Highland Hearts 03 - Crimson Heart by Heather McCollum Read Free Book Online

her shoulders. She stopped before him and tipped her head in a slanted bow. His gaze slid along her smooth, doe-like skin, all traces of mud and leaf bits washed away.
    “Good eve, milord.” Her voice flowed as silky as her hair looked.
    “Yer hair is even,” he said and nearly kicked his asinine self when a small frown passed over her features. “’Tis quite bonny, lass,” he added quickly. “Ye look…clean.”
    She blinked several times. “I feel clean too.” She glanced down his length. “You’ve bathed also.”
    “Aye,” was all he could think to say.
    She stepped forward and the slight smell of roses wafted from her. “Everyone seems to be staring at me. Do I still have a bee in my hair? Maude plucked two more out.”
    He exhaled on something resembling a chuckle. “Nay, no bees. They’ve most likely never seen such a bonny lass before.” She smiled at his compliment. Had she tricked one out of him? He didn’t know he had any in him. She placed her hand on his arm and he decided he didn’t care if she had. She didn’t know that he’d never given out compliments before.
    Searc led her to a small square table near the door. “I’ve ordered a meal for us and thought ye might like to eat indoors for a change.”
    She nodded quickly. “Very much so.”
    The low pitch of casual conversation resumed as the innkeeper brought over a platter with meat, roasted turnips, fresh butter, and dark bread along with wine and ale.
    “Now don’t ye look bonny,” Finny said to Elena.
    She blushed, her eyes dipping to her hands. “Thank you.”
    “A shame for ye to cover those locks with a black veil lass. They are as bright as old King Henry’s.” He clicked his tongue and walked away.
    She lifted her wine, sipping it. Searc took several swallows of ale to chase out the dryness that had slaked his tongue and remembered his mission “Ye didn’t mention before that ye had intentions to join a nunnery.”
    She chewed a piece of turnip daintily and set her knife down. “I don’t intend to.” Her voice was lowered, and his gut relaxed. “But if my cousin won’t take me in I have few choices. I won’t be a whore.”
    Searc choked on his ale and coughed. She continued. “I have neither the experience nor the carnal inclination to let unwashed men paw me.”
    How about a freshly bathed man? Searc banished the thought. “Has someone suggested ye become…”
    “A whore?”
    “Aye.”
    Her lips pinched tight. It was all the answer he needed.
    “Who suggested that?” His voice rough. The hellish image of a drunken man throwing her skirts up surged white hot anger through Searc.
    Elena looked down at her plate, her face flushing. “No matter. I am not one and never will be.”
    Damn right.
    “I am handy with a stitching needle.” She raised hopeful eyes to his.
    “Aye, there are other options.”
    “I will not beg,” she pointed out as if that had been in his mind. He shook his head, agreeing with her. Even in rags she hadn’t come across as a beggar.
    “A washerwoman or like ye said, a stitcher.”
    “Hardly enough to live alone on, but perhaps my cousin will take me in if I can bring in some coin.”
    “Ye need a husband to take care of ye.”
    Her lips pinched together. “I will not be a burden.”
    “Ye might be able to find a man who doesn’t consider it an affliction to wed ye.” Could she possibly be wed to another?
    Instead of replying she stuck her knife into another turnip. He watched her eat for a few moments. “What happened to yer family, Elena? Ye shouldn’t be traveling alone to find a distant relation.”
    She stopped mid-chew, but then continued her slow, steady bites until she swallowed. Schooled in proper etiquette. A disastrous journey. Aye, she had spent most of her life indoors rather than playing in streams and forests.
    “Both of my parents are dead. I barely knew them, so no sympathy is needed. I have no family.”
    He nodded. “So who raised ye, taught ye” —he