The Bastard Son (Winds of Change Book 2) Read Free

woman in his house. What the bloody hell was she doing out here alone?
    Carrying the unconscious woman into the house, he laid her down in the front bedroom and studied her for a moment. She certainly didn’t look like a homeless vagrant.
    From the look of the room, she had been here awhile. A dress hung over the back of a cushioned chair; slippers sat under the bed. His gaze fell back upon the woman. Running his hand through his hair, he sighed. What was he supposed to do with her now?
    Tackling her to the ground, she had taken a hard hit. Leaning down, he felt the bump on the side of her head.
    Moaning at his touch, she began to mutter unintelligible words. At least, he hadn’t killed the poor thing. The little fool was lucky in that regard. He didn’t know what to expect when he entered the barn and saw the stabled horse. It caught him by surprise.
    Riding up to the house, there was no indication of life. No light or noise, but seeing the horse put him on immediate alert. The sound of cracking twigs and dried leaves when he dismounted prepared Sumner for an assault.
    In the shadows, he made out the pistol, cocked and readied to fire. He reacted with brute force…that was until he realized his assailant was a young woman, a beautiful one at that.
    Staring at her now, he was mesmerized by the way the moonlight reflected off her ivory skin. His gaze traveled from her lovely oval face down to her bare feet. He hadn’t looked upon a woman in this manner for a long time.
    The sheer fabric of the white nightdress hung from her shoulders, leaving her arms bare and revealing the swell of her breasts. Her hair was as dark as night and hung unbound over her shoulders and down her back. He wondered what color her eyes were, but her features were fine and delicate.
    She tossed and turned, and he wondered at her comfort. Clutching her hand into a fist, she hit it against the mattress. She was distressed…of course she was! He had knocked her out, but Lord have mercy on him. He must be in a bad state for he couldn’t take his eyes off of her.
    Questions raked his mind. Who was she? Who was she running from, because it was clear to him she was hiding from someone—her father or an abusive husband? In that, he didn’t know, but there were a few things he had already discerned about her. She didn’t frighten easily, knew how to fight, and by God, she was lovely.
    * * * *
    Sumner combed the house for signs of another soul, but could find none. In the dim lantern light, the house seemed immaculate. There were no other clothes lying around or bed unmade. He wanted no more surprises, but felt confident she was alone.
    Returning to her bedside with a chair, he sat. She was restless and it worried him. Lying there, she looked so vulnerable…so helpless.
    “What has brought you here?” he murmured. He received no answer and expected none.
    Shaking his head, he reprimanded himself. He had a mission to complete and no time or desire to deviate from the path before him. He certainly wasn’t going to let some woman…a trespasser…shake his resolve.
    He decided he would see to her care until Warren showed in the afternoon, and then he would send her back with him. Warren was a good man with a wife and family. He held no doubt Warren would show her Christian compassion no matter her reason for hiding.
    If not, he would have to devise another plan. One thing was for certain. He couldn’t have her in this house, not now. She would become more of a distraction than she already was.
    He leaned his chair back against the wall and shut his eyes, finding a semblance of solace in sleep. Suddenly, he awoke to a scream.
    The woman had bolted upright in bed. Even in the darkness, he saw her eyes widen in fear. She screamed again, a high-pitched screech, and retreated off the bed, backing against the wall.
    “No! Please no! They have done nothing!” Her voice was shrill with rising hysteria.
    Feeling helpless as a child, Sumner hesitated on his