The Laird's Daughter Read Online Free PDF Page A

were, after all, connected with one of the most powerful clans in all of Scotland. Unlike her father who had angered Robert the Bruce, the Campbell chiefs had curried favor with the King both before and after his victories against the English king derisively referred to as Longshanks. But as she listened to their easy conversation, she discovered these seasoned veterans had willingly followed Rafe Campbell into battle and would do so again. They gave him their loyalty without question, and that would make them harder to defeat than simple paid mercenaries.
    She thought of the broad-shouldered man who took command so effortlessly. For a moment, she’d faced him in battle today, but another soldier had intercepted her. And when she’d glimpsed his tall figure again, he’d been engaged in a fierce combat with Aaron Lobban. Only after the man's claymore had taken, Aaron’s lower arm had she called the retreat. Aaron had a wife and three small daughters. With one arm, he’d be hard put to take care of his family, if he lived at all.
    Annie had fetched Bryce’s sister, Alyce, from the Lobban croft where she’d cauterized what remained of the limb and bound it. With any luck and no infections, Aaron would live. Even now the smell of burning flesh and the man’s screams mingling with the midwife’s angry incantation haunted Annie. Though she’d objected to the decision to attack the Campbell reinforcements, she bore the guilt for their failure. She had no qualms that Alyce would be discreet as she tended the wounds of their enemies, but at this moment, Annie wished herself in the barracks. No Campbell soldier would be left standing.
    Remorse did no good. Nor could she actually inflict death on a wounded, defenseless man even were he her enemy. Better that she set her thoughts on some other means of bringing down Sir Archibald and his lapdog, Rafe Campbell. With renewed determination, she climbed out of the hay wagon and went in search of Bryce. He was bent over the heat of a fire, pounding a bit of iron into a horseshoe. He set aside his hammer when she approached. His face was red from the flames, his eyes black with anger.
    “Where are the dead?” she asked her second in command barely above a whisper. “Have you hidden their bodies well?”
    “Aye, we took them high into the mountains and covered them with stones.” Bryce lifted his head and met her gaze.
    She saw the agony there. His brother had been one of the men lost this day.
    “Ye fetched Alyce to tend Campbell wounds.” His words were more an accusation than a query.
    “Aye, we had no choice.” Annie looked around to make sure no one could hear her speak. Maintaining her disguise as a harmless, mute goose girl grew more tiresome every day. Yet, she could not give it up now without raising dangerous suspicions. “Rafe Campbell requested the midwife since we have no surgeon on hand.”
    “May they all die and rot in Hell.” Bryce brought down his hammer in a ringing exclamation to his sentiments. “We lost two good men this day, and Aaron will never be a whole man again.”
    “Without both arms, Aaron is a whole man,” Annie whispered fiercely. “Don’t underestimate such a man as he.”
    “I saw the bastard that did it. He rode in the lead and wielded his claymore as if it were a part of him. But in the next battle, I’ll take his life for those he took today.”
    Annie seized his arm and shook it. “Don’t let your emotions rule your head now, Bryce. The next time, we’ll choose our targets more carefully. Rafe Campbell brought more men than we expected. We were outnumbered. Next time, we’ll attack when his men ride alone or in small numbers. Don’t you see? We must whittle away at his warriors as we have Sir Archibald’s forces.”
    Reluctantly, Bryce set aside his hammer and turned to face her. “By God, Annie, at moments like this, I’m always surprised at your beauty and fire. You play the part of the simple mute well while you