The Great Scottish Devil Read Online Free PDF Page A

gathered waiting for them. “I have driven everyone hard to get back here, I know this. There is jist much fer me to deal with, and soon. Matters I put off to go to Middleham and seek out my…Maggie.”
    They walked awkwardly together and she fought the desire to reach back and take his hand, to offer him some kind of comfort. “At least your sister is well and settled.” One night as they’d shared sup around a campfire, he had briefly told her about Maggie and Nicholas, and some of what his sister had gone through. “Now you can deal with your other matters.”
    He stopped for a second, stood stiffly, and then boldly admitted, “I have put off going to claim an English bride betrothed to me by King Edward. I should have done so upon my return to Urquhart after the Crusade.”
    An English bride? She should not be surprised by the news. Edward had been working hard to match his English lords with Scottish brides and betrothing Scottish lairds with English ladies. She was fortunate that she fell far below Edward’s concerns and even farther below any social ranking he wished to protect.
    She was free to marry whoever might ask her, should she desire the match. Until lately, though, she hadn’t really longed for marriage, a man to love her, a home to call her own. Until lately… Until meeting Brodie. A man she should never be drawn to, but was. A man she could never have, but wanted.
    She swallowed down the pain of sorrow and hopelessness. She definitely needed to find someone she could accept to travel with her in the tinker trade and put much distance between her and Brodie.
    Interrupting her painful musings, he said, “But I dinna even ken myself. I dinna ken my home, or my people. I thought it wrong to bring a wife into my muddled mess. I hoped by now…”
    He blew out a breath of frustration and looked toward the castle in the distance. “I still ken none of it ‘Tis time I accept I will niver have my memories back.”
    She desperately wanted to touch him, take some of his pain away, but she couldn’t touch him. “It could still happen.”
    The sadness in his eyes tore at her. The resignation in his tone hurt even more. “’Tis doubtful after all these months. ‘Tis time I continued with my life…with my new life. I will send fer Lady Stonewall, rather than go to fetch her.”
     
    * * *
     
    Two days and much frustration later, Brodie went in search of Annabel. He’d meant to talk to her earlier, right after he’d caught her talking in secret with Tavis not long after they’d broken their fast together in the great hall. But Douglas had come to him with some matters he needed to discuss. In the mean time, Brodie’s irritation had only grown.
    He spotted her walking away from talking to yet another of his men, most of who had seemed to become far too friendly with the pretty little lass. She’d been trying to sneak around and find someone to travel with her as a tinker. None had agreed as yet, as far as he could tell. But he was starting to fear that mayhap the whole lot of them would grow tired of their grumbling laird and go with her. He didn’t need this problem, certainly not a mass mutiny. He’d told her only yesterday to stop this nonsense, to leave his men alone. Well, now he would reinforce his feelings on the matter. With the flat of his hand.
    “Annabel Henderson,” he called out as she headed for the paddocks. “I want to talk to ye.”
    She barely glanced over her shoulder at him. “I’m going to check on my horses. Mayhap later.”
    Brodie walked by a couple of soldiers coming from the keep, noted their amused looks, and scowled at them. They hurried toward the other men practicing in the far bailey. Annoyed at her trying to avoid him, much as she’d been doing ever since their arrival at Urquhart, he hurried after her.
    Her eyes widened in surprise. “Don’t you have duties to attend to?” She moved farther away from him.
    “Aye, I do. I’ve something to deal with first,