Read Online Thistle and Flame - Her Highland Hero by Anya Karin - Free Book Online Page B

street, she found herself looking at
Alan, and trying to figure out exactly why he was so sour.
    “Give me the plug, Rodrigo,” Sheriff Alan said.
“Quickly, you awful Spaniard.”
    Dark-skinned, dark-eyed Rodrigo unflinchingly
pulled the black square from his belt-pouch and handed over the tobacco, which
he never chewed, only carried. Without a word, because he refused to speak, or
couldn’t – Alan had no idea which – Rodrigo settled back into the uncomfortable
chair in the back of the coach that bumped along the rutted streets of old
Edinburgh.
    Alan fished the remnants of his last chew from his
lip and flung it, dripping, out of the window, wiped his moist, brown lips with
a handkerchief in the single display of manners he possessed. Kenna watched in
horror as his jowly mouth opened and Alan’s brown teeth closed around the
second lump of tobacco and then turned her eyes back to the old buildings as
they rolled past.
    “Laird Macdonald says you’ve never been here
before,” the Sheriff said. “Seems a shame. Even I’ve seen Edinburgh castle. Why
is it that a good Scottish girl like you has never been?”
    “I, uh, my family is from quite far north, so just
never had the chance. My father’s traveled but I’ve never done much going
around.” Kenna refused to look at him in his absurd powdered wig with the brown
streaks where he adjusted it with his juice-covered fingers.
    Alan grunted in response.
    The carriage rolled to a stop, and the driver
swore.
    “What’s going on?” Kenna said.
    “Probably an overturned carriage or someone hurt
in the street.” Alan said.
    “You can’t be serious.” Kenna stuck her head out
the window and gasped when she saw an injured man in the road and a number of carriage
drivers standing around him shouting for him to move. “Why don’t they help him?
He’s got a broken leg! How can those people expect him to move if he’s been
hurt?”
    “Because he should,” Alan said. “The people
telling him to move have every right. They’re important. They’ve got things to
do. That creature in the road is just holding things up.” He spat out the
window and took a look.
    Alan pursed his lips.
    “Rodrigo, go help the man. At least get him off
the road and make sure he’s not dead.”
    With a sigh, Rodrigo looked to Kenna, nodded
slightly and trotted over to the man in the road. A few moments later, he’d
helped him to the side of the road, and was on his way back.
    “Wait just a minute,” Kenna said as the carriage
started to move again. “That man needs help and no one’s got any idea what to
do. If you don’t set that, he’ll die. Let me out of here.”
    She moved so quickly that Alan didn’t have time to
block her, though he tried as soon as he realized what she was doing. He let
his drooping, heavy eyelids fall halfway closed while he watched her talk to
the man, get some swatches of cloth and sent a couple of people from the crowd
to find boards, then splinted his leg.
    When she returned, Alan scowled at her.
    “We’re on a schedule, girl. You’ve to be back and
Macdonald’s in only a couple of hours. People like Ramsay Macdonald don’t
wait.”
    “What’s the hurry?” she said. “I want to see the
town and taking a few moments to help someone isn’t going to do anything to
ruin tonight’s party.”
    “Often times, girl, life is one awful thing after
another. You’re noble now. Or will be soon.” Juice dribbled out of one corner
of Alan’s mouth. “It’s not all bad though.”
    Kenna turned back to the window and stared out of
it until the carriage pulled to a stop.
    “We’re on foot from here,” Alan said. “Easier to
get to the castle without a bunch of horses along.”
    A few blessed moments passed in silence as the
carriage let them out at the foot of the hill leading to the castle and the
three began to walk. The smells of vendors selling roasted meats, sweet
shortbreads and pasties had Kenna’s mouth almost watering. They passed