Highland Heaven by Ruth Ryan Langan

Author:Ruth Ryan Langan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: love story, historical romance, scottish romance, highland romance, romance classic, romance saga, scotland romance, scottish warrior hero, romance 1200s
Publisher: Ruth Ryan Langan

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Merritt took no notice of the pain in her arm where an arrow had grazed her flesh. She had boldly tossed aside the bloody arrow and struggled to ignore the warm sticky mass that now soaked the sleeve of her shirt.

She seemed unaware of the tree branches that snagged her hair, and the cold night wind whistling past her face, as her horse sped along behind the flock of sheep. Though tiny currents of fear occasionally intruded, she nudged them aside, determined to see her task to its successful conclusion. She was halfway home, and no one, by heaven, was going to stand in the way of her success. And now that she had reached the shelter of the forest, she had an even greater chance of outrunning the men who followed. This forest was, after all, her home. From her earliest days she had roamed these wooded hills. She knew every fell, every glade, every rock.

The hound, trained to herd, yapped at the heels of errant animals and kept the flock from scattering. Though they moved at a fast clip, they remained a tight, contained group.

As they came up over a rise, Merritt watched with satisfaction as the hound nipped at the heels of the leader of the flock, turning it in the direction of Inverene House. The rest of the sheep followed, moving across the darkened hillside in undulating waves.

As she urged her mount forward, a darkened figure stepped from a stand of trees. Her heart leapt to her throat. At once she pulled her sword from its scabbard and advanced, prepared to do battle.

“So, firebrand, I see you cannot keep your word for even one night.”

“You!” Relief flooded through her, and for a moment she felt a rush of heat at the sight of the Campbell. “I’d been prepared to fight for my life.”

“You may yet have to do that, judging by the sound of those curses.”

“Ha. Those oafs will never find their way through this forest.”

“It takes but one oaf, lass, to run you through with his sword. And it would seem his deed would be justified, since you are stealing his sheep.”

“They are Lamont sheep,” she cried.

“Oh. Aye. And once again, you are merely the innocent victim retrieving that which is rightfully yours.”

“’Tis true.”

“Can you prove that?”

She gave a little hiss of impatience. “Why must you always demand proof of my righteousness?”

“Because that is the law.”

“And a Campbell would never break the law,” she muttered sarcastically.

“Tell me,” Shaw demanded. “How can you prove that the sheep are yours?”

“See that hound?” she asked.

When he turned to where she pointed, she said, “The thieving Campbells stole not only our flock, but its guardian, as well. Old Kale has been with us since Edan was a bairn. If it weren’t for Kale, the flock would have been scattered and hopelessly lost.”

Shaw couldn’t argue with her logic. Every Highlander knew that a hound trained to herd sheep was loyal even unto death. And the dog was heading directly toward Inverene House.

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