Dreamer (Highland Treasure Trilogy) Read Online Free PDF Page B

she snapped. He’d been
deaf to everything she’d said before. “Here you go again. I’m not some stray
mare wandering on the road for anyone’s taking.”
    “Nay, you’ve wandered onto my land,
so you’re mine.” He placed one hand on the hilt of his sword. “But I know you’re no mare. You’re a woman. And a virgin to boot. I can attest to that myself.” 
    She clenched her fist. “My
virginity is no business for you to speak of! I still--”
    “I have no time for any more of
this foolishness.” Athol’s gaze hardened into one of disdain. “I’ll be having a
wife now . I will have an heir to my holdings.  You are here, you’re of
noble blood--in spite of it being half-English--and you’re a virgin. That, at
least, gives me the guarantee of knowing that I’ll not be passing my wealth on
to somebody else’s bastard.”
     “You cannot force me to marry you!
And I swear to you that you’ll not be getting any heirs from me.”
    She could almost see the challenge
in the glint of his gray eyes.
    “You will marry me. And you will obey me. And you will be faithful to me...if I need to lock you in the dungeons of Balvenie Castle to be certain of it.” An arrogant smile played over the edges of his mouth.
“But as far as begetting a bairn, you’ll take me into your bed.”
    She held her breath as his hand
clamped on her chin and forced her gaze upward. It was so easy to close her
mind to reason and fall prey to the man’s stunning good looks. But Catherine knew that could only happen if he were to shut his mouth and never utter another
arrogant word. An unlikely occurrence!
    “But do not be fooled by dreamy
notions of love. I’ll have none of that. A woman like you would normally be my
least likely choice for a wife. But you are here, and you will have to
do!”
    She clenched her jaws shut to
stifle the fury that threatened to spew out of her. John Stewart was mad.
Clearly, her only chance lay in escape.
    “It won’t be long before the priest
arrives. I’ll have my men bring up your trunks. Dress properly for the
wedding.”
    For the first time, the
helplessness of her situation struck her. “I...I only have a small travel
chest. I’m certain I have nothing more appropriate...than...”
    She watched his gaze dip down and
fix on her breasts as her heart hammered in response. “Then I shall ask the
priest to join us in this chamber. It certainly will make for a quick
consummation.”
    “I didn’t mean my shift. What I was
trying to say is that I have no dress fine enough...”
    Catherine stopped, no longer able
to continue as he stared silently down at her for another long moment. Finally,
without another word, he stepped around her and left the room.
    She waited until she heard the
heavy door shut, listening for a moment more, and then she sprang into action.
She had very little time and certainly no options--other than to escape this
wild man and somehow find her way to the place where Laura had been sent to the
north. Or was it the northeast? It was along the coast somewhere, of that she
was certain. She knew this was not the time to worry about her route. Once she
was away from here and free of Athol, then she could search out a way.
    Forced marriage to a man like him
would be her destruction. In the short moments they’d been in each other’s
company, he’d affected her senses. He’d made her mind a jumble, her body soft
and willing. This certainly would not do! She couldn’t throw away a lifetime of
learning for one night’s pleasure. And this would be the extent of it,
Catherine thought, remembering his words. He only wanted a willing body and an
heir. One night! That would be all!
    Well! He would have to find someone
else! Shaking her head, she ran into the Ladies Chamber. In fact, her only
chance of escape lay in leaving in the guise of someone else.
    Opening the door that led into the
small anteroom, Catherine looked for the traveling bags she had seen before.
Spying them in the