Fraser 01 - Highland Legacy Read Online Free PDF

memorized the routes used to patrol the castle grounds and when the guards made their rounds...or so she thought. He was early. Something was amiss.
    Her breath caught when he stopped and stared in the direction of the postern gate. Afraid to move a muscle, lest she be discovered, she nibbled on her lower lip and willed him to leave. Her heart raced, and beads of perspiration collected on her brow and in the valley between her breasts. While only a few feet away, the keep’s tower seemed like miles. Minutes felt like an eternity. When he finally moved on, she blew out a ragged sigh and offered up a silent prayer of thanks.
    With the coast now cleared, she gathered up her skirts, made a dash for the rear of the castle, and entered a large storage room. Relieved to be alone, she wasted no time and moved to the opposite side of the room. She opened the door a crack and peered into the kitchen across the hall. There, servants bustled about, preparing for the noonday meal, far too busy to pay her any mind.
    What now? Should I risk going to my solar on the above floor to change, or would I be wiser to slip into the chapel at the end of the hall? If they find me there, I’ll tell them I have spent the morning in prayer. Heaven only knows I need to pray. To pray my father does not find out I left the castle unattended, that the English do not link Connor or I to the soldier’s death. I still must leave before Laird MacMurray arrives, but first, I will need a better plan. A woman traveling alone is an easy target.
    She glanced down at her disheveled appearance and soiled gown. The garment had seen better days and the plaid she wore about her shoulders belonged to another clan. Someone would surely notice. Left with no choice but to go to her chamber to change her clothes, she took a deep breath for courage and prepared to step into the hall. She eased the door open, but quickly closed it again when she heard the voices of her nurse Eilidh and her father’s steward, Drummond, coming toward her. The louder their voices got, the faster her heart pounded.
    “Where has the lass gotten to? The laird was furious when he demanded I bring her to him, and I told him she was not in her chamber. I wish she’d not antagonize him. As his steward, I must listen to him rant. As her nurse, you need to offer counsel on her unacceptable behavior.”
    A crotchety old man of at least three score, Drummond always sided with her father. Cailin could picture him waving his bony finger in front of Eilidh’s nose. If her nurse had been alone, she might have revealed herself, asked for her advice and help. But Drummond would take great pleasure in presenting her to her father for punishment.
    “True, she has always been a spirited lass, but like her mother, she has a good heart. Sadly, she is no longer a bairn and has a mind of her own.” Eilidh clucked her tongue the way she did when Cailin had done something she did not approve of. “However, it is not like her to wander beyond the castle walls without an escort. You cannot possibly believe she is capable of murder?”
    “The decision is not mine to make. The English commander claims to have a witness to the deed and has vowed to leave no stone unturned until he finds the lass. He means to see justice served and does not strike me as the kind of man who gives up easily,” Drummond answered.
    “Have you searched everywhere? The longer it takes for us to find her, the harder it will be to prove her innocence.”
    “Aye, we have scoured every inch of the castle from top to bottom.”
    “We must keep looking. This place is crawling with the Saxon buggers. If what they claim is true, I fear not even her father will be able to help her.” Concern resonated in Eilidh’s voice.
    How had the English found out her identity so quickly? The attack flashed before her mind’s eye. My father is the Macmillan and laird of this land . She had her answer, and her father’s prophecy was about to come true. Her