Highland Daydreams Read Online Free Page B

answer.
    “A month or so ago, I was in Falkirk battling the English alongside William Wallace when I was injured. I was knocked unconscious and unable to defend myself. When I woke, I was bound in irons. After a week they moved me to Cumberland where ye were.”
    “William Wallace! Are ye a Highlander then?” she asked, though there was no doubt in her mind that he was. His muscular size, long hair, and plaid told her all she needed to know.
    Her father had told her grand stories when she was young about the Highlanders; how they treated their women and favored their drinks. He said that Highlanders were selfish beasts and cared for their women like Englishmen would care for their cattle. Lara wondered if Bram would have treated her differently had she not saved him. She also wondered had she known he was a Highlander from the start whether she, too, would have made a different choice. Either way, for now all they had were each other.
    “Aye, lass. I be a Highlander.”
     
    Bram kept his eyes closed tight. It was not the pain or the coolness of the water that bothered him. It was Lara’s hand that had troubled him so. It was soothing and made his blood run hotter. With his head to the side he stared at her exposed legs, then to her waist, but dared not to look any higher. Bram sat up and took the cloth out of Lara’s hand.
    “I havnae had a chance to thank ye, but I must ask, why did ye do it? Ye risked yer life, saving mine. Ye also took a man’s life, which couldnae have been easy on ye. If ye’d waited another moment or two, ye would have been caught.”
    “I have prayed and repented to God many times for taking that guard’s life, but it was either his or mine. I saved ye because,” her voice trailed off as if she was uncertain herself why she had saved him.
    “Aye?” he said encouraging her to finish.
    “Because of yer fearlessness. Ye withstood every lashing and still stood proud. It was yer honor and strength that I admired and I couldnae let ye die there. It was worth the risk,” she replied hoping she did not sound too naïve.
    “Then I owe ye my life, my lady,” he vowed.
    Taking her hand in his, he lifted her hand to his lips, and placed a soft kiss on the back of it. Lara quivered at his touch and quickly snatched her hand back. She was shocked that he dared to touch her so intimately.
    “I make a promise to ye lass. I will do all I can to see ye safely home.”
    Lara smiled in return for his generous offer.
    “Yer wounds are healing nicely and dinna show any sign of infection,” she informed him.
    “Thank ye. Ye must have much experience to ken such things. Are ye the healer in yer clan?” he asked, hoping to learn more about her.
    Lara softly giggled. “Nay, I am no’ a healer. My father would no’ allow it but I used to watch my mother tend my father’s battle wounds so I have seen much in the art of healing.”
    “Used to?” he asked. “Does yer mother nay longer tend to him?”
    Lara’s face went flat. The memory of her mother caused Lara to feel sad as if Mam had just died all over again.
    “Me mother died when I was ten and two,” she explained.
    Bram felt guilty for asking the question. He did not mean to bring up such bad memories. Her saddened expression pulled on his heartstrings. He wanted to comfort her but knew not how to proceed. He had no experience with comforting women in loss or matters of the heart. He wondered what else the poor lass had endured. Bram turned his head and looked at her for a moment.
    Wanting to change the subject and the unpleasant atmosphere his question had caused, he asked, “And what crime did ye commit against the English?”
    Lara’s throat constricted, causing her to swallow hard. She had hoped to avoid the question as it was too unbearable to talk about. Her lungs tightened as if the air had thinned.
    In a stern voice, she replied, “I did nay such thing. My only crime was that I was powerless to stop it.”
    Noticing the sorrow in