light filled the sky, she pushed through brush and bracken, swearing as the branches tore at her hair and clothing. She crested the low hill and faltered, startled to see horses and riders moving at a slow pace through the tall grass a short distance away.
She crouched low, watching as they wound their way across the side of the hill. There were six men, but she counted seven horses. The last horse was riderless and its dappled gray hide shimmered in the early morning sun. It was Maude! Six men meant Duncan and Ewan had returned from Troon! She shot to her feet and lurched headlong down the hill, shouting at them to stop.
Gavin heard her first and wheeled his horse to the sound. His face reflected a mixture of relief and anger for the scare she’d given them as he leapt to the ground and rushed to meet her. Grabbing her shoulders, he looked her over from head to toe and back again.
“Are ye well, lass?” He cocked his head at her. “’Tis a relief to find ye hale and unattached to the sheriff’s noose.”
Brianna sobered at his scold, but could not contain her relief at being back among her clansmen. “Aye. I am well and happy to see the lot of ye.”
The others dismounted their horses and gathered eagerly around her.
“What happened to ye, lass?” Rabbie asked.
“I went to the burn to clean up and slipped on the rocks and fell. I swallowed too much water and would have drowned were it not for a man on the other side who saw me go under.” She glanced around the little group, wondering if any would challenge her story. Apart from a few narrowed eyes, they said nothing.
“I hurt my ankle when I fell, and needed help getting back to camp. I dinnae know if the men were in league with the sheriff or not, though they treated me well and did not ask too many questions. We searched for ye, but ye had broken camp. I rode with them all day looking for ye, and finally struck out on my own—and found ye!” She smiled happily, and one by one the Douglases nodded, satisfied she was back and apparently none the worse for her absence.
“We have good news for ye,” Geordie said. “The king will be in Troon in a day or two, and the steward has given ye leave to stay in the castle until ye present yer petition.”
With a cry of joy, Brianna launched herself at the young Douglas and hugged him fiercely, fairly dancing with glee. Geordie blushed furiously, ducking the good-natured swat Rabbie aimed at his head.
“Come, lass,” Gavin urged. “Climb up on Maude. We ride for Troon.”
Chapter 8
Dundonald Castle, Troon
Brianna absently drew the brush through her hair, her thoughts far from a mere act of grooming and even farther from her interview with King Robert in less than an hour’s time. With little to do for the past two days at Dundonald Castle, her mind betrayed her with heated memories of the laird’s touch.
Mystified with a longing she did not understand, she mused over her unprecedented behavior. What had come over her to make her act so wantonly? Was it because he dared hold her, kiss her? Mungo had done those things, though little else, and never stirred the passion she’d felt with the laird. She groaned in a mixture of embarrassment and desire, still unsettled with the way the act had ended.
Thank goodness there is little chance of ever seeing him again! Once back at Wyndham, I will have other things to occupy my mind and I will forget this folly .
She eyed herself critically in the mirror, schooling her flushed face into a mask of calm serenity. Her priority was her petition to the king, not the coupling that had both awakened her passion and left her wanting.
Brianna jerked the brush through her hair with such force it slipped from her fingers and clattered to the floor. The serving girl straightening the room jumped at the noise and hurriedly bent to retrieve the object. Brianna frowned. “I am sorry. I seem to be out of sorts today.”
The maid carefully placed the hairbrush on the
She crouched low, watching as they wound their way across the side of the hill. There were six men, but she counted seven horses. The last horse was riderless and its dappled gray hide shimmered in the early morning sun. It was Maude! Six men meant Duncan and Ewan had returned from Troon! She shot to her feet and lurched headlong down the hill, shouting at them to stop.
Gavin heard her first and wheeled his horse to the sound. His face reflected a mixture of relief and anger for the scare she’d given them as he leapt to the ground and rushed to meet her. Grabbing her shoulders, he looked her over from head to toe and back again.
“Are ye well, lass?” He cocked his head at her. “’Tis a relief to find ye hale and unattached to the sheriff’s noose.”
Brianna sobered at his scold, but could not contain her relief at being back among her clansmen. “Aye. I am well and happy to see the lot of ye.”
The others dismounted their horses and gathered eagerly around her.
“What happened to ye, lass?” Rabbie asked.
“I went to the burn to clean up and slipped on the rocks and fell. I swallowed too much water and would have drowned were it not for a man on the other side who saw me go under.” She glanced around the little group, wondering if any would challenge her story. Apart from a few narrowed eyes, they said nothing.
“I hurt my ankle when I fell, and needed help getting back to camp. I dinnae know if the men were in league with the sheriff or not, though they treated me well and did not ask too many questions. We searched for ye, but ye had broken camp. I rode with them all day looking for ye, and finally struck out on my own—and found ye!” She smiled happily, and one by one the Douglases nodded, satisfied she was back and apparently none the worse for her absence.
“We have good news for ye,” Geordie said. “The king will be in Troon in a day or two, and the steward has given ye leave to stay in the castle until ye present yer petition.”
With a cry of joy, Brianna launched herself at the young Douglas and hugged him fiercely, fairly dancing with glee. Geordie blushed furiously, ducking the good-natured swat Rabbie aimed at his head.
“Come, lass,” Gavin urged. “Climb up on Maude. We ride for Troon.”
Chapter 8
Dundonald Castle, Troon
Brianna absently drew the brush through her hair, her thoughts far from a mere act of grooming and even farther from her interview with King Robert in less than an hour’s time. With little to do for the past two days at Dundonald Castle, her mind betrayed her with heated memories of the laird’s touch.
Mystified with a longing she did not understand, she mused over her unprecedented behavior. What had come over her to make her act so wantonly? Was it because he dared hold her, kiss her? Mungo had done those things, though little else, and never stirred the passion she’d felt with the laird. She groaned in a mixture of embarrassment and desire, still unsettled with the way the act had ended.
Thank goodness there is little chance of ever seeing him again! Once back at Wyndham, I will have other things to occupy my mind and I will forget this folly .
She eyed herself critically in the mirror, schooling her flushed face into a mask of calm serenity. Her priority was her petition to the king, not the coupling that had both awakened her passion and left her wanting.
Brianna jerked the brush through her hair with such force it slipped from her fingers and clattered to the floor. The serving girl straightening the room jumped at the noise and hurriedly bent to retrieve the object. Brianna frowned. “I am sorry. I seem to be out of sorts today.”
The maid carefully placed the hairbrush on the
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