The Highlander's Tempestuous Bride Read Online Free Page A

them. “Ryan!”
    Lifting a hand to shield the glare of the setting sun, Gilda scanned the beach. A lean man, his blond hair glinting in the last of the sun’s rays, held the reins of two horses. The midnight black stallion tossed his head and neighed. The white-stockinged mare nickered and sidled away.
    “Who is that? He has my mare.”
    “My friend, Conn, has found our horses. Come. I feared we were in for a long walk.”
    The young man quickly caught up to them, and the assessing look he gave Gilda brought a frown to her face.
    He glanced from Ryan to Gilda and back. “I thought ye went for a ride to clear yer head. If I had known there were mermaids about, I’d have left the unloading of the ship to the others and come along with ye.”
    “Ye were too sick to be in charge of unloading the ship, and this is nae mermaid. This is Gilda, healer and wolf-tamer.”
    Gilda shot Ryan a narrow-eyed look of disapproval, then turned a gracious smile on the blond-headed man.
    “I am pleased to meet ye. I am neither a healer nor a wolf-tamer. Yer friend is a bit addled. His horse threw him and he has a wee knot on his head, as well as scratches on his face where he thinks he was attacked by a bear.”
    The young man gave a bark of laughter. “I have known for some time Ryan is addled, and his social skills still require polish. I will introduce myself. My name is Conn MacLaurey. Ryan and I have been friends for many years.”
    “I see ye found my horse. Fia bolted and ran when this big lad tossed his rider.” Gilda sidled carefully to the black stallion and offered her palm for him to sniff. The horse shook his head in a show of prideful annoyance but snuffled her hand when she didn’t draw back.
    Gilda laughed. “Such a temper. A wee bit like his rider, would ye say?” She turned to Conn, a conspiratorial smile on her face.
    Conn looked at her askance. “Bonnie and canny,” he mused.
    Ryan growled. “She is impertinent.”
    Gilda tossed an innocent look over her shoulder. “I did warn ye,” she reminded him.
    Ryan nodded curtly. “Mount up. Ye need to be home.”
    Gilda gave them both a sweet smile. “I thank ye for catching my horse.” She mounted with Conn’s assistance and smoothed her skirts over her knees. With a thump of her heels against the mare’s sides, she rode swiftly away, leaving the two men to stare after her.

 
    Chapter 3
     
    “Are ye daft?”
    Ryan broke his gaze from Gilda’s retreating form. “What?”
    “The lass. Ye were alone with her. Are ye looking to get marrit or start a clan war?”
    “What the hell are ye talking about? There was a storm and we sheltered in a cave.”
    Conn’s voice turned mocking. “Och, ye sheltered in a cave, did ye? With the laird’s daughter?”
    “Nae. She’s the healer’s niece.” Ryan motioned down the beach. “Ye cannae see it now, but she lives in a ramshackle cottage against the cliffs.”
    “I tell ye, she’s the laird’s daughter.”
    Ryan’s eyes narrowed in annoyance. “Why would ye say that?”
    “Her speech, for one thing. The lass doesnae sound like a crofter’s daughter.”
    “Mayhap, but that doesnae mean the laird is her father.”
    “What about her mare? ’Twas a fine piece of horseflesh and no Highland Pony. Not every lass has such an animal nor the time to learn to ride as she does.”
    Ryan waved a hand in the air in dismissal and stomped to his own fine horse. He shoved a booted foot into a stirrup and swung aboard the restless stallion. “Mayhap a long walk will clear yer head. I think the mal de mer has addled yer brain.”
    “Ye are a wee bastard, Ryan,” Conn shouted after him as he rode away.
    “’Tis no’ what my father told me,” Ryan flung over his shoulder.
    “Come on, Ryan. Give me a ride back. I caught yer mangy horse. ’Tis the least ye can do.”
    Ryan reined Duer in a wide circle and set the stallion to a slow canter back to his friend’s side, clods of damp sand flying from his hooves. In a