Journey to the Highlands: Robbie and Caralyn (Clan Grant Series Book 4) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Keira Montclair
her way over every once in a while to see who was headed toward camp. She had tried to convince Captain Grant to take her with him, but to no avail.
Her concern was that he didn’t understand her lassies. Given her daughters’ experience with men, there was a chance they’d refuse to come back with the Highlanders, even if they managed to locate them. Thanks to Malcolm and his nasty friends, Gracie distrusted all men. When she mentioned this to Captain Grant, he had laughed and said, “How old is she? I think we can find a way to bring her back.”
So now she paced with worry. Even though her ankle pained her, she couldn’t stop her frenzied gait. One of the warriors had fashioned a large branch to help bear her weight, but she was too frantic with apprehension to slow down enough to use it. What would she do if he came back without her girls, what would she do next? What could she do?
This was all her fault. She did her best to be a good mother. Unfortunately, in order to take care of her daughters, she had been forced to make some difficult decisions. She had done some things she wasn’t exactly proud of, but her girls were doing well. They always had food in their bellies, and she had been able to keep up the small cottage they lived in until the Norse came along.
Her parents had died long ago, and her husband, Ashlyn’s sire, had been dead for several years, too. She had been on her own for a while. Life hadn’t been easy, but she did what she had to in order to survive. A cloud of dust stirred in the distance. Not moving from her spot by the path, she kept her eyes fixed on the movement until the horses came into her line of sight. As soon as she could tell Robbie Grant was in the lead, she held her breath, squinting in the sun to see if one or both of her girls was with him.
When she finally determined Gracie was in front of him, she jumped up and down, ignoring the pain in her ankle. Tomas was riding hard behind him, so Ashlyn had to be on the other horse. She hobbled down the lane, unable to contain her excitement. Tears of relief spilled down her cheeks as Robbie stopped his horse and handed Gracie down to her.
Caralyn sobbed. “Gracie, oh my wee Gracie.” She held her daughter to her chest, then tilted her head back so the wee one’s face was in front of her. “You are unhurt, my sweet?”
Gracie nodded, patted her mother’s cheek, and returned her thumb to her mouth. Ashlyn jumped down from Tomas’s horse and ran over to her mother. Caralyn clung to her eldest. “Lass, I am so proud of you. Thank you for taking care of your sister.”
After kissing her lasses several times, she made her way to Robbie Grant, who had tied up his horse and was already striding back to his officer’s tent. She grabbed his plaid from behind. “Captain Grant, please.”
Robbie stopped and spun around. “Caralyn, my apologies, I didn’t wish to interfere with your homecoming. I need to check on my men, then I’ll help you decide what your next step is from here.”
“Thank you, Captain Grant. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for saving my bairns.”
Robbie smiled. “You raised them well, Caralyn. They managed to survive out there on their own.” Ashlyn had followed her, and he stopped speaking for long enough to pat the girl’s shoulder. “Your daughter did a fine job.”
Caralyn stared into Robbie’s gray eyes, struck again by his good looks. His brown hair was almost blonde, and he had a warmth in his eyes she was not used to seeing in men. His raw appeal caught her off-guard this time. Aye, there was something very different about Robbie Grant, though he would want nothing to do with her once he found out what she was.
***
Dundonald was displeased with Robbie’s plan, but ultimately he agreed to it.
The Highland warriors’ camp was presently northeast of Kilmarnock, and after discussing the matter with Caralyn, Robbie decided the best and safest place for her and the lassies was
Her concern was that he didn’t understand her lassies. Given her daughters’ experience with men, there was a chance they’d refuse to come back with the Highlanders, even if they managed to locate them. Thanks to Malcolm and his nasty friends, Gracie distrusted all men. When she mentioned this to Captain Grant, he had laughed and said, “How old is she? I think we can find a way to bring her back.”
So now she paced with worry. Even though her ankle pained her, she couldn’t stop her frenzied gait. One of the warriors had fashioned a large branch to help bear her weight, but she was too frantic with apprehension to slow down enough to use it. What would she do if he came back without her girls, what would she do next? What could she do?
This was all her fault. She did her best to be a good mother. Unfortunately, in order to take care of her daughters, she had been forced to make some difficult decisions. She had done some things she wasn’t exactly proud of, but her girls were doing well. They always had food in their bellies, and she had been able to keep up the small cottage they lived in until the Norse came along.
Her parents had died long ago, and her husband, Ashlyn’s sire, had been dead for several years, too. She had been on her own for a while. Life hadn’t been easy, but she did what she had to in order to survive. A cloud of dust stirred in the distance. Not moving from her spot by the path, she kept her eyes fixed on the movement until the horses came into her line of sight. As soon as she could tell Robbie Grant was in the lead, she held her breath, squinting in the sun to see if one or both of her girls was with him.
When she finally determined Gracie was in front of him, she jumped up and down, ignoring the pain in her ankle. Tomas was riding hard behind him, so Ashlyn had to be on the other horse. She hobbled down the lane, unable to contain her excitement. Tears of relief spilled down her cheeks as Robbie stopped his horse and handed Gracie down to her.
Caralyn sobbed. “Gracie, oh my wee Gracie.” She held her daughter to her chest, then tilted her head back so the wee one’s face was in front of her. “You are unhurt, my sweet?”
Gracie nodded, patted her mother’s cheek, and returned her thumb to her mouth. Ashlyn jumped down from Tomas’s horse and ran over to her mother. Caralyn clung to her eldest. “Lass, I am so proud of you. Thank you for taking care of your sister.”
After kissing her lasses several times, she made her way to Robbie Grant, who had tied up his horse and was already striding back to his officer’s tent. She grabbed his plaid from behind. “Captain Grant, please.”
Robbie stopped and spun around. “Caralyn, my apologies, I didn’t wish to interfere with your homecoming. I need to check on my men, then I’ll help you decide what your next step is from here.”
“Thank you, Captain Grant. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for saving my bairns.”
Robbie smiled. “You raised them well, Caralyn. They managed to survive out there on their own.” Ashlyn had followed her, and he stopped speaking for long enough to pat the girl’s shoulder. “Your daughter did a fine job.”
Caralyn stared into Robbie’s gray eyes, struck again by his good looks. His brown hair was almost blonde, and he had a warmth in his eyes she was not used to seeing in men. His raw appeal caught her off-guard this time. Aye, there was something very different about Robbie Grant, though he would want nothing to do with her once he found out what she was.
***
Dundonald was displeased with Robbie’s plan, but ultimately he agreed to it.
The Highland warriors’ camp was presently northeast of Kilmarnock, and after discussing the matter with Caralyn, Robbie decided the best and safest place for her and the lassies was
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