Highland Champion by Hannah Howell Read Free Book Online Page A

she had far too many concerns of her own to deal with, troubles that left her with neither the wit nor the strength to deal with someone else’s.
    “M’lady, someone has come looking for Sir Liam,” Kester said, his dark blue eyes wide with curiosity.
    “Who?” demanded Liam as he moved to stand behind Keira.
    “A woman named Maude, Lady Maude Kinnaird.”
    Liam cursed softly, his anger enhanced by the way Keira tensed. “Has anyone told her I am here?”
    “Not as yet, but I fear someone will soon. Is she your enemy?”
    “Nay, she is but a nuisance. I believe her husband is, however.”
    “Her husband?” Keira turned to face Liam. “She is wed, yet she chases ye about the country?”
    Liam found it a little daunting to be stared at by Keira and Kester, both looking shocked. It was also irritating to see the glint of censure in their eyes. He did not have the time to explain matters, however, nor did he feel particularly inclined to. He briefly savored a few very dark thoughts about Lady Maude Kinnaird, who seemed unable to understand the word nay, then the sound of approaching horses drew his gaze beyond Keira.
    “Someone told her, curse their eyes!” He yanked Kester inside, nudged Keira out of the way, and slammed the door shut. “Bar it,” he ordered and limped over to retrieve his sword from where it had been set upon a heavy chest at the foot of the bed.
    Keira turned from barring the door and gaped when she saw Liam donning his sword and scabbard. “’Tis just a woman! Do ye often greet your cast aside lovers with a sword?”
    “She isnae my lover,” Liam snapped.
    “Ah, weel, sir, at the monastery she said—” began Kester.
    “I dinnae care what the woman said. I begin to think she is mad.”
    “Liam, m’love!” called a woman from just outside the door. “I ken ye are in there!”
    For a brief moment, Keira saw a very beautiful face peering in the small window by the door. Then Liam slammed the thick shutters closed on both the cottage windows. Kester hurriedly lit a candle on the table to ease the sudden darkness. Keira winced as the pounding started on the door, loud and a little frantic.
    “Liam, my sweet prince, please speak to me! How can ye treat me so unkindly after all we have meant to each other?”
    “We havenae meant a cursed thing to each other,” Liam replied. “Not now. Not ever.”
    Compared to the woman’s strident voice, Liam’s tone seemed almost pleasant, but Keira could hear the hard, cold bite of anger. She rubbed her forehead as a sharp pain started between her eyes. She wanted to blame the woman’s pounding on the door for the rapidly blooming ache in her head, but she knew it was born of far more complicated things.
    “I have left my husband for ye, sweet Liam!”
    “Curse it, woman, I ne’er asked ye to do that!”
    “’Tis the only way we can be together. I have money. We can flee to France!”
    This, Keira decided, was a sign that it was far past time for her to leave the shelter of the monastery. She had let this man slip into her heart. Keeping a distance had not shielded her at all. Listening to this woman speak so fulsomely of her love for Liam and hearing his cold, angry replies made Keira wonder if she had actually been drawn to a man who did not really exist except in her imaginings. This was certainly not the smiling, teasing man she had come to know, nor the gallant knight who had ignored his pain to save her from Brother Paul. She was ashamed that she had allowed herself to forget the needs of the people of Ardgleann, to convince herself constantly that Sir Liam still needed her care just so that she could remain close to him. It was obvious he could choose from a vast array of women to care for him and shelter him. Keira grabbed her saddle packs and began to pack her things.
    “Jesu, Maude, will ye just go away?” Liam lightly pounded his head against the wall and wondered if the madness that seemed to have taken possession of Maude was