Claiming the Highlander Read Online Free PDF Page B

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    Brenna licked a spot of strawberry jam from her finger. She had spent hours outside hunting for berries and cramming more into her mouth than in the basket. After each taste, she was never satisfied and plopped one after the other. The healers had been wrong. She did not sicken, and had filled her belly.
    She tucked her tongue back in her mouth as Rowen aimed her clear, judging eyes at her. Rowen shared the same coloring as her brother, but there was a ghostly calm about her. The clan said she was a banshee, returned to the clan by birth and would warn of approaching danger. The MacKenzie clan wasn’t the only one that whispered such things. Brenna knew it must have stung Rowen, but Brenna believed it to be foolishness.
    “Are you prepared for this day? This is your first appearance together before the clan.” Rowen set down the garrison rolls.
    “Do you think something can go wrong?”
    “Not at all. Though, the clan folks will follow you wherever you travel.”
    “They haven’t ceased doing that,” Brenna grumbled. “I wish I were remaining here.”
    “Once the clan feels more secure in your presence, you’ll be wishing you could be out there. Today, the clan will see both the Earl and the Countess and feel secure.”
    “Caelen is returning.” Brenna peered over Rowen’s shoulder.
    “Brenna, do not be happy to see your husband. It makes them get ideas.”
    Caelen shot a look at his sister. Rowen arched one brow.
    Caelen held out a hand to her. “Come, Brenna, we must depart.”
    She took it and rose. He dropped it, and then started from the Great Hall, leaving Brenna to follow. He failed to offer his arm, so she slipped hers through his own. She watched him for his reaction but he did nothing, not even glance at her.
    Reaching the courtyard, Brenna lowered her arm.
    A stable boy struggled to hold Caelen’s Spanish mount. The thick-chested beast pawed at the ground and let out puffs that ruffled the boy’s hair and left snot on his face. She struggled to form an argument against riding the beast. Not one convincing thought popped in her head. She must not let him know her fear.
    Caelen took the reins while Brenna felt her legs shaking. She wished to sit.
    After Caelen mounted, he lifted her and settled her across his lap. This was not what she had wanted. He gave a curt order and the beast quieted. Her natural, foolish curiosity got to her and she peeked down at the earth. It was littered with straw and manure. She rested high above the ground. She corrected herself—the hard ground. Its hooves appeared to be the size of her head and would surely stomp her among the straw and manure and into nothingness if she were caught underneath them.
    “Are you scared?”
    The top of her head banged against his chin. “Scared, never. I’m just respectful.”
    “Of what?”
    “Your animal.”
    “Why are you?”
    Brenna ignored his incredulous tone and said, “Horses and I do not deal well with each other. See, even now he is sidestepping.”
    She gripped his leine. She tried to loosen her grip. She tried. Instead, her grip tightened until her fingers cramped.
    He drew her hand away. “You’re pulling skin. You get over this fear.”
    “ Get over this— you just ordered me to get over. You are not the one who was thrown from these beasts. I could have died. Thankfully, I had landed on grass. My father said it was because I was always falling anyway. In my defense, the unruly beast wasn’t being cooperative. I have never been able to stay on one of these,” she ended in whisper.
    “He’s not going to take your words as a challenge.”
    A smile spread on her face before her laughter rang. She was being foolish. With Caelen, all should be well. She patted the animal’s withers. He tossed his head. She scooted tighter against her husband. “I may have crossed a line.”
    Caelen set off. Brenna couldn’t look at him. He hadn’t said any words of comfort a husband would share with his wife.
    She