announced.
    Averill grimaced at the very thought of consuming anything. On the other hand, it would