Her Highland Rogue: A Wild Highland Guardian Novel Read Online Free

to be prepared for the worst. He’d donned his leather braes under his plaid, packed his sheepskin gloves, was wearing his thickest boots and best cloak. Yet still the cold penetrated the layers. He stopped, and gazed upward, the rocky outcrops as foreboding as the colorless sky.
Miserable conditions.
    Errol preferred predictability. Not the guessing games he was being forced to play now. If he were a scared girl, where would he go? The answer came quickly.
As far away as my legs could carry me.
    Within an hour, the blizzard hit. Just a few hundred feet from the crest, he found his view obstructed by the swirling white. Though a couple of well-worn footpaths may have existed, they were hidden now. A freezing gale chilled his core as he pressed forward. At the moment he envied his horse, safely behind in the woods where he could seek shelter under the trees.
    The wind picked up more, reducing his line of sight to not more than two feet in front of him. A bloody nightmare. Fearing the worst for Aileana, he called her name.
    “Aileana! Come home, lass.” No one answered, and he kept moving. “Follow the sound of my voice.”
    He huffed out a misted breath, pausing to take a drink of wine. The warm liquid soothed his throat. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, hoping for a miracle. But there seemed to be no end to the snow. No matter the direction he turned, everything looked the same. His mind told him to turn around, but something else made him stay. Just as he took another step, he heard a crack that echoed around him. Holy Mother of Christ! He jumped aside just as a boulder crashed down. Another danger about this place, there were so many loose rocks. He’d lost childhood friends who’d slipped off the cliff face while climbing. Something every lad liked to do to demonstrate his bravery and strength.
    Errol had been no exception. But he’d proven himself at an early age, always eager to win his sire’s approval. Born late to a mother believed to be barren, she often whispered how important it was for him to do his best.
    A little cold wouldn’t keep him from winning this challenge. How far could a wisp of a lass get on foot? He reached the first cave, bending at the waist so he could clear the low opening. Only shadows welcomed him. He ducked back. Dozens of hollowed-out spaces waited for his quick inspection, and as he moved from one to the other, his hope at finding her dwindled.
    Faith could only carry a man so far, then common sense took over. He stopped for a bite of an oatcake and water. At this pace, he’d need to find a cave suitable to spend the night in. He cursed when another blast of frigid air hit him. In the morning…
    “ ’Tis a great warrior come to seek my guidance,” a female voice reached his ears.
    He spun around, finding a handsome older woman wrapped in fur staring at him. Where had she come from? Was he so tired that his mind was playing tricks on him? The fairies didn’t live atop the hills. The longer he stared at her, he realized she was flesh and bone.
    “Nay,” he assured her. “Though I welcome your company. I am searching for a flame-haired lass that left the MacRae keep two days ago. In this weather, I fear for her life.”
    “As well as your own?”
    Errol shook his head. “A little cold nipping at my heels doesna concern me. Have ye met such a girl recently?”
    “My name is Sgùrr.”
    A dreadful name, it meant a steep hill. And Errol didn’t like that she avoided answering his question. “I am Errol, son of Laird MacRae.”
    “Would you like a bowl of broth and some fresh bread?”
    The very mention of something to warm his gut made his mouth water. “Aye,” he said. “But I shouldn’t stop exploring the caves.”
    “Perhaps I can be of some help.”
    For what price?
With his bollocks close to freezing off and his temper soon to explode, he took a deep breath, and tried to remain respectful. “Any help would be deeply appreciated.”
    “If you