Claiming the Highlander by Kinley MacGregor Read Free Book Online Page B

well. And he wondered how she was making do. How she had found the strength to devise such a plan to end the feud that had cost her brother his life?
    He saw her in a new light, and a profound respect for her welled up inside him. “And Ian?”
    “He survived, just barely.” The sadness left her eyes and in its place her rage burned bright. “Now the fool wants to head out to avenge our brother.”
    Braden could well understand that. Nothing would give him greater pleasure than killing whichever MacDouglas follower had claimed his friend’s life.
    And in that instant he understood why Maggie had done what she had. “So, that’s the reason for all this. You’re here to protect Ian.”
    “I’m here to protect
all
the men who are still living. If you men had your way, we’d end up like the MacNachtans, with nothing left save small boys and old men.”
    He reached out for her. “Maggie—”
    “Don’t you be touching me,” she said, stepping away from his hand. “I’m not about to let you have your way with me so your brother can lead another party out to its death. I’m sick of all this killing. I have four brothers left alive, and by the saints above, I’ll keep them safe or die in that effort.”
    Now, that got his dander up. She acted as if it were Lochlan’s fault.
    “If you recall,” he said, “we didn’t start this feud. The MacDouglas did when he led a raid into Ken Hollow. Do you not remember the women and children who were slain?”
    “Aye, of course I do. If
you
remember, my brother Aidan was one of the ones who fell that night. Do you think I could ever forget such a thing?”
    “Nay, of course you couldn’t.”
    Braden cupped her face in his hands to offer her comfort. He half expected her to pull away or stiffen. Instead, she just stared up at him, her amber eyes large.
    In that instant, he saw the vulnerability inside her. The uncertainty. And he ached to soothe her in some way. Not just with physical closeness. Nay, he wanted to make her feel better from the inside out.
    “I am sorry about Anghus and Aidan, Maggie, truly I am.”
    She placed her hand over his and looked up at him with tears brimming in her eyes. “Then stand with us, Braden, and do what is right. You know the feud canna go on. Help us to end it.”
    Her courage amazed him. The cunning and determination it had taken her to achieve this standoff. The woman was truly brilliant.
    “Tell me, how did you do this?” he asked. “How did you get the MacDouglas lairdess to agree with your plans?”
    The right corner of her lips turned up into a beguiling half smile. “I snuck myself over to their lands. Since I was just a woman alone, no man thought to stop me. When I reached the MacDouglas castle, I pretended to be a servantand went to the Lady MacDouglas’s solar to wait for her. Once she heard me out, she agreed to help stop this.”
    He paused in thought, but what played across his mind was not to his liking. Maggie’s tale had all the ingredients of a planned betrayal. “And how do you know she’s not lying to you? Even now they could be planning a raid on us while Lochlan is occupied with worries over you.”
    “Nay,” she said. “I believe her. She’s a good lady and all she wants is her husband to see reason. She wants peace as much as I do.”
    How Braden wished it were that simple. But he knew it would take more than a few days without sex or food to make Robby MacDouglas back down. The man was out for blood. And not just any blood.
    In truth, nothing short of the impossible would cow the man. “Unfortunately, little blossom, it’ll never happen.”
    Maggie frowned at him. “How do you mean?”
    Braden dropped his hand from her cheek. It was time he explained the facts of the feud to the lass. Still, he didn’t want to see her discouraged. He so enjoyed her spirit that he almost hated to see her give up. But he had no choice.
    And a looming deadline.
    “Do you know what started this feud?” he