Wee William's Woman, Book Three of the Clan MacDougall Series Read Online Free PDF Page A

whispered.
    His chest tightened again for now he understood the reasons behind her trepidation.   She was afraid he’d leave her in the cellar.
    “I do so promise, lass.” He smiled warmly at her before carefully stepping back down the ladder.
    By the time Nora reached the bottom rung, her brow and upper lip were covered in sweat. Not from exertion, but from the undeniable fear that enveloped her.   Her throat was tight and had gone completely dry. She paused on the bottom rung and prayed Wee William wouldn’t over power her, race up the ladder and pull it away before she had a chance to react.
    After a time, she felt a large hand touch her waist. She took in a deep breath and waited, all the while her hands maintaining a death grip on the rung.
    “Lass,” Wee William whispered. “I promise I’ll no’ leave ye.”
    He would have sworn he could feel the fear emanate from her and hoped that she could hear the sincerity in his voice.
    Taking a deep breath, Nora finally took the last step off the ladder and let loose her grip. She rubbed her sweaty palms on her skirts and turned around to face Wee William.
    Above stairs, she had appeared small. But in the tight confines of the cellar Wee William could see that she was taller than most women. Even so, compared to Wee William, she was a wee thing. The top of her head barely reached his heart, which was at that very moment, pounding ferociously within his chest.
    Trembling still, she looked up and stared into his eyes. “I do not like it down here,” she whispered, as if her trembling hands and fear filled eyes weren’t evidence enough.
    “Then lets hurry and get Aishlinn’s things so we may get above stairs,” Wee William whispered as he offered her a reassuring smile.
    Nora gave a quick nod and spun on her heels. She wiggled her way into the small space behind the ladder and in a matter of moments, had removed the stone, withdrawn a sack, and returned to Wee William.
    She started to hand the sack to him, but thought better of it. Clutching it to her chest she eyed him suspiciously. He could not resist the smile that came to his lips. He could have taken that sack from her with very little effort.
    “Ye can go first lass,” he told her as he nodded toward the ladder.
    As if fearing he’d change his mind, Nora quickly raced up the ladder. Moments later when Wee William emerged from the cellar, he found her once again, against the wall, clutching the sack to her bosom.
    “I thank ye, Nora, and I’m certain Aishlinn would thank ye as well.”
    Nora gave a slight nod of her head to him. “I give ye my word, m’lord, that I’ll not tell anyone that Aishlinn lives.”
    Daniel and David chuckled at the title Nora had bestowed upon their friend. Wee William cast them a look of admonition before turning his attention back to Nora. “I be no laird, lass. Just a man.”
    He came to stand before her and Nora thrust out the hand holding the sack. Wee William took it, but continued to gaze at her face. Inwardly, he hoped that Horace and his brothers would make some grave error in judgment that would give good reason for Rowan to insure they’d not live to see the light of another day.
    Wee William’s mind was a whirlwind of jumbled thoughts and images of mayhap placing a kiss on the lips of the woman standing before him. He cleared his throat and tried to think of something intelligent to say.
    “Where will ye go now, lass?” he asked.
    “To retrieve my younger brother and sister from Firth.”
    Wee William’s brow furrowed at the mention of Firth. His good friend, Duncan McEwan had killed Desmond Walcott, the Seventh Earl of Perth last summer when the man had made the mistake of trying to rape Aishlinn -- a second time. Aye, ’twas good to know that man was dead, but who knew what kind of man had taken his place.
    “Firth?” Wee William asked with more than a hint of alarm in his voice.
    Nora looked puzzled by his alarmed tone. “Aye, Firth,” she answered.