Her Highland Defender Read Online Free PDF Page B

she turned to the doorway, she saw him silhouetted and followed after him.
    “Ye cannae leave us!”
    Blane turned to her and the splash of faint colour that was his lips stretched into what she suspected was a grim smile. “Ye’ve strong walls and strong women inside that keep. Ye’ll be safe enough.”
    “Three days, ‘tis all I ask. We’ve a cousin coming to aid us soon but he willnae be here for another three days. What if the English come before then? We are but women and children. We cannae defend ourselves.”
    “And ye think I’m capable of seeing off an army of Englishmen?”
    “Aye. I think ye are.”
    Silence echoed between them. She swung a glance sideways and noted their exchange had caused several of the women to pause in their daily chores and watch. None of them knew that a small band of Englishmen had been spotted several miles away. There was no sense in frightening them but she had told them to be on their guard. 
    “Ceana,” he finally said, his voice filled with regret, “I must go.”
    “So ye can be killed with the rest of them?”
    An audible breath emanated from him. “I’ve a battle to fight and I cannae delay. I’ve no doubt ye and yer sister will continue to do a fine job of protecting yer people.”
    “Blane!” She fumbled to grab his arm when he turned away. “I cannae protect them. I cannae.” Tears of frustration began to burn in her eyes, making seeing him harder.
    “Ceana...”
    “Ye dinnae understand.” She gripped his arm tight this time and lowered her voice. “I cannae protect them because I cannae see.”
    “What?”
    “I cannae see.” The words came out in a rush, like a wave racing toward the sand. Relief washed through her and her shoulders felt lighter.
    “I dinnae understand.”
    “I was born almost blind. ‘Tis like looking through murky water. I can see ye but ‘tis blurry and in the dark, I am almost completely blind.” He turned to face her and she imagined he was studying her eyes as if to make out the truth. “’Tis why I stumbled so many times.”
    “How is it ye moved about at all then?”
    “I have it all up here—” she tapped the side of her head “—in my memory. As long as naught is moved or changed, I can find my way about the castle with ease.”
    “Damnation,” he muttered.
    “So ye see, I cannae protect these people.”
    A hand came to rest upon hers where she gripped him. He eased her fingers off one by one and her heart nearly dropped into her stomach.
    “I have to do this, Ceana. I dinnae expect ye to understand but I’m sure ye’ll be safe. Stay behind yer castle walls for the next three days and no harm shall come to ye.”
    How could he say that? How could he leave them even after she’d admitted her weakness to him? The one outsider she’d shared it with and he had no more to say on it apart from to tell her to hide.
    The heat of a tear trickled down her face. She swiped it away angrily. “Go to yer death then, Blane Ross.” She backed away. “I’ll no’ think on ye again.”
    Swivelling on her heel, she stalked past the well and made her way down to the edge of the loch. Whether he watched her go, she knew not, but she cared not either. Ceana stared out at the blue expanse that dominated her vision and folded her arms across her chest. Damn him. She wouldn’t think on him again. Never.
    ***
    The castle remained in sight as Blane made his way around the loch—taunting him.
    Blind. How could he not have realised? She was adept at hiding it, for certain.
    He’d travelled up the way he’d come and checked the tracks to be certain he was heading in the right direction. The English had continued on past the loch, mayhap not realising there was a keep over the hill but he’d backtracked, realising he could cut time off his journey if he simply circled the expanse of water.
    Unfortunately, that meant he could imagine Ceana’s gaze following him, even though he was far from the keep and certainly not visible