Highland Wolf by Hannah Howell Read Free Book Online Page A

the smell. Slowly she lifted her head and found herself staring into a beautiful green eye. It dismayed her a little to find that she was not really surprised. She had recognized both his scent and the sense of a barely leashed rage tinged with sadness and frustration.
    “What are ye doing in here, Master Lavengeance?” she demanded, feeling that, this time, going on the offense was better than babbling excuses or running away.
    Since he now knew that Annora spoke perfect French, James did not see the need to try and sound like a Frenchman speaking English, something he did badly. “I think I should ask what you are doing here,” he replied in French.
    “I asked ye first.”
    “Ah, but I believe your answer will be far more interesting than mine.”
    It felt a little odd to speak in English while he spoke in French, but Annora had guessed almost from the start that Master Lavengeance understood most of what was said in English. She knew several Gaelic speakers who did the same, understanding but not speaking English. Or, she thought, simply refusing to speak a language used by their oldest enemies. Shaking aside that idle thought, she frowned at the wood-carver.
    “I need to write a few letters,” she said.
    “You can write?” James asked, knowing he was doing a bad job of hiding his surprise. The Murray women were all well educated, but it was very unusual for women to be taught much more than how to care for their home, their husband, and their children.
    “Of course I can write. And read.”
    “Do not get so offended. Many women cannot do either and many men prefer it that way, making certain that the women in their households can do no more than scratch out their names, if that.”
    Annora finally took a step back, wondering why she had been so slow to move away from the man. “Weel, I stayed in the homes of several women who believed a woman should learn all she can. They finished the work my mother had begun. Not that ye have any need to ken that. Now, I believe I will leave ye to whate’er ye are doing creeping about in here.”
    She did not even complete her turn toward the door. He grabbed her by her upper arms, his strong, long-fingered hands nearly encircling them. After three years of learning how to avoid the worst of Donnell’s anger, Annora did not struggle. Yet, as Master Lavengeance pushed her up against the door, acting quickly but in a way that held her captive without hurting her, she wondered if she should have fought him.
    “Do you mean to run to your lord and tell him I was in here?” he demanded.
    James moved closer, pinning her against the door with his body and loosening his grip upon her arms. He quickly decided that was a mistake. The moment his bodytouched hers, need flared inside him, rushing through his body with every beat of his heart, and reminding him of just how long it had been since he had fed those needs.
    He nearly grimaced and barely stopped himself from hurriedly backing away when his mind refused to allow him to ignore the truth. It was more than a blind need for a woman that caused him to feel nearly dazed with desire. It was she. It was her scent, her midnight-blue eyes, and even the sound of her voice. It was also the way she could make his too solemn and wary Meggie smile and giggle.
    Pushing aside the passion clawing at his insides, he studied Annora’s face and almost grinned. When he had first grabbed her she had gone as still as a terrified bird. He knew she had been anticipating some sort of violence, maybe even bracing herself to endure the pain. It pleased him that she had obviously realized that he would not treat her so unkindly. The fact that she would expect such a thing angered and saddened him, however. He decided it was best to concentrate on the look of annoyance and outrage on her lovely face. Having been well trained by the women in his foster family, the Murrays, he knew it could be fatal to tell her that she looked adorable when she was