Highland Champion Read Online Free PDF Page B

himself that he had little to offer a woman like her did not rein in his growing interest. For one brief moment, when he had learned that she was a widow, he had even considered becoming her lover for a while, but had forced that tempting plan out of his head. Widow she may be, but Keira was a woman one married. Although he had heard that the Murrays allowed their women to choose their husbands, he doubted they would smile upon a poor, landless knight.
    Even as he wondered why the thought of marriage kept tripping through his mind, he heard a noise outside. At first, he thought Kester had returned with Keira, following her like some faithful puppy, as was his habit. Then he realized that the voices were raised, for he would not be able to hear them through the door otherwise. He was just wondering if he ought to limp to the door to see who Keira might be arguing with or if he would soon have other company to deal with when he heard a brief, feminine screech.
    Cursing softly over how awkward he still was with his new crutch, Liam made his way to the door. He opened the door, stepped outside, and nearly bellowed out the rage that swept over him. A monk had Keira pinned to the ground. Liam caught sight of Kester in the distance, but the boy tripped and fell as he hurried to help Keira. When he saw the monk was struggling to pull up Keira’s skirts, Liam forgot about his injured leg, forgot about his pain, and hurried toward the wrestling couple.
     
    Keira could not believe how quickly Brother Paul had gotten her pinned to the ground. One minute they had been arguing, the next she was beneath him. He smelled strongly of ale and sweat, and was proving to be far stronger than she would have expected him to be.
    “Brother Paul, remember who ye are!” she cried as she struggled to keep him from mauling her. “What about your vows?”
    “I am a mon first,” he muttered as he tried to pull up her skirts yet not lose his grip on her. “I have prayed for guidance and strength until my knees bled from the kneeling on them, but still ye tempt me. I have set harsh punishments for myself, but still ye haunt my dreams. I have tried so hard—”
    Brother Paul was suddenly removed from on top of her, his sentence ending abruptly in a strangled gurgle. Keira stared in wonder as Liam held the man several inches off the ground with one hand. Liam’s beautiful face was hardened by fury while Brother Paul’s was white with fear.
    “Ye obviously didnae try hard enough,” Liam said, shaking the man slightly. “Ye are an idiot. And if ye e’er touch the lass again, ye will be a dead idiot.”
    Keira was just scrambling to her feet when Liam flung the terrified monk aside. She gaped as Brother Paul landed hard on the ground several feet away and sprawled there, gasping like a fish out of water. As she turned to stare at Liam, Kester stumbled up to them.
    “M’lady! Are ye hurt?” asked Kester.
    “Nay, just a wee bit bruised,” she replied, smiling at the youth to ease his obvious concern. When she looked at Liam again, she suddenly became aware of the fact that he had rushed to her rescue and manhandled Brother Paul on his broken leg. “Och, Sir Liam, ye should ne’er have rushed out here! I thank ye, but ye could have damaged your leg.”
    “’Tis already damaged.” Liam’s anger was fading, and he was becoming acutely aware of the intense pain in his broken leg.
    “I meant ye could have ruined whate’er healing there has been.”
    “Ah, weel, ye may be right.” He realized he had dropped his crutch as he had reached for the monk and looked around for it. “’Tis verra clear it doesnae like being stood on.”
    Keira quickly picked up his crutch and handed it to him, then moved to his other side to give him even more support. The man was suddenly very pale, and there was a faint sheen of sweat upon his face. He had to be in agony, but he made no sound.
    “Kester, see that Brother Paul returns to the monastery,” she said