Jack: A Scottish Outlaw (Highland Outlaws Book 1) Read Free Page A

course, dear friend. I only wish I could accompany you, but responsibilities hold me in town for the next fortnight. Are you quite certain your journey cannot wait?”
    She smiled but shook her head. “I am anxious to see my sister and meet my new nephew.”
    His lips parted slightly as if he wished to ask her again, but then he pressed them closed and for a moment cast his gaze to the ground. “I am happy for you,” he said, still keeping his eyes averted.
    Her own stomach fluttered with excitement. “I cannot believe I am to be reunited with Catarina. It feels like a dream.”
    He smiled and stepped closer, taking her hands in his. “I think this trip will be good for you. You will see how content your sister is now that she has wed and started a family.”
    Tears stung her eyes. “Indeed, I hope to find her very happy.”
    “When we are wed, you will be equally as content. Love will grow, Bella. Are not friendship and respect the strongest foundations for any marriage?”
    She nodded, pressing her lips together to fight back her tears. She had heard his defense of their forthcoming nuptials time and again.
    But I do not love you, her heart screamed.
    A rumbling announced the arrival of her carriage. “Thank you for coming, but I must go now.” She turned away and allowed the footman to help her into the carriage.
    Hugh peered at her through the window. “I know I can make you happy, Bella.”
    She looked into his warm blue eyes and saw the boy she once knew. There had been a time when she had thought of him as her brother. “I miss the way we were,” she said. Then she leaned her head back against the smooth, velvet cushion. “I miss the way everything was.” Regret gripped her heart as her carriage rolled forward through the gate and into the city.
    After King Edward had sacked Berwick, his first command was the construction of a massive outer wall. For five years, Isabella had watched the walls climb higher and higher. They blocked the view of the sea and countryside, confining the city. But even as she left the city limits behind, she knew men would continue to erect her king’s dream—just one more cage for her soul to silently rage against.
    However, the further from Berwick and Hugh she rode, the easier it became to forget. Rolling hills invited her gaze with a feast of sunshine and flowers. Leaning out the window, she shifted in her seat so that she could turn her face to the sun. She slid her finger along the rim of her fitted wimple, which entrapped her hair and neck, letting the sun touch only her cheeks. Still, golden heat eased her spirit. She inhaled the fragrant scent of blue bells. A smile suddenly stretched her lips wide. It grew wider still, until her cheeks ached with delight. The rich scent of flowers and earth combined with the brightness of light so that she felt as if she were seeing these things for the very first time. And, in a way, she was. She had not left Berwick in five years, and the Bella who had journeyed from home before was not the same Bella now riding through the countryside. The other Bella had a mother. The other Bella could never have guessed at the cruelties one man could inflict upon thousands of others.
    Shadow fell as the road snaked through a thick wood. Still leaning out the window, she marveled at the lush green underbrush that shivered with foraging creatures. Then she jerked back in her seat. She heard thunderous snaps, fast and furious, coming from up ahead, followed by a thud that shook the ground like a giant’s footfall the instant before an explosive crack shuddered through the carriage, bringing it to a halt. She slammed forward, then pitched back. Wincing, she righted herself in her seat. The clang of swords stung her ears and the cries of men, her heart. The iron scent of blood filled the air. Her chest heaved as she fought to breathe. Swords and twisted faces flashed past her windows. Trapped. She had to get away. The door jerked open, a leering face.