The Warrior Laird Read Online Free PDF

wife now, and his own child. Besides, his home was near Aberdeen—the opposite direction Maura needed to go.
    Her only choice was to press on with the plan she’d concocted the night Lieutenant Baird had turned up at Ilay House. She knew it was flawed, but it was the only way she could think of to get to her sister.
    Lieutenant Baird mounted his horse and looked down at her with a deep anger in his charcoal gray eyes. Twin peaks of color had bloomed on his cheekbones and an invisible wave of fury rolled off the man as he straightened up in his saddle.
    â€œNext time, you’ll do as you’re ordered, Lady Maura,” he said. “Men, do not allow her out of your sight.”
    Her few moments without Baird or Bridget hovering over her had not been worth this new, far more intense animosity. Fortunately, she was going to leave his arrogant presence that night, soon after they reached Fort William.
    â€œYour mother warned me that you were headstrong,” Bridget scolded in a huff, “but I had no idea!”
    Maura said naught to Bridget, but went directly to the carriage. She climbed inside, having no intention of discussing the incident any further. Already her jailers were primed to watch her more closely, and that was the last thing she wanted.
    She could hardly wait until they reached the garrison town and she could leave Lieutenant Baird and her overbearing companion. She’d packed good walking clothes in her overnight bag, and figured she would secrete away some of tonight’s supper for later, when she struck out alone.
    She had not yet had a moment by herself to look at the strange map she’d pilfered from Lord Ilay’s study, not when she’d had to share a room every night with Bridget Hammond and the old woman watching over her every second. Argyll had spoken of gold the night before she’d left Ilay House, and Maura believed it was possible the map showed the location of the gold.
    The thought of using Argyll’s map to find it left Maura a little breathless. With the French king’s treasure in her possession, she would be able to care for Rosie and herself without worries.
    Maura contained her excitement at the thought of escape and glanced up at the hills ’round her. They were tall, but not insurmountable. Even so, she knew her path would not be easy once she left Baird and the others at Fort William. She was familiar with the geography of the highlands, for she’d studied Lord Ilay’s conventional maps over the past two years, in case the chance to escape Ilay House ever presented itself.
    Now that a serious opportunity had come along, Maura concentrated on what she remembered of Fort William and its environs. The loch was just west of the garrison and ran north, curving to the west. If she kept the loch on her left as she hiked away from the town, she would soon find herself in the highlands and on her way to Rosie at Loch Camerochlan.
    But perhaps a slight detour to find the French riches would not be amiss. First, though, she had to get away from her escort.
    â€œI have no intention of marrying Baron Kildary,” Maura said to Bridget. “If only Captain Baird would take me back to Glasgow, I could write to my father and ask—”
    â€œYour father is set on this marriage, Lady Maura,” Bridget retorted sourly.
    Maura crossed her arms over her chest and turned a petulant glare toward the floor of the carriage, like a spoiled adolescent. ’Twas an intentional ruse that she’d used numerous times over the course of their journey. She hoped her escort and companion would think she was merely a foolish, incompetent child, and when she disappeared, they would backtrack and look for her on the road to Glasgow.
    It would garner her some much needed time to get ahead of Baird and lose herself in the mountains.
    Maura knew her plan to travel to Loch Camerochlan was an ambitious one, but she could do no less for her frail sister.