Tangled Hearts by Heather McCollum Read Free Book Online

continued to pull Dory along behind her through the tall wildflowers flanking the stream into the open woods. “Did you not bring a trousseau with you on your journey?”
    “It was lost, m’lady.” Dory watched Ewan turn, and frowned at his back as he headed toward the cart. Was she so distasteful to him that he couldn’t stand the thought of acting wed to her?
    “We will fix you up a new one,” the girl said conspiringly and Dory forced herself to smile and meet her happy gaze. “And you can call me Jane.” The petite woman linked arms with her as she hurried them across the first of several lush gardens. “Jane Seymour.”
    …
    Wulfhall was as huge and majestic as the castles and grand manors Captain Bart had described. Dory tried not to let her mouth gape, but every corner held more and more opulence. This was definitely not her world. Every footfall made her worry that she’d dirty a rug. Could court actually be grander than this?
    “You and your husband may have this room to refresh yourselves,” Jane said and showed Dory into a medium-sized bedroom with rich curtains around a good-sized bed. “Your groom will be put up in the stables with your horses. How long will it take you to make my medicinal drink?” Jane whispered.
    “Not long. I will write a list of ingredients.”
    “You can write?”
    It was an oddity to be able to write and read, but Captain Bart had convinced a tutor to travel with them, teaching Dory as befitting her station by birth. Will had also taken lessons with her whenever he wasn’t needed on deck. Reading the warrants and notices regarding their arrests was quite an advantage.
    “Aye, I can write a list.”
    “Excellent. I will order your bath.”
    “Indoors?”
    Jane laughed gently. “Aye, indoors. And I’ll have my maid bring several gowns for you to try.”
    Jane left and Dory scribbled a few herbs on a parchment left on a dainty writing desk.
    The door banged open, making her pivot on a gasp, her hand reaching for her still empty scabbard tied to her leg. She really needed to find a new blade.
    “What in bloody hell are we doing here?” Ewan asked as he strode across the room. “Searc is right now trying to explain the presence of a decaying body on our wagon to a group of grooms.”
    “You could have left the wagon somewhere for the night.”
    “Not unless I thought Henry wouldn’t mind if Boswell was half-eaten by scavengers.”
    Dory breathed deeply. “This is the perfect place for me to clean myself up. Jane has gowns she is willing to use in payment for my help.”
    “Help? Ye promised not to use magic, or are ye breaking our deal?”
    “Of course not. I know of a drink with herbs that will help her.”
    He looked skeptical.
    “I learned about it from a medicine woman on Tortuga, and Jane certainly does need help. Her family is going to marry her off to someone who will demand a son. Isn’t that horrible?”
    Ewan ran fingers through his hair, making it stand up in wild waves. Was it as soft as it looked? “Aye, I’ve just been interrogated by her brother. I think he is trying to marry her to some royal uppity up. He wanted to know all about my political stance.”
    “What did you tell him?”
    “The truth. I’m a Scot answering a royal summons for my chief. I showed him the missive to keep him from calling the constable about the body.”
    “Good then. We don’t have to remember our lies. We’ll just bathe, eat, help the lady, and be on our way. Bloody good place to practice being at court,” she said.
    Ewan shook his head. “Ye cannot curse like that around these people.”
    “I know.” She rolled her eyes and looked around. The door was closed, as were the windows. “Do you think they have spy holes?” She moved closer to him. “Because they think we are married.”
    “Why did ye say that?” he whispered.
    She tried to keep the seething out of her voice but failed. “Jane suggested it because apparently it is unseemly to travel without