Highland Storm (Guardians of Scotland Book 2) by Victoria Zak

Author:Victoria Zak [Zak, Victoria]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Victoria Zak
Published: 2015-01-12T14:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

If you wanted to know the local townsfolk’s deepest, darkest secrets, there was only one place to go where rumors and chatter flew freely from the mouths of the intoxicated. Where the men could be persuaded by cockish lassies selling their commodities for guarded information. Aye, an alehouse was the perfect place to start. Nestled strategically next to the barber, the alehouse was situated just outside Caerlaverock Castle, in a small village.

James the Black Douglas and Rory dismounted from their steeds and entered the stone-faced tavern. Once inside they split up. Rory mingled with the crowd as James took to the shadows, keeping a keen eye on their surroundings. Hooded and cloaked, James disappeared and blended into the tavern.

He removed his hood and sat down at a vacant table in the corner of the lively room to soon be approached by a bar wench. She slammed down a tankard and James watched her fill it with mead. “Make it two, lass.”

The wench smiled and obeyed his request. “Can I be of anymore service to ye?” The lass leaned in as she placed the tankard in front of James, showcasing her bosom.

James, being a man and having no choice in the matter, gazed upon her breasts then moved his gaze to her face. She was pretty and young; mayhap ten-and-eight, the same age Abigale was when they first met. “Nay, I’m a married man.” James took the tankard and vigorously drank the brew.

Not too long ago he would have taken the lass up on her offer, just to pass the night away and avoid his nightmares. Even now as he sat here eyeing the lass, the urge was there.

Flinging her long blonde hair over her shoulder, she teased the ends of the strands with her fingers. “Och, look around. No one here seems to mind.” She smiled.

Intrigued by her boldness, James half-cocked a grin. He reached in his satchel and pulled out a bag of coin and tossed it on the table. The blonde smiled as if she had done her job well and landed a man for the night; a sexy one to boot.

She reached for the bag but was abruptly stopped as James covered it with his large hand. “Tell me something, lass. Why are ye here selling yer soul to strangers?”

Her smile quickly turned grim. “I have no place to call me own. Mr. Dougal and his wife allow me to stay here and work for them but ’tis not enough for me and me daughter.” Disgraced, she looked down at her apron.

“Ye have a daughter?”

“Aye.”

“And what would yer daughter think of her mother selling herself for coin?”

The lass stood silent.

“And I am to assume ye have no husband?”

The lass looked up at James and shamefully shook her head. “No husband.”

“Ye’re a bonny woman and good mother for sacrificing yerself for yer daughter but ye can do better than this, aye?”

“Aye,” the blonde said and sniffed back a tear.

“There’s enough coin in this bag for ye and yer daughter to start over.

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