The Highlander's Stolen heart (Macinnes Sisters Trilogy) Read Free

thick in these parts and you will be lost for sure,” he warned.
    She paid heed to his words, but did not let him frighten her. She often searched the woods on her own and always managed to find her way home thanks to Patience. She had taught her how to mark a trail and it had helped her on many an occasion.
    With one last check on the wounded, she mounted her horse and was on her way. She kept a good pace and kept her focus on her task. She would not fail Heather or Patience. She would bring help and find them both.
    A roll of thunder had her casting a glance to the graying sky. “Please, please don’t let it rain,” she whispered. The rain would wash away any tracks and make following Patience that much more difficult.
    She rode hard, praying as she went. The rain started a short time later. It was not long before it was pouring buckets and not long before she was soaked through, her wool cloak doing little to keep her dry. She kept going, wiping the rain from her eyes and holding back her tears.
    The MacClennan village came into view over a small rise. She halted her mare to have a look. Cottages comprised most of the outer bailey, while the inner bailey held the stables and storehouses and beyond that lay the large stone keep. A high stonewall encircled them all. She hurried the horse along, entering through two tall, thick wooden doors that stood open with not a guard in sight. Once in the village, she headed for the keep. No one was about, though when she reached the steps a young lad suddenly appeared.
    “You be a Macinnes,” he asked.
    “I am,” Emma said.
    “I am to tend the horses.”
    He looked around, expecting others to be with her, but he would not ask. It was not his place to question. She handed her mare’s reins over to him and hurried up the few steps to the keep.
    She paid no heed to her appearance, though knew she had to look a sight, soaked through as she was and her hair dripping wet. She rushed into the Great Hall, not as many warriors or villagers there as she had expected, but her greeting was exactly what she had expected.
    “The plain one leads the way,” Angus MacClennan shouted from the dais with a raise of his tankard in welcome. “We were worried the storm would delay your arrival, though it appears it got you good. You look like a drowned cat.”
    She ignored Angus’s thoughtless remark, seeing that he was far into his cups and would be of no use to her and demanded, “Where is Rogan?”
    “It is not your place to be asking about him, lassie, he belongs to your sister,” Angus said, standing, though swaying. “I made that clear to your da.”
    Emma noticed that though Angus had pure white hair that lay to his shoulders and some wrinkles around the eyes, he had fine features and his body was well-honed for a man of his years. She recalled his wife had been a beauty and a kind woman and from what her father had told her about him, Angus still grieved her loss these past three years now.
    That did not, however, give him cause to be rude. She would not be put off by this man. Her sister’s life was at stake. “I would speak to you, but you are too far into your cups to be of help. I will speak to your son now .”
    The wooden floor began to tremble and Emma turned to see a small group of warriors march into the room. Their leader wore a dark brown cloak, the hood pulled down over his head concealing his face.
    “Rogan, Emma Macinnes demands to see you,” Angus shouted.
    The cloaked warrior threw his hood back and stopped right in front of Emma. “Where is my intended?”
    Emma never had her legs turn weak at the sight of a man, but this man caused her legs to tremble until she thought she would collapse. He towered over her and muscles ran thick and hard beneath his shirt and across his chest. His shirtsleeves were rolled up to his elbows and black leather arm cuffs covered the remainder of his arm to his wrist. His dark brown hair fell away from his face to an inch or two