The Rogue: A Highland Guard Novella (The Highland Guard) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Izzie. It took Elizabeth some time to reply. “I did go see Thom, but it was an errand for Jo. Truly.”
    She looked so distressed that Izzie forgot all about Randolph and reached out to comfort her cousin, putting her hand on her arm. “Did something happen, Ella?” she asked, using her cousin’s childhood nickname.
    “Yes. No. I mean…” Elizabeth put down the piece of embroidery she was working on—a banner for her brother Jamie—and her hands started to twist anxiously in her lap. “I don’t know.”
    Izzie didn’t press. It was clear Elizabeth didn’t know, and this was something she’d have to figure out herself.
    Izzie didn’t envy her. It was obvious her cousin had strong feelings for Thom MacGowan, but he was too far beneath her in rank to even be considered a suitor. The son of the village blacksmith might be a soldier now, but Elizabeth was the sister of one of Bruce’s most important lieutenants. Indeed, James had risen high enough to arrange an alliance between his sister and the king’s nephew, Randolph—the other of the king’s most important lieutenants and Jamie’s usually friendly rival.
    For the past couple of years, Jamie and Randolph had been engaged in what seemed like a back-and-forth contest of extraordinary feats of war to win the position of the king’s right-hand man. Izzie thought it was rather silly—the king had two hands, why couldn’t they each have one?—but she had to admit, it was exciting to watch them try to outdo one another. With Jamie’s recent achievement in taking Roxburgh Castle (in dramatic fashion of course), Randolph was probably chomping at the bit to do something more extraordinary in taking Edinburgh. A siege hardly qualified, which undoubtedly frustrated him to no end. It wouldn’t make for a very good story.
    Their short conversation had visibly distressed her cousin, and not long after Joanna rejoined them, Elizabeth made excuses to return to her solar.
    “Izzie and I won’t be much longer,” Joanna let her know. “It will be time to ready for the evening meal soon.”
    “I think I’ll just stay in my room tonight,” Elizabeth said. “I’m tired. I’m going to read a book and try to retire early.”
    Izzie quirked a brow at that. Thom MacGowan must really have her cousin confused for Elizabeth to be reduced to picking up a book. Her cousin had never enjoyed learning as Izzie had. “Not all of us are born to be clerks.” Randolph was right about that.
    Nonetheless, skipping the evening meal sounded like a good idea—avoiding Randolph might have occurred to her—and Izzie was tempted to do the same, but her stomach was loudly reminding her that she hadn’t eaten since morning. The planned midday feast in a basket she and Randolph were supposed to enjoy on their ride had been forgotten after the rockslide and disastrous kiss that followed. But she was remembering it now. The meal, not the kiss. The kiss she had forgotten.
    Liar .
    Well, even if she hadn’t quite forgotten it, she’d put it in perspective. Sir Thomas Randolph was a handsome rogue, who could kiss like the Devil, but like a sugary confection, he would satisfy in the moment and only leave her wanting. She wanted genuine substance, not superficial charms. In other words, she didn’t want a faerie tale; she wanted something real .
    Besides, she thought with a laugh. When was the last time the hero of the story rode off with the decidedly nondazzling, scholarly cousin? No one would want to read that story—people liked extraordinary.
    But Izzie forgot that she’d always had a sweet tooth.
     
     
    By the time Izzie walked into the rectory for the evening meal, she had forgotten that kiss.
    But it took just one look over at the dais for all the feelings, all the confusion, all the desire to come rushing back. The memories hit her hard, leaving all that wonderful perspective she’d developed decidedly cracked.
    Perhaps she needed a bit more time? She wasn’t that hungry. A