Defended by the Warrior Highlander by Ann Marie Scott

Author:Ann Marie Scott [Scott, Ann Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Highland
Published: 2019-10-15T16:00:00+00:00

As soon as they got back, Reuben ordered a large party of soldiers, all armed to the teeth, to go and pick up the bodies. Rhona came into the courtyard when she heard the commotion of two dozen men, horses, and carts moving, and gave a squeal of fright as she saw the blood on her brothers’ clothing.

“Do not worry, Rhona,” he said soothingly, gathering her into his arms, “we bested them. It is not our blood.”

“Them? What happened?” Rhona asked in alarm. She took Reuben’s hand then sat both her brothers down in the parlor, giving them each a tumbler of whisky. “Now tell me,” she said firmly. “Tell me every detail, Reuben McLeod, or I will make your life a misery until you do.”

Reuben looked into his sister’s eyes that were so like his own. He smiled.

“Yes, Milady.” He took a sip of his whisky and recounted the details of the ambush in graphic detail, watching his sister flinch from time to time. He stood up and looked out of the window, seeing the stand of trees in the distance where it had all happened. After he had finished his drink he shrugged and sighed.

“So they are back,” he concluded. “Back to plague us again.”

“They could have heard about Camilla,” Dugan mused.

“I had been thinking of that,” Rhona answered, “but she is a woman of no importance to them. Her father was a colonel in the army but she is a daughter, not a son. She has no wealth to speak of and not enough status to be a suitable bride for a high-ranking military man. In short, she is a nobody.”

Reuben thought for a moment, still looking out of the window. He could see his guards going towards the woods with a farm cart to put the bodies in. He was a warrior, bred to kill and if need be, to give his life, but every loss of life still grieved him. These men had been fathers, brothers, sons, or friends, and were fighting under orders. He doubted that many of them wanted to be here.

“Then I think they are carrying on their routine harassment,” Reuben said. “But I still keep thinking that they want Cammie for something. It is common knowledge that she is betrothed to a laird, so they may think that if they kidnap her and hold her hostage, they will have some leverage over me.”

“But they can hardly believe you will give up a whole estate for one woman!” Dugan replied in disbelief. “Too many other lives depend on this estate.”

I would give up everything for her, he thought. Everything...even my life.

“Or they do not want a mongrel bloodline—Scottish and English interbreeding.” He gave a short laugh. “That is the way they think, Dugan. I have heard them speak.”

Dugan shook his head in despair.

“Should we tell Cammie?” Rhona asked.

“I think we should,” Reuben replied. He would use any excuse to see her. His heart was thumping as he ran up the stairs. He stopped in front of it for a moment, composing himself before knocking at the door.

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