Highland Champion Read Free Page A

within days of reaching Ardgleann, the trouble with Rauf had begun. She had thought that explained all those odd feelings she had suffered, but now she was not so sure. Every instinct she had told her that the puzzle was not yet solved.
    Just as she began to relax, welcoming the comfort of sleep, a harsh cry from Sir Liam startled her. Keira tugged on her gown and hurried to his side to find him straining against his bonds, muttering furious curses at enemies only he could see. She stroked his forehead and spoke softly to him, telling him over and over where he was, who cared for him now, and that he was safe. It surprised her a little when he quickly grew calm again.
    “Jolene?” he whispered.
    Keira wondered why hearing him speak another woman’s name should irritate her as much as it did. “Nay, Keira,” she said as she placed her hand over his to try to stophim from tugging at his bonds.
    “Keira,” he repeated and grasped her hand in his. “Aye. Keira. Black hair. Confused me. Thought I was home. At Dubheidland.”
    “Ah. She is your healer?” Keira tried to wriggle her hand free of his grasp, but he would not release her, so she sat down in the chair at his bedside.
    “Sigimor’s wife. Lady of Dubheidland. Thought I was home.”
    “So ye said. I can give ye something to ease the pain, if ye wish it.”
    “Nay. Thought I was caught again.”
    She could see that it pained him to speak, but she could not resist asking, “Do ye remember what happened to you?”
    “Caught. Beaten. Thrown away. You found me?”
    “Aye, me and my cousin Brother Matthew.”
    “Good. Safe here.”
    “Aye, ye will be.” She tried yet again to wriggle her hand free of his, but failed.
    “Stay.” He heaved a sigh. “Please. Stay.”
    Keira inwardly cursed the weakness that caused her to heed that plea. She carefully shifted her seat closer to the bed so that she could sit more comfortably as she waited for him to release her hand. After a few moments of silence, she wondered if he had gone back to sleep, but his grip upon her hand remained firm. To her surprise, he began to stroke the back of her hand with his thumb. The warmth that gesture stirred within her was a little alarming, but she could not bring herself to stop him.
    This was not good, Keira thought. The light brush of a man’s thumb over her hand should not make her feel warm. True, it was a very nice hand, the fingers long and elegant, but it was too benign a caress to stir any interest. Or, it should be. She looked at his battered face and sighed. To all the troubles she already had, she realized she now had to add one more. A man she did not know, a man whose face was so bruised and swollen it would probably give a child the night terrors, could stir her blood with the simple stroke of his thumb.

CHAPTER 2
    Liam opened his eyes, feeling an odd spark of anticipation mingled with his pain. He was just wondering what he could possibly be looking forward to, since being awake meant being far too aware of all the pain he was in, when he realized he was holding someone’s hand. He hoped he was not clinging to Brother Matthew. The hand was too small and too soft, he decided. Liam had the fleeting thought that somehow that small hand was soothing him in body and in spirit. Then he remembered the woman.
    Cautiously, he turned his head, even as he struggled to remember her name. Keira, he whispered as he saw the lovely, delicate hand resting in his and a thick, gleaming black braid draped over his wrist. The chair was pulled up hard against the bed, and Keira was sleeping half in the chair and half on his bed. He recalled being tied down, but either he had dreamt that, or she had loosened the bonds on all but his right leg. Her cheek was resting on his stomach, and he fleetingly cursed the bedcovers that separated them. Liam looked at the hand he held close to his chest and wondered how long he had kept the woman captive. He felt guilty for having forced her into such