Read Online Wed to a Highland Warrior by Donna Fletcher - Free Book Online Page B

he was about to give it a few more minutes when he was suddenly hit with the overwhelming urge to hurry back to the cottage. His heart began to pound in his chest so badly that he thought it would burst. Something was wrong, very wrong. Bliss was in danger, he could feel—it twisted at his gut and turned his blood cold. He took hold of the lone fish and rushed through the woods, hoping he wasn’t too late.
    He shouldn’t have left her. These were dangerous times, and vigilance was called for more often than not. She might be able to sense things, but did it help her defend herself?
    The more he thought, the more anxious he became and the more he believed that Bliss was in trouble. He rushed through the woods, paying no heed to the pouring rain, his feet pounding the muddy ground. He stopped abruptly when he drew near the cottage and gave a quick glance around. No one lurked about, and no horses were tethered to the trees. Still, the sense of dread fell heavy upon him, which meant that the threat had to come from within the cottage.
    Trey rushed forward, his heart hammering in his chest and fear gripping his heart like never before. He burst through the door and found Bliss sitting alone at the table.
    After shutting the door and making sure the latch caught firm he approached her. He slapped the fish, then his hands down on the table, and said, “What happened?”
    “You sensed danger?” she asked, appearing perplexed.
    “Aye, I did, strong and hard and I raced back here to find you alone and yet—” He shook his head. “What happened? I know something happened.”
    She nodded. “It did. I had an unexpected visitor in your absence, but he’s gone now and won’t be returning.”
    His heart stopped slamming against his chest, and his fear ebbed though not entirely. “Who was he and what did he want?”
    “You’re dripping so much rainwater that fish may just come back to life.”
    “Then he too will be just as interested to hear what you have to say.”
    She gave a chuckle and shook her head. “You need to get out of those wet clothes first.”
    He shed his garments quickly and without care and stood stark naked in front of her.
    She pulled the blanket from around her shoulders.
    “Don’t,” he ordered stopping her. “I did what you requested. Now it’s your turn.”
    “You’ll chill,” she said, flustered, and again attempted to offer him the blanket.
    “My annoyance heats me.”
    She kept her glance on his face. Now and again it slipped to his chest though she quickly retrieved it. “William of Longee was his name, with little manners, a foul stench, and large in size.”
    He felt his anger mount and wondered how she was able to defend herself against such a man. He didn’t ask; he waited for her to continue.
    “He thought me and this cottage a welcoming sight. Once I told him I was a seer, he changed his opinion and drew a dirk.”
    A low growl rumbled in Trey’s chest.
    Bliss hurried her tale. “I sensed potential trouble—”
    “Potential? The dirk made his intentions perfectly clear. He intended to do you harm.”
    She shook her head. “Nay, he feared me and only tried to protect himself.”
    “You defend him?”
    “As I learned more about him, I felt sorry for him. He was a man who misunderstood fate, and so he labored under misconceptions. He believed love treated him badly when in essence he had failed love.”
    “You talk in riddles.”
    She stood and walked around the table, her eyes on his face the whole time and remaining so while she tucked the blanket around his waist.
    Trey didn’t object. He was chilled as she had warned, and he worried that his body would soon react not only to her lovely features but more so to her courage.
    “That’s better,” she said with a pat to his chest. “Now where was I?”
    He grabbed her around the waist and hoisted her up to sit on the edge of the table in front of him, planting his hands on either side of her, restricting her