The Highlander Takes a Bride by Lynsay Sands Read Free Book Online

not. She’d grown up with seven brothers who had treated her like just another boy, and after having enjoyed that freedom for most of her life, she tended to resent losing it to ladylike ways when in public. That was why she didn’t mind bypassing all the feasts and celebrations they were invited to. In fact, Fenella’s first wedding was the last such public occasion she’d attended, and she’d gotten herself in trouble with the drinking game she and her brothers had held. Her mother had lectured her about behavior befitting a lady all the way home to Buchanan.
    Saidh sighed as she finished with her lacings. That had been the last lecture her mother had given her before she’d died. She’d insisted she shouldn’t join in drinking games, shouldn’t share ribald jokes with her brothers, and shouldn’t be wearing that “bloody” sword her brother Aulay had paid the blacksmith to make for her.
    That thought drew her gaze to the chest at the foot of the bed where the specially made sword rested nestled in amongst her clothes. Saidh had not worn it since her mother’s death, but wondered if she might not now. She wanted to go for a ride down to the loch, and it did seem that if she were going alone she should take the sword with her for protection. Especially with Montrose Danvries still here. If the man caught her alone she would not put it past him to try to punish her for kneeing him so efficiently in the ballocks. By her guess, the fact that she was Murine’s friend would matter little to him. The man was a pig and Saidh felt nothing but regret that the girl was now going to have to live with the bastard in England. She also didn’t understand how the late Laird Carmichael could neglect to make provisions for her in his will. No dower, nothing. He’d left the land and title to some cousin, and left her to the mercies of her half brother.
    Shocking, really, Saidh decided grimly, especially since Murine had worshipped the man. She’d loved her father dearly, and mourned his passing with every bit of flesh in her body. Murine did not even resent him for not taking care of her in his will, saying only that he probably had thought she would be married and well cared for by the time he died.
    Shaking her head, Saidh walked to the chest, opened it and pulled out the sword and the leather sheath and belt the blacksmith had also made for her. She would do her best to hide it in the folds of her skirt until she was out of sight of the castle.
    The great hall was full of sleeping men when Saidh made her way below. Most of them were Danvries soldiers, she noted as she crept through their midst, headed for the keep doors. The sun was just beginning to peek up over the horizon when she stepped outside. Saidh was up early. She hadn’t slept well last night. Actually most of yesterday after arriving here had not gone well. Laird MacDonnell had got up and marched out before she’d even reached the trestle tables, and while Murine had talked to her in the subdued tones she’d been using since learning of her father’s death, Lady MacDonnell had been noticeably silent, and Montrose had alternated between smug and leering smiles. As for Fenella, after begging Saidh to stay, the woman had not even made an appearance.
    Saidh had been relieved when the meal was over and she could escape above stairs to check on her cousin. That was when she’d learned that Fenella and Lady MacDonnell had had words shortly before Saidh and the Danvries party had arrived. Apparently, insults had been exchanged and then Lady MacDonnell had outright accused Fenella of being to blame for her son’s death. Fenella now refused to come below and intended to remain in her room for the indefinite future.
    Saidh had thought rather irritably that her cousin could have told her that before she’d agreed to stay. Why was she staying if Fenella was going to remain locked up in her room? Before she could work up a good head of steam over that, though, Fenella