Highlander Unbroken (Highland Adventure Book 8) by Vonda Sinclair Page A
Authors: Vonda Sinclair
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soreness latched onto her shoulder. "Ouch!"
"Here, let me help." Tavia assisted her with the rest of her clothing. "If you would like an herbal tea to help you sleep, let me know."
"I would appreciate that."
"For your elbow and other bruises, apply the salve I gave you for your neck when you first arrived. If you can't reach the bruise, I'll apply it for you."
"Very well. I thank you."
A knock sounded at the door and it opened a crack.
"Enter," Tavia said.
A maid stuck her head in. "His lairdship wants to know how Mistress Douglas is."
"Tell him I am well," Anna said, warmth filling her at his concern for her.
The maid gave a nod. "He wishes to see you, Tavia, for a full report. And he requests that Mistress Douglas retire to her room and get some rest."
"Ah. I see," Anna said, hiding a smile. 'Twas only because of him that she would feel like smiling after such a disturbing attack. She didn't even mind that Neacal was being bossy. She couldn't argue with getting some rest. She was exhausted after fighting off that beast.
"Please tell him not to worry over me," Anna said.
Tavia sent her a crooked smile. "Very well. He'll no doubt want to see for himself how you are in the morn."
Anna nodded and headed up the back servants' stair. She would look forward to seeing him in the morn as well.
***
"How could you, Neacal?" Constance demanded. "How could you kill Farquar?"
Standing by the library's fireplace, Neacal glared at his cousin. Tears streamed from her eyes. Why was she behaving in this way? "What was he to you?"
She quickly swiped her tears away. "My… friend."
"Damnation, you were sleeping with him," Neacal growled.
"Nay," she blurted. An obvious lie.
He narrowed his eyes. Damn her hide. Dallying with a guard. She could even now be carrying Farquar's bastard. As her guardian, Neacal was the one responsible for finding her a husband. Since she'd only been his ward as long as he'd been chief, he'd had no time to even think about her.
"I'll find a suitable husband for you," he said.
"What? Nay!"
"You could be with child," he growled. "And if you are, 'tis far better for you to be married to someone when that child is born."
"I wanted to marry Farquar, but you made sure that didn't happen!" She burst into sobs again.
"Hell," Neacal muttered. "Farquar tried to force himself on Mistress Douglas, you daft lass!"
"That is ridiculous!" she cried. "He would not do that. He was a sweet, gentle man."
Neacal shook his head. "And then he drew his sword and challenged me. If he had gone quietly to the dungeon, he would yet be alive."
"You wanted rid of him because you knew I loved him and you thought him beneath me! Not good enough for me to marry. But he was. You and that Douglas whore concocted this lie so you could murder him!"
Rage streaked through Neacal at blinding speed, but he forced himself to remain where he was and take a deep breath. Constance had annoyed him his entire life but she was growing worse.
"I cannot believe this has happened. You will regret this, Neacal!"
He wished he could tell her to pack her trunks and get out, but 'twas impossible until he married her off to someone. He would have to find someone suitable, who could deal with her forceful nature.
A knock sounded at the door. He crossed the room and opened it. Tavia waited in the corridor holding a tea tray. "Come in," he said. "Constance was just leaving."
His cousin gave him the evil eye as she exited. He closed the door behind her.
"I brought you more chamomile tea to help you sleep, m'laird. I mixed it with mint and honey just the way you like it." She set the tray on the table.
"I thank you, Tavia. I was able to sleep better the past two nights."
She straightened and faced him, her eyes curious. "I'm glad. What caused this improvement?"
"I'm not certain," he fibbed, knowing it had something to do with Anna, but to admit that would sound foolish. He trusted Tavia above anyone in the clan, for she'd dragged him
"Here, let me help." Tavia assisted her with the rest of her clothing. "If you would like an herbal tea to help you sleep, let me know."
"I would appreciate that."
"For your elbow and other bruises, apply the salve I gave you for your neck when you first arrived. If you can't reach the bruise, I'll apply it for you."
"Very well. I thank you."
A knock sounded at the door and it opened a crack.
"Enter," Tavia said.
A maid stuck her head in. "His lairdship wants to know how Mistress Douglas is."
"Tell him I am well," Anna said, warmth filling her at his concern for her.
The maid gave a nod. "He wishes to see you, Tavia, for a full report. And he requests that Mistress Douglas retire to her room and get some rest."
"Ah. I see," Anna said, hiding a smile. 'Twas only because of him that she would feel like smiling after such a disturbing attack. She didn't even mind that Neacal was being bossy. She couldn't argue with getting some rest. She was exhausted after fighting off that beast.
"Please tell him not to worry over me," Anna said.
Tavia sent her a crooked smile. "Very well. He'll no doubt want to see for himself how you are in the morn."
Anna nodded and headed up the back servants' stair. She would look forward to seeing him in the morn as well.
***
"How could you, Neacal?" Constance demanded. "How could you kill Farquar?"
Standing by the library's fireplace, Neacal glared at his cousin. Tears streamed from her eyes. Why was she behaving in this way? "What was he to you?"
She quickly swiped her tears away. "My… friend."
"Damnation, you were sleeping with him," Neacal growled.
"Nay," she blurted. An obvious lie.
He narrowed his eyes. Damn her hide. Dallying with a guard. She could even now be carrying Farquar's bastard. As her guardian, Neacal was the one responsible for finding her a husband. Since she'd only been his ward as long as he'd been chief, he'd had no time to even think about her.
"I'll find a suitable husband for you," he said.
"What? Nay!"
"You could be with child," he growled. "And if you are, 'tis far better for you to be married to someone when that child is born."
"I wanted to marry Farquar, but you made sure that didn't happen!" She burst into sobs again.
"Hell," Neacal muttered. "Farquar tried to force himself on Mistress Douglas, you daft lass!"
"That is ridiculous!" she cried. "He would not do that. He was a sweet, gentle man."
Neacal shook his head. "And then he drew his sword and challenged me. If he had gone quietly to the dungeon, he would yet be alive."
"You wanted rid of him because you knew I loved him and you thought him beneath me! Not good enough for me to marry. But he was. You and that Douglas whore concocted this lie so you could murder him!"
Rage streaked through Neacal at blinding speed, but he forced himself to remain where he was and take a deep breath. Constance had annoyed him his entire life but she was growing worse.
"I cannot believe this has happened. You will regret this, Neacal!"
He wished he could tell her to pack her trunks and get out, but 'twas impossible until he married her off to someone. He would have to find someone suitable, who could deal with her forceful nature.
A knock sounded at the door. He crossed the room and opened it. Tavia waited in the corridor holding a tea tray. "Come in," he said. "Constance was just leaving."
His cousin gave him the evil eye as she exited. He closed the door behind her.
"I brought you more chamomile tea to help you sleep, m'laird. I mixed it with mint and honey just the way you like it." She set the tray on the table.
"I thank you, Tavia. I was able to sleep better the past two nights."
She straightened and faced him, her eyes curious. "I'm glad. What caused this improvement?"
"I'm not certain," he fibbed, knowing it had something to do with Anna, but to admit that would sound foolish. He trusted Tavia above anyone in the clan, for she'd dragged him
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