Conall: The 93rd Highlanders, Book Two Read Free Page A

you he didn’t.” She drove her
shoulder into his chest and shoved him away, forcing him to let go
of her. Then she did the same to the captain. “Neither of you is
wanting to ‘dishonor’ me,” she said sarcastically. “I’m wishing
someone would ask my opinion of it, then, aren’t I?” She pushed
them both toward the entrance. “Both of you, outwith. Now.” When
they were both out in the cold she stood there, arms akimbo, and
glared at them. “And don’t be coming back unless you’re ready to
give me what I need.” With that, she stomped back into the hut and
yanked the flimsy door closed behind her. “And you’ll be going
hungry too,” she called behind her, not caring who
heard.
     
     
     

C hapter T wo
     
     
    Graeme looked at the
gray, dirty door, closed as firmly as any gate in his face. It had
only been a matter of time. As long as it took for Conall to
return, actually. He’d always known that. It was why he’d said no
to her repeated offers. He glanced over at Conall, who stood next
to him, breathing heavily and glaring first at the hut and then at
him. She’d always been for Conall, and Graeme had kept her safe for
him. Even safe from himself.
    “ What
happened while I was gone?” Conall demanded in a low, furious
voice.
    “ Nothing,”
Graeme said simply. He hoped Conall wouldn’t get insubordinate out
here. He couldn’t let it go if he did, not like he had inside the
tent.
    “ Conall!” A
man hollered in a loud, angry voice behind them. Graeme turned to
see Conall’s oldest brother, Douglas, stalking their way. Conall’s
twin brother, Brodie, hurried in his wake. Brodie winked and
grinned at Conall. The twins looked so alike but were so different.
Conall was quiet, serious, steadfast. Brodie, on the other hand,
was a quick joke, a troublemaker and a flirt. Brodie was all flash
and gilt. Conall was the real treasure, though few saw it. Graeme
did. He thought Avril did too.
    “ Dougie,”
Conall cried in delight, holding out his hand. Douglas slapped it
away.
    “ You couldn’t
come to see your brothers first?” he angrily demanded. “I had to
hear from Ham that you were both back.”
    Conall rubbed his
offended hand. “Well, then, Ham came and told you, didn’t he? Sorry
to worry you, Mother,” he apologized with mock sincerity. He turned
to Brodie, who took his proffered hand and shook it vigorously.
“Brodie, you scoundrel. What trouble have you made while I was
gone?”
    Brodie gave a
belly-shaking laugh, his head thrown back. It was the sort of laugh
that invited others to join in, and few could resist it. Graeme
resisted. He knew these Fletcher brothers too well. Trouble was
brewing.
    “ I was chased
to ground by the colonel’s lovely daughter,” Brodie told Conall.
“She took the whip to me.”
    Conall turned big eyes to
Graeme, who nodded. “I barely kept him out of the
trenches.”
    “ She likes
me,” Brodie said with another of his trademark winks. “You watch
and see.”
    Douglas smacked him on
the back. He was a bigger, rougher version of the twins, with the
redheads temper that neither Conall nor Brodie suffered. “Damn
fool,” he muttered. “No skirt is worth that, no matter how bonnie
she be. One is like another. Don’t be making a fool of yourself
over that one. She thinks she’s too good for the likes of you.
Remember that.” He turned back to Conall and his scowl grew
fiercer. “And is that why you’re here?” he asked. “Chasing Mrs.
Scott’s skirts again?”
    Conall’s face was flushed
with anger. “You’ll show more respect when you speak of her, or
you’ll be meeting my fist.”
    “ And who’s
the one being disrespectful?” Douglas said in a loud whisper,
looking around to see who was listening. “You’re the one sniffing
after her as though she was a bitch in heat.” His scowl turned to a
glower. “If I find that you’ve taken advantage of the widow, you’ll
be black and blue and back at Scutari, brother or no.”
    “