Highland Hellcat (2010) Read Free Page B

strength and used the flat of his palm to strike with. A blow from his closed fist would have sent her stumbling across the floor, possibly knocked her senseless too. Pain went through her jaw, and her head turned with the strike, but she jerked her face back toward him immediately.
    “Kaie is too delicate for yer strength, Father.”
    “Ye are every bit the image of yer mother too, Brina.” He pointed at her. “Step aside and allow yer sister to face what she has earned.”
    “She was torn between ye and Deirdre.”
    Her father was furious now, his face darkening, but Brina stood solidly in place.
    “She has brought it to my feet with her silence on this matter! Step aside.”
    “I will nae.”
    A single sniffle got past Kaie’s lips before she drew in a stiff breath and silenced herself. Laird Chattan propped his hands on his hips and glared at Brina.
    “’Tis a fortunate thing that yer place at the abbey is already secure, Brina, for ye have a stubbornness that would offend any man I tried to wed ye to, and that is the truth.”
    He shook his head. “But it is also a fact that I admire yer spirit, for it reminds me of yer sweet mother.”
    Robert Chattan reached out and pushed her aside with a hand that was more controlled now. Brina moved, and her sister stiffened.
    “Straighten yer spine, Kaie. Ye are promised to Roan McLeod, and he’ll nae be thanking me for sending him a wife who trembles anytime he forgets to soften his words.”
    “I’m sorry, Father.”
    “Ye should be, for this is no light matter, but I have to find yer sister before young Laird Lindsey gets wind of this affair. The man is a Highlander through and through and may just choke the life out of her for taking a lover who is his sworn enemy.”
    “Melor Douglas loves Deirdre; she told me that he said so.”
    “Is that a fact?” Their father’s voice turned mocking. “Why, then, is the man no’ at me table to ask for her? Are ye so naive as to think that a man will nae say many a thing when his cock is hard or when he is intent on shaming a man he considers his enemy? The Douglas hope to inherit the Lindsey land through Connor’s sister, who everyone knows they intend to force to wed one of their own. I made an alliance with Connor Lindsey to keep those bloody Douglas on their own land and to make sure they gain no more territory, or we’ll have them raiding us. Since I put my name on the parchments, the other clans have recognized Connor as the Lindsey laird, and there is balance once again. Without that, there will be blood spilled come spring, have no doubt of it, Daughter.”
    Kaie smothered a horrified gasp.
    “Ye see there? That’s why marriage is a matter for yer father to be negotiating, because there are details that come into play far beyond whether or no’ a lass takes a fancy to a lad.” Their father stopped for a moment and fixed Kaie with a hard look. “Are ye still pure?”
    Kaie stiffened, her face tightening. “I most certainly am.”
    “Mind yer tone, Daughter. Those who allow scheming to happen without raising the alarm deserve to have their honor questioned. Ye will nae be escaping this with a few words tossed at me declaring how repentant ye are. This is more than just one girl shaming her father, because I am laird of the Chattan. Ye have been taught that since ye were old enough to leave yer nurse’s arms—everything ye do has more weight because of who yer father is.”
    “I would happily remain pure forever, Father. I do nae want to wed.”
    Their sire made a disgusted sound and waved his hand in the air.
    “Enough, I’ve a daughter to fetch back, and yer future is settled.”
    Kaie suddenly found her courage. “Please, Father, send me to the abbey. I want to be a bride of Christ.”
    “Has this castle been invaded by demons?” Robert sputtered because he was so frustrated. “Both ye and Deirdre seem to have gone mad with the desire to argue against the place that ye have known would be yers