Seducing the Highlander Read Online Free PDF Page B

impossible for anything besides castle activities to be conducted within the walls. As a result, castle life had taken over the inner bailey, making it crowded, loud, and confining. And though he had enjoyed this short visit to his close ally and friend, he also could not wait to leave it all behind and return to his children and his life—which did not include Meriel Schellden.
    He remembered the havoc she and her sister caused last year when they came to visit. Granted, it was the first time they had ever been allowed to leave the protection of Caireoch and their overindulgent father, but their short stay had been painful. And most of the pain Conor remembered enduring had been a direct result of Meriel’s and his wife’s brilliant idea that Meriel should learn about castle duties by assuming them. He was not going to go through that again. Mo creach! McTiernay Castle would likely be vacated within hours! Fiona, their cook, would rebel vociferously by refusing to allow any of the staff to prepare meals, and their steward, Fallon . . . his reaction was unpredictable, with the exception that it would be far from good. Did Laurel not realize that?
    Conor turned around to argue when his mouth fell open. He pointed to the bags she was using to pack her things. “Those are not the bags you used coming up here.”
    Laurel shrugged and gave him a quizzical look before continuing to arrange things in the much larger carriers. “Well, of course not. I could never have packed all of this in the two I brought, so I asked Meriel for some larger ones and she obliged. Our agreement was the number of bags, love, not the bags themselves.”
    He watched as she shoved the last tapestry into the second leather bag and cinched it closed. The two large stuffed bags on the bed meant that he had lost their bet and not she. He should have known that just as he had been plotting a way for her to lose . . . Laurel had been doing the same.
    A thought struck him. If Laurel wanted him to be agreeable, then that was exactly what she was going to get. “I think it is a great idea that Meriel come with us.”
    Laurel came to an abrupt stop. With one hand still in the second bag, she looked up. “You do?”
    “Aye. After what you and Raelynd did last night, Craig could use some distance from her.”
    “You think Craig could use some distance from Meriel.”
    “Aye. I think he needs some time to think about what happened and determine if it meant anything.”
    “ Meant anything? Of course it meant something!”
    Conor came around and pulled Laurel’s back against his chest to give her a big hug. “I know you think they love each other.”
    Laurel tried unsuccessfully to shrug him off. “They do love each other. Craig just refuses to admit his feelings.”
    Conor let out a long, audible breath. “Then, Laurel, my love, distance is not going to change his mind.”
    Laurel spun around in his arms to face him. Her brows wrinkled upon seeing that he was earnest. “How can you not want your brother to be happy?”
    Conor reached around her and snatched the heavier of the two bags. “He is happy. They both were until last night when you and Raelynd meddled in their lives.”
    “I was not meddling.”
    “Then what do you call it?”
    “What I did was called . . . assisting. At least I thought I was,” Laurel said, the last words barely audible. Then suddenly her demeanor changed. “Is Hamish returning with us?”
    “Why?” Conor asked skeptically, his left arm still encircling her. “I think he was considering staying a couple more days to help Craig.”
    “Then my question is, can he?”
    Conor laughed at her eager expression. If he recognized the obvious ploy, then so would Craig. “You think you can make my brother jealous? Laurel, if anything, Craig will suspect he’s being manipulated and become even more determined not to admit his feelings for Meriel— if he has them.”
    Laurel bit her bottom lip to hide her smile, but nothing