Taken By The Highland Wolf (The Clan MacGregor Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

lovely name."
    I laughed and removed my hand from his, slowly becoming aware that he had been holding it for a bit too long.
    "Well, then, you can thank my grandmother, as I was named after her," I told him.
    "I did have a question that I was thinking to ask ye, if ye don't mind."
    I shrugged my shoulders and selected a small piece of cheese. "I suppose that all depends on what your question is," I said, then popped the morsel in my mouth.
    "Fair enough," he said with a laugh. "I was wondering how ye came to be at Maggernie Castle."
    I stilled and looked out over the long stretch of rolling hills, thinking carefully of how to answer the question. "I am a guest of the MacGregor. He and my father made a political arrangement ensuring peace between our lands," I explained.
    "Ah," he said, his shoulder slumping ever so slightly. "So it's an arranged marriage, then."
    "Not quite," I said with a smile.
    He smiled at that. "I know it's dangerous of me to say it, but I must admit that I'm glad. I can't imagine how a woman as sweet as ye could be given to the MacGregor to wed. The man has a fearsome reputation. I have worried, these past few days, to think of ye under that man's control. I've yet to be introduced to him, but I can't say that I'm very sorry for it."
    "He would never hurt me," I told Camden. "You needn't worry yourself."
    "How can I not? Ye know as well as I the tales that follow that man. Every person in the highlands knows the kind of man he is. I would not see you fall victim to his foul temper."
    I lowered my eyes and said nothing. I knew that Camden had nothing but true concern in his heart for me, but it still saddened me to hear the words. No matter how much I wished to correct him about Alastair's nature, it was not my place to do so. In fact, to disabuse Camden of his misplaced notions could do disastrous harm not only to Alastair but the entire MacGregor clan.
    The stories and legends about the chiefs of the MacGregor clan went back farther than anyone could remember, and Alastair continued to cultivate them even to this day in order to protect his clan's most carefully guarded secret. Which meant that no matter how much it hurt my heart to say nothing, I could not speak out against Camden's beliefs regarding the man I loved.
    "I'm sorry," he said. "I've upset ye, haven't I?"
    "No, it's not your fault. It's a complicated situation."
    "Well, you've a friend now, for as long as I'm here. I promise that I'll let no harm come to ye, Glenna."
    I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and blinked back the tears that were threatening to surface. It felt so dishonest to deceive him this way when all he wanted was to look out for me.
    "And you, Camden? I never did ask what brought you to Glen Lyon," I said, trying to change the subject. It was a clumsy attempt at best, but it was better than nothing.
    "I was on my way home from visiting some cousins. I wanted to see something new and decided to test my luck by cutting through the MacGregor territory."
    "And just look at how that turned out for you. Not quite the type of luck you were looking for, I suppose."
    He reached his hand out as if to caress me, but stopped himself before he made contact.
    "I would say that my rash decision was well-rewarded."
    I blushed and looked away. I knew that I should say something, find some way to tell him that I was not free to give him my affections. It would be cruel of me to let him think that I was open to his advances. But there was nothing I could tell him that could be explained. Secrets upon lies—it was a horrible way to start a friendship but there was nothing else that I could do.
    I would just have to find a way to discourage him without revealing the true nature of my relationship with Alastair. Camden would never understand, and more than that, the intimacy of my relationship with Alastair was enough to ruin me and destroy my good name. My love for him and my unwavering faith that we would eventually find a way