Read Online The Wild Rose of Kilgannon by Kathleen Givens - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kathleen Givens
Tags: Fiction, Historical fiction, General, Romance, Historical, England, Love Stories, Scotland, Scotland - Social Life and Customs - 18th Century, England - Social Life and Customs - 18th Century, Scotland - History - 1689-1745
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leaving with them tomorrow. Please receive them tonight as ye would any guests at Kilgannon."
The men bellowed in response and started moving off the walls and terrace toward him. I was lost in a sea of plaids as they reached us, and I stood back, watching. Alex was thinner and very drawn, his bruises startling colors, his shirt encrusted with blood from a wound hidden by his hair, a rat's nest of tangles and matted clumps. But he was standing and in one piece and he was home, still the Earl of Kilgannon.
I glanced at Robert and his men where they waited at a distance, not relaxing their guard. Robert's handsome face was a stone mask as he watched Alex, then turned to meet my gaze. He dismounted and came to meet me as I walked toward him. When we stood facing each other I extended my hand and he caught it in both of his. "Welcome to Kilgannon, Lord Campbell," I said loud enough for his men to hear. He bowed over my hand and met my eyes before looking away. It had been momentary, but long enough for me to see that Robert remembered as well as I all that had gone on before.
"Robert," I said, in a quieter tone, and his brown eyes found mine again. "Thank you for bringing him home. Thank you." I embraced him. At first he stood woodenly and then he clasped me tightly to him, holding me longer than was necessary. As if realizing that, he abruptly let me go and I swayed at my release. He grabbed my arm to steady me, then released me as though my arm burnt him. Puzzled, I glanced up at him but he was looking behind me and I followed his gaze. Alex had been swallowed by the crowd, appearing now and then as the men shifted position, but Angus stood apart, watching us with a grim expression. I turned back to Robert but he had gone back to his men. Both Robert and Alex had undergone a transformation and neither seemed the happier for it.
I fought my way to Alex's side and his arm went around me.
"Mary Rose," he whispered in my ear, then kissed me gently on the mouth. "Mary Rose, I love ye, lass." I clung to him as we moved up the terraces and into the courtyard. Someone had told the women it was safe and they swarmed forward now, greeting Alex. Wee Donald, Ellen at his side, thumped Alex's back, then released him as Ellen embraced Alex and nodded happily at something he said to her. How can she smile, I wondered, when Alex will leave again? How can they all be smiling and laughing? Do they not understand? And if they did not, I agreed. I did not understand it all. I felt as though I watched them from afar.
Most of the clan arrived in the next hour to welcome Alex home. Berta, Ellen, and I were hard-pressed to arrange food and drink for all, and it was quite a while before I found myself standing at the side of the hall next to Robert. Alex's eyes had found me wherever I was, and now was no exception. He smiled at the clansmen before him but he watched Robert and me standing together. And at the edge of the crowd around him Angus watched us as well. If Robert noticed he gave no acknowledgement of it.
"You'd think he was home for good, not one night, Mary," Robert said quietly. "Do they always greet him this way?"
"Yes," I said and then took a deep breath. "Robert?" He turned to me with a blank expression and I thought of the many times I had stood companionably next to Robert Campbell. How strange life is, I thought, to bring the three of us together thus. "Robert, why are you here? Why did you bring Alex home?"
"I am to bring Alex to Edinburgh for trial." His voice was toneless. Whatever he was feeling was well hidden.
"Then you went the wrong way." Something flashed in his eyes, but he said nothing. "I understand that you are bringing Alex to Edinburgh, Robert, but why did you come to Kilgannon?"
Robert looked at Alex and then at me. "He agreed to go with me without a battle and I agreed to spare Kilgannon. When we leave here I will bring him to Edinburgh and he will be tried for treason." He lowered his head to speak very
The men bellowed in response and started moving off the walls and terrace toward him. I was lost in a sea of plaids as they reached us, and I stood back, watching. Alex was thinner and very drawn, his bruises startling colors, his shirt encrusted with blood from a wound hidden by his hair, a rat's nest of tangles and matted clumps. But he was standing and in one piece and he was home, still the Earl of Kilgannon.
I glanced at Robert and his men where they waited at a distance, not relaxing their guard. Robert's handsome face was a stone mask as he watched Alex, then turned to meet my gaze. He dismounted and came to meet me as I walked toward him. When we stood facing each other I extended my hand and he caught it in both of his. "Welcome to Kilgannon, Lord Campbell," I said loud enough for his men to hear. He bowed over my hand and met my eyes before looking away. It had been momentary, but long enough for me to see that Robert remembered as well as I all that had gone on before.
"Robert," I said, in a quieter tone, and his brown eyes found mine again. "Thank you for bringing him home. Thank you." I embraced him. At first he stood woodenly and then he clasped me tightly to him, holding me longer than was necessary. As if realizing that, he abruptly let me go and I swayed at my release. He grabbed my arm to steady me, then released me as though my arm burnt him. Puzzled, I glanced up at him but he was looking behind me and I followed his gaze. Alex had been swallowed by the crowd, appearing now and then as the men shifted position, but Angus stood apart, watching us with a grim expression. I turned back to Robert but he had gone back to his men. Both Robert and Alex had undergone a transformation and neither seemed the happier for it.
I fought my way to Alex's side and his arm went around me.
"Mary Rose," he whispered in my ear, then kissed me gently on the mouth. "Mary Rose, I love ye, lass." I clung to him as we moved up the terraces and into the courtyard. Someone had told the women it was safe and they swarmed forward now, greeting Alex. Wee Donald, Ellen at his side, thumped Alex's back, then released him as Ellen embraced Alex and nodded happily at something he said to her. How can she smile, I wondered, when Alex will leave again? How can they all be smiling and laughing? Do they not understand? And if they did not, I agreed. I did not understand it all. I felt as though I watched them from afar.
Most of the clan arrived in the next hour to welcome Alex home. Berta, Ellen, and I were hard-pressed to arrange food and drink for all, and it was quite a while before I found myself standing at the side of the hall next to Robert. Alex's eyes had found me wherever I was, and now was no exception. He smiled at the clansmen before him but he watched Robert and me standing together. And at the edge of the crowd around him Angus watched us as well. If Robert noticed he gave no acknowledgement of it.
"You'd think he was home for good, not one night, Mary," Robert said quietly. "Do they always greet him this way?"
"Yes," I said and then took a deep breath. "Robert?" He turned to me with a blank expression and I thought of the many times I had stood companionably next to Robert Campbell. How strange life is, I thought, to bring the three of us together thus. "Robert, why are you here? Why did you bring Alex home?"
"I am to bring Alex to Edinburgh for trial." His voice was toneless. Whatever he was feeling was well hidden.
"Then you went the wrong way." Something flashed in his eyes, but he said nothing. "I understand that you are bringing Alex to Edinburgh, Robert, but why did you come to Kilgannon?"
Robert looked at Alex and then at me. "He agreed to go with me without a battle and I agreed to spare Kilgannon. When we leave here I will bring him to Edinburgh and he will be tried for treason." He lowered his head to speak very
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