Highland Lover: Book 3 Scottish Knights Trilogy by Amanda Scott Read Free Book Online

ship from a much smaller one, and they don’t look like pirates,” she told him hastily when she reached him. “Their ship has oars as well as sails—like an Isles galley, only larger. It also has stepped sides rising at each end to a high prow and an equally high stern.”
    “I ken what ye mean, for I ha’ seen a ship like that,”Will muttered. Then, with a sigh, he said, “Me falling were a daft thing tae do, m’lady. I’m no usually sae clumsy. It hurts like fire, but I dinna think anything’s broke.”
    “Try to stand,” she said, reaching to take his hand.
    From well behind her, a masculine voice called, “Lass, where are you?”
    “Here in the passage,” she shouted, knowing he would barely hear her over the screeching wind whipping around the hatchway above him. “I’ve a lad here who cannot walk. He rescued me but fell when we were running to get to the deck.”
    “Is anyone else aboard?”
    “I don’t think so,” Alyson said as Will said, “I saw nae one else.”
    She could see only two large, silent, dark shapes moving toward her against the faint light through the hatchway. But her fear had ebbed.
    The leader had very broad shoulders and was taller and lankier than the heavier-looking man behind him. Both had swords slung across their backs.
    “How badly are you hurt, lad?” the nearer one asked in a pleasantly deep, definitely Scottish voice. Hearing his accent, Alyson felt the last of her fear vanish. As he stepped past her to take a knee by the boy, the man seemed very tall.
    Will said, “I ha’ me doots I did more than twist me ankle. Gave it a good sharp twist and nae mistake, though, tripping over yon devilish threshold piece.” Grimly, he added, “I hope ye dinna be more o’ them wicked pirates.”
    “We’re not.”
    The second man remained silent but hovered nearAlyson. She wished he would speak and mayhap give her a better idea of who they were. But a more important question still teased her mind.
    “Are we sinking?” she asked. “I know the ship is listing. It also feels as if it is shaking apart.”
    “We’ll talk later, lass,” the first man said as he rose. He was at least a foot taller than she was. “We must get you both topside straightaway.”
    Although she still could not see much, she could tell that he was helping Will to his feet. Since she could imagine no other reason for not answering her question, she decided he did not want to terrify them.
    “Try putting weight on that foot, lad,” he said. “I won’t let you fall.”
    “She were a-going tae try taking me up herself,” Will told him, obeying the command only to lurch into him as he did and stifle another cry. “I—I’m near as big as she is,” the boy added determinedly. “So I didna think she could carry me. But I dinna think I can walk much yet either.”
    Alyson said, “If you will help him, sir, I can see to my own needs. But prithee, be frank with us.
Is
this ship sinking?”
    He said, “It is, aye, lass, so we must make haste. Mace and I can sling the ship’s coble over the side and then—”
    “
Our
coble? But what happened to your ship?”
    “Nary a thing,” he said. “But when this one goes under, she is going to create a wide vortex that will suck anything nearby right down with her. My ship must not be within range when that happens, nor should
we
be if we can prevent it. These devilish winds will aid us, though, if we can but get beyond the ship’s immediate vicinity. Hence, our haste now.”
    “I’ll need things from my cabin,” she said.
    “Nay, lass, we must go straightaway,” he said.
    “I don’t want to be left with only the clothes I stand in, sir. I’m a sennight or more away from home, so I’ll need at least a change of garments. And if I’m not to freeze before we reach shelter, I’ll also need my cloak.”
    “Where’s your cabin?”
    “Just behind you, to your right,” she said.
    “Take the lad up, Mace,” he said. “And uncover they