The Highlander’s Stolen Bride by Eliza Knight

Author:Eliza Knight
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: 0
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

The men gathered in the barracks, sharpening their weapons and drying their feet by the braziers. The rain had sent miniature rivers of mud rushing through the bailey, and walking the wall had left all of their boots thoroughly sodden.

Thankfully, hours after Strath had been in the garden with Eva, the rain had stopped, though the sun had yet to emerge from behind the clouds.

The warriors passed around jugs of whisky and ate hunks of roasted meat and bread.

Strath joined them for a while but refrained from eating as he planned to take his meal with his family and Eva. Tomaidh, too, would join them inside. He’d invited the men to join him, but they had their evening ritual down and wanted to stick to it. In fact, they’d even invited Jamie’s men to join them, so the barracks were now even more crowded than before.

After their hard ride to England, the battle at Northwyck, and the journey back to Scotland, the men deserved a bit of respite and entertainment. Besides that, soon there would be another battle. And men in high spirits fought harder than those who were downtrodden.

Nodding to his men, he slipped out to the stables to visit Beast, wanting to brush the horse himself, and do some thinking. In just a short time he’d have to make a choice. Present Eva to the king and walk away, or ask the king for permission to keep her. To wed her...

Wee Duff was in the stables too, tending to his mount. He nodded to Strath as he approached.

“Wee Duff. Did ye get some meat?” Strath took hold of a brush and stroked it over his warhorse.

“Aye.” The warrior was unusually terse and didn’t meet his gaze.

“Something bothering ye?” Strath asked Duff.

Beast turned to nibble his thanks at Strath’s shoulder as he continued to brush him down.

“Aye.” Still Wee Duff did not meet his gaze.

“Tell me.” Strath leaned against the stall, running the brush over his mount’s flank.

“I saw ye in the gardens. With the lass.” His tone was accusatory.

Strath stiffened for just half a breath and then continued brushing. “And?” Strath didn’t keep his irritation from his voice. He didn’t approve of his men spying, any more than he approved of them questioning his motives and actions.

“What are your intentions with her?”

“Is that any of your business?” Strath asked, feeling his nerves prickle.

This time, Wee Duff did look up from what he was doing, and anger blazed in his eyes so abundantly that Strath nearly took a step back.

“Aye. Ye’ve not told your uncle or his men the whole truth—that she is your prisoner. And now I see ye mauling her against a shed like she was a common whore and ye nothing more than stable hand.”

“Dinna call her a whore. And I was not mauling her.” Strath bristled, flexing his fingers. Beast, sensing his irritation, flicked his ears and tail.

Duff jammed the brush he was using back into a bucket. “Whatever ye might call it. But it was not a friendly kiss.

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