Much Ado About Highlanders (The Scottish Relic Trilogy) by May McGoldrick Read Free Book Online

voice had thickened.
    “Climb down, Kenna.”
    “I’m tired of you ordering me about. I’ll get down when I’m ready.” She tried unsuccessfully to jerk the mare’s bridle out of his grasp.
    Alexander saw Emily’s jaw drop open, looking from one to the other.
    “Emily, will you be kind enough to help my brother with the food we brought from the abbey? I need a moment alone with my loving wife.”
    The young woman nodded and hurried off.
    “Don’t take orders from him, cousin,” Kenna called after her.
    “Would you like me to help you down, lass?”
    Still holding the horse’s bridle, Alexander reached for Kenna’s ankle. Her cry of pain was totally unexpected.
    “What have you done?” He felt her calf and ran his hand down the silky skin to the swollen ankle. She winced again but didn’t cry out.
    “Nothing.”
    “It was that mad climb down from the tower window.”
    “You shook me loose from the rope. It was your fault.”
    Alexander would have liked to argue who was at fault, but he guessed that would take all night. “Let me help you down.”
    “Nay, villain. Go away. I can manage by myself.”
    She threw off the blanket and swung her leg over to the other side of the mare. She was sliding off when Alexander came around and caught her by the waist, helping her land gently on both feet.
    “Let go of me. I tell you I don’t need your help.”
    She took a step and winced.
    He swept her up into his arms, holding her against his chest. Her mouth was so close. He stared at her lips. He wanted to taste her again.
    “Both ankles or one?”
    “One,” she whispered. “Put me down. I can walk perfectly well.”
    James had already started a fire. Emily had a blanket spread next to it. Alexander carried the squirming bundle and deposited her there. He crouched down and reached for her leg. She pushed the skirts over it.
    “Leave me alone. I’ll see to it myself.”
    “Not till I make sure it’s not broken.” He reached for her leg again.
    She tried to kick him with her good foot.
    “Why must everything be a struggle with you?” He leaned across her lap and took hold of her leg. She punched him in the back. He pulled the skirt up and in the light of the fire saw the dark bruise on the ankle and the side of her foot. There was no blood, no protruding bones. He touched her shin above the ankle. “Does this hurt?”
    “I’m a healer. I know what’s wrong, what to do. I don’t need your help,” she growled at him.
    “Does this hurt?” he asked again, pressing his fingers along the bone again.
    “It does not.”
    “How about now?” He gently flexed her toes.
    “So you think you’re a physician now?”
    “Answer me.”
    “Nay, it doesn’t hurt. And I’m able to put my weight on it. My ankle is tender, but nothing is broken.”
    She had beautiful feet. Dirty, but beautiful just the same. “I need to wrap it.”
    “You don’t need to do anything. I told you I can see to it myself.”
    She squirmed, trying to push him away from her lap. Alexander looked up and found James and Emily looking at them as if they were watching a pair of jesters. He let the hellion have her way and stood up.
    “Will she allow you to wrap her leg?” he asked Emily.
    “I believe she will.”
    “It must be tight.” Alexander walked away to the line of surrounding pines. Touching her foot, wrestling with her on the blanket, and he was aroused. On the surface he may have been arguing with her. But in truth, he couldn’t stop from imagining the pleasure there would be in stripping her of her wet clothes, washing her feet, her legs, every inch of her.
    The problem was that he hadn’t had a woman since their damned wedding. And the mistress of the French ambassador didn’t count. He couldn’t remember.
    He’d ended up in the wrong bed that first night, but he had sworn to be true to her. And he meant it. Kenna might have run away from him, but they were still married.
    Alexander walked into the woods, trying to