Knight Protector (Knight Chronicles) by Rue Allyn

Author:Rue Allyn [Allyn, Rue]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: F+W Media
Published: 2016-02-14T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Colin watched her leave. It seemed he was always watching her turn away. Had she felt like this when he’d left her? Had she felt abandoned and alone with her parents and his father shouting and throwing threats around her? For ten years he’d carried the image of her howling curses, dagger drawn to protect the man she thought she loved. He knew she blamed him for the fight. Since his return to Strathnaver, he’d thought she blamed him for her broken betrothal. Did she also blame him for leaving? St. Andrew knew he was guilty of both, and which had been the greater crime he could not say.

She’d trusted him, before that kiss, so long ago. Now, it seemed as if she trusted him once more. But it was no innocent trusting. She had conditions and insisted on keeping them. He prayed she was right about Raeb and the rest of Clan MacKai, but he had his doubts. The best to hope for from Raeb MacKai, if he accepted the invitation, was that he would protect Sorcha. I’ll then be free to see to the traitors without fear for her life. Whatever happened when Coillteach and MacBirnum arrived, he’d best prepare to face it with help only from the few men he had faith in. ʼTwas past time he had a long talk with Ranulf, Davey, and Robert. Recently wed, Clarwyn must be chafing at the delay in what they originally thought would be a quick and easy task. If I had a wife like Juliana Verault, who is nearly the equal of Sorcha, I would nae want to linger far from her arms.

Sorcha returned, and they each concentrated on composing their letters. Colin struggled to find the right words. How did you apologize to a man for murdering his parents—even if indirectly done—and plead for that man’s aid in the same breath? He mentioned the possible return of the MacKai horses to sweeten the invitation. Letter or no, horses or no, Colin would have to beg Raeb’s forgiveness and help in person.

Then there was Sorcha. All should be finished when that celebration ended, and one way or the other, Sorcha would leave Strathnaver. Colin would have nae reason to keep her here, and since he wanted her happiness nearly as much as he wanted to make Scotland safe, he would bow to her wishes when the time came. If that left him with a stark and lonely future, well, ʼtwould be little different than the past ten years.

With both letters sealed and in his hand, Colin went in search of his friends. He would send Davey—whose grief over Alex’s murder might yet boil over into violence—off to deliver the letters and stay at Dungarob to encourage Raeb to come to Strathnaver.

Colin found the knights in the kitchens. Davey sat frowning into a mug of ale. Robert penned one of his daily letters to his wife. Ranulf flirted with the maids and filled a trencher with any tidbits he could filch when he thought the cook was not looking.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.