Taken By The Highland Wolf (The Clan MacGregor Book 2) Read Online Free Page A
Author: Stephanie Marks
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, Paranormal, Adult, series, Murder, Secret, Erotic, shifters, safety, Daughter, commitment, challenge, wolves, Emotions, Treachery, betrayed, Myth, legend, curse, Highlands, Short Storys, Clan MacGregor, Love Match, Whispers, Battling, Highland Chief, Blood Of Wolf, Exposed
annoyance.
"Nay, 'tis the same as before. Four days now and hours of questioning, yet not a single person has been able to give something of use."
"But how can it be that no one saw anything the slightest bit suspicious? How could a body just have been placed in the square with no one the wiser?" I asked.
"I wish that I knew, love, truly I do. I'll not sleep easy knowing that a murderer may have slipped through our fingers." His hands clenched into fits at his sides.
"It was very strange, the way he was killed. Why on earth would someone choke him with fur like that?" I asked.
"Glenna, I know you're worried, but I don't think that this is something I should be discussing with ye. It's a grisly business, murder."
"Do you think I speak of this lightly? That I am one to be coddled and protected? I killed my own uncle Alastair. My hands are not free of blood. I can discuss these things without the need to cover my eyes and hide from the truth. I am not so fragile that I will break to think of the uglier things in this world."
He dropped to his haunches and took my hand in his, bringing it to his lips to kiss my fingers.
"You've seen more horror than you've a right to. And I'll not see ye cry over spilling your uncle's blood. Dougal would have killed ye. Ye had no choice. You're a strong woman, my little warrior, of that I've no doubt. But can ye blame me for wanting to protect ye from more pain and suffering when you've already seen so much?" He nodded toward the man on the bed. "And even when I leave to clean up one mess, another finds its way to ye."
"I don't mind getting my hands a bit dirty when the need arises," I told him.
"Aye, and I'm sure they'll get plenty dirty before the end."
"Well, if you won't tell me anything else, for now at least tell me this. Do you think that this murder is the only one we will see?"
He clenched his jaw, but then shook his head, giving in. "No. I don't think it is."
CHAPTER 4
Early the next morning I stifled a wide yawn and balanced a large cup of willow bark tea on a tray as I quietly let myself into our injured guest's bedchamber. I had left Alastair to attend to the affairs of the day after we had enjoyed breakfast together in the great hall. Until things quieted down a bit, I didn't doubt that we would be seeing much less of each other.
"You're awake," I said in surprise as the door swung open to reveal our injured guest standing with his back to me, looking out the window.
He was wearing the freshly laundered plaid and shirt that I had laid out for him in case of such an occasion. Alastair had stripped the man of his clothing the night before at my behest and settled him properly into bed. It looked as if the long rest had done him some good.
"Are you sure you should be standing?" I asked.
"Probably not," he said with a smile, "but I wanted to stretch my legs a bit. Have ye been the one watching over me, then?"
"Yes. I am Glenna Gordon, and you are at Meggernnie Castle, as a guest of the MacGregor."
He gave me a stiff bow and shuffled over to the chair.
"Thank ye, Miss Gordon, for your hospitality. I am Camden Holme."
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Holme, though I wish it were under slightly less painful circumstances. How are you feeling this morning?"
"The truth of it is not fit for a lady's ears, I'm afraid, but I'm sure that under your gentle care I will be feeling much better by the day's end."
I laughed at that and waved him off. Whatever else this man might be, he was a charmer, that was for sure. He had a fast tongue and a smooth way about him. I admired the fact that he could be in such good spirits after his ordeal.
"How is the pain in your ribs?" I asked. "Do you think they may be broken?"
"They're sore for sure, but not broken. I broke a rib once when I was younger. That's not a pain ye soon forget."
"How did it happen?"
He chuckled and shook his head. "I was young, maybe fourteen. My father had a stallion that he was trying to break in. A horse so
"Nay, 'tis the same as before. Four days now and hours of questioning, yet not a single person has been able to give something of use."
"But how can it be that no one saw anything the slightest bit suspicious? How could a body just have been placed in the square with no one the wiser?" I asked.
"I wish that I knew, love, truly I do. I'll not sleep easy knowing that a murderer may have slipped through our fingers." His hands clenched into fits at his sides.
"It was very strange, the way he was killed. Why on earth would someone choke him with fur like that?" I asked.
"Glenna, I know you're worried, but I don't think that this is something I should be discussing with ye. It's a grisly business, murder."
"Do you think I speak of this lightly? That I am one to be coddled and protected? I killed my own uncle Alastair. My hands are not free of blood. I can discuss these things without the need to cover my eyes and hide from the truth. I am not so fragile that I will break to think of the uglier things in this world."
He dropped to his haunches and took my hand in his, bringing it to his lips to kiss my fingers.
"You've seen more horror than you've a right to. And I'll not see ye cry over spilling your uncle's blood. Dougal would have killed ye. Ye had no choice. You're a strong woman, my little warrior, of that I've no doubt. But can ye blame me for wanting to protect ye from more pain and suffering when you've already seen so much?" He nodded toward the man on the bed. "And even when I leave to clean up one mess, another finds its way to ye."
"I don't mind getting my hands a bit dirty when the need arises," I told him.
"Aye, and I'm sure they'll get plenty dirty before the end."
"Well, if you won't tell me anything else, for now at least tell me this. Do you think that this murder is the only one we will see?"
He clenched his jaw, but then shook his head, giving in. "No. I don't think it is."
CHAPTER 4
Early the next morning I stifled a wide yawn and balanced a large cup of willow bark tea on a tray as I quietly let myself into our injured guest's bedchamber. I had left Alastair to attend to the affairs of the day after we had enjoyed breakfast together in the great hall. Until things quieted down a bit, I didn't doubt that we would be seeing much less of each other.
"You're awake," I said in surprise as the door swung open to reveal our injured guest standing with his back to me, looking out the window.
He was wearing the freshly laundered plaid and shirt that I had laid out for him in case of such an occasion. Alastair had stripped the man of his clothing the night before at my behest and settled him properly into bed. It looked as if the long rest had done him some good.
"Are you sure you should be standing?" I asked.
"Probably not," he said with a smile, "but I wanted to stretch my legs a bit. Have ye been the one watching over me, then?"
"Yes. I am Glenna Gordon, and you are at Meggernnie Castle, as a guest of the MacGregor."
He gave me a stiff bow and shuffled over to the chair.
"Thank ye, Miss Gordon, for your hospitality. I am Camden Holme."
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Holme, though I wish it were under slightly less painful circumstances. How are you feeling this morning?"
"The truth of it is not fit for a lady's ears, I'm afraid, but I'm sure that under your gentle care I will be feeling much better by the day's end."
I laughed at that and waved him off. Whatever else this man might be, he was a charmer, that was for sure. He had a fast tongue and a smooth way about him. I admired the fact that he could be in such good spirits after his ordeal.
"How is the pain in your ribs?" I asked. "Do you think they may be broken?"
"They're sore for sure, but not broken. I broke a rib once when I was younger. That's not a pain ye soon forget."
"How did it happen?"
He chuckled and shook his head. "I was young, maybe fourteen. My father had a stallion that he was trying to break in. A horse so
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