The Hellion and the Highlander by Lynsay Sands Read Free Book Online

it. She had taken on the chore without protest, then had seen to it that his sister, Merry, was educated as well. Kade had no prejudice against an educated woman.
    He let that thought drift away as Averill beganto read. It quickly became obvious the story was one she’d read often and knew almost by heart. He wasn’t surprised. Books were an expensive item and, wealthy as Mortagne appeared to be, he doubted even here, there were many books to choose from.
    Relaxing back in the bed, he closed his eyes and allowed her voice to flow over him. One part of his mind was enjoying the life she gave to the characters and the tale she was recounting, while another part marveled that he was here, safe and comfortable in a soft bed, well fed, with a woman’s sweet voice filling his ears after so long as a prisoner in a foreign land, with an empty belly, a hard stone floor for a bed, and little hope of ever enjoying anything else.
    I could get used to this, Kade thought, and smiled slightly to himself.

Chapter Four
    “Here you are, then.”
    Finished with her wash, Averill set the damp linen in the basin of water Bess had brought to her and turned to take the gown Bess held out. She froze, however, her hand drawing back when she saw which one it was. Eyes widening with horror, she breathed, “Nay.”
    Bess grimaced sympathetically. “Aye, your father said to dress you in your finest.”
    Averill closed her eyes, knowing what that meant. He only had her dress in her finest when she was going to be paraded before yet another prospective husband. The dark red gown Bess was holding out was indeed her newest and finest. It was also the one that had seen her repeated humiliations at the hands of rejecting suitors. Obviously,her father had decided on whom he wished next to approach about marrying her, and the suitor was arriving today.
    She supposed she shouldn’t be surprised. It had to happen sooner or later and more than a week had passed since the last would-be husband had rejected her so cruelly. That had occurred the day that Kade had awoken from his long sleep.
    Despite her upset, Averill found herself smiling at the thought of her brother’s friend. She had spent the better portion of this week in Kade’s room, reading to him, talking to him and—after the second day—helping him walk to one of the chairs before the fire in the morning and back again at night so that he wasn’t always stuck in his bed.
    Kade was much improved from when he’d first woken. He no longer looked as pale and thin as he’d been on first awaking, and was even beginning to talk of joining Will at the lists. The only thing that hadn’t improved yet was his sight. While Averill was concerned about that for his sake, for her own she was somewhat relieved, for she was not looking forward to his reaction when he was able to see properly again. Right now she was nothing but a voice and a blurry image to him, and she worried about what he would think of her when he saw her for the first time.
    “Come now,” Bess said bracingly. “’Tis not as bad as all that. Mayhap this one will accept you to wife.”
    Averill let her breath out on a sigh and allowedthe maid to help her dress. Drink or no drink, she doubted very much if this time would end in anything but rejection either, but since her father had gone to the trouble of bringing the man here, she supposed she would have to go through with yet another humiliating inspection and rejection by a prospective husband.
     
    Kade was hanging from the bed frame when the door suddenly opened. Freezing, he turned his head guiltily to see who had entered. Relief coursed through him when he saw that it was Will.
    “You are exercising,” his friend said with amazement as he pushed the bedroom door closed and crossed the room. “How long has this been going on?”
    Kade grimaced but eased himself down. He released the top frame of the bed as his feet settled on the floor, and admitted, “’Tis the third