One Hot Scot Read Online Free PDF

afraid something ill has befallen her.”
    Duncan lifted an eyebrow. “She ran away? Did ye show her yer cock and the massive thing frightened her?”
    Bellamy chuckled, the sound forced. “Something like that. Regardless, I’m worried, and I need to find her. Have you seen an English lady over the past few hours?”
    “Nae. And I think that’d be someaught I’d remember. Do ye want me to ride oot with some of my lads and help ye look? Ye say she’s a Sasannach? The Highlands is no place fer a stranger to be lost.”
    “I can manage the search. I do want permission to search the valley here. And your shack.”
    Duncan didn’t bother hiding his frown. “Ye’re welcome to search the valley. If I hear ye went through Lenox House while I was nae there, though, we’re going to have a disagreement. I’ll nae have Orville gawping at my sisters.”
    “Ye worried ye’ll nae find another man to match me?”
    “I’m worried ye’ll give ’em nightmares, and I’ll nae manage to marry them off at all.” Duncan put a finger against Bellamy’s wet chest. “Did ye search my home withoot me there?” he asked, very evenly.
    “I took a quick look through your vacant rooms,” the earl returned, “in the company of your butler. Orville waited outside with the horses. I know that you and he are … at odds.”
    “That’s someaught, then,” Duncan conceded begrudgingly, and he stepped to one side, allowing them into the cottage. “I’ve an objection to ye calling me a liar when I say yer lass is nae here. But I ken ye judge a man by yer own character, so I’ll allow ye to look aboot. This once.”
    “Careful, Lenox. That almost sounded like an insult.”
    “It was meant to.”
    The two men stepped inside, shaking rain onto the dirt floor as they both shed their greatcoats and hats. Bellamy handed his garments to Orville, who sent his titled cousin a glare and then hung the dripping things on the wooden pegs driven into the wall beside the door.
    “Dunnae think ye’re staying here, Bellamy. Ye said ye were here to find yer lass. Have yer look, and be gone. I’ll nae put ye up for the night.”
    “Why in such a hurry to be rid of us?” Orville asked.
    “Because ye’ve already called me a liar once, and I dunnae like either of ye. And because I’ve work to do in the morning, and ye’re keeping me awake.”
    The earl’s cousin sent an assessing look about the single room, then back at Duncan. “So ye sleep in yer kilt, do ye?”
    “Nae. I sleep naked. But then someone pounded on my door and woke me up. Any other stupid questions ye wish to ask?”
    While he kept Orville glaring angrily at him, the earl made a show of pulling open cupboards and looking through blankets and under the bed. “Could someone have come in here while you were out hunting?”
    “And they’ve hidden in the cupboard? Are ye looking fer a woman or a mouse?”
    “This isn’t amusing. And I’d rather stay out of the rain tonight,” Bellamy said absently, digging the spoon through the remains of the kettle of stew. “We could scour the valley at dawn.”
    “And I dunnae care what ye prefer,” Duncan retorted. They could spend the night on the floor, but that would mean Julia would have to stay in the pitch black hole for another four hours, with Bellamy snoring cozily only a few feet away. After what she’d already been through, he wasn’t willing to subject the lass to that. “Ye can see she’s nae here.” He put a concerned look on his face. “Ye truly think she’s oot in that weather? She could catch her death. What the devil made her run from ye, anyway?”
    “That’s my affair, Lenox. And for your own sake you’d best not be lying to me.”
    With a great deal of effort Duncan kept his expression even. “I dunnae ken why ye keep flinging threats in my direction, Bellamy. I’ve nae given ye so much as a cross look.”
    “Yes, you excel at diplomacy, Lenox. If your great-grandmother had been a Campbell rather than