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

“Horace sent my brother and sister there the day after we married.” Her good eye filled with sadness and her face fell. It was plainly evident that the memory was not a pleasant one.
    Wee William’s eye began to twitch. The more he learned of Horace, the more his hatred toward the man intensified. Horace was fond of sending innocent people to Firth. He’d sent his own stepsister, Aishlinn, there with no regard whatsoever to her safety.  
    “John is two and ten, and Elise is only six. I’ve not seen them in months.” She choked slightly on the tears that threatened.
    “I do not know how they fair, William, but I made them a promise that someday, somehow I’d take them away from there.”
    Nora took a step forward and placed her hand on Wee William’s arm. “I thank you, William, for making me a widow this night.” Her lips curved into a warm smile. “Now I can keep that promise!”
    The thought of being a widow and retrieving her brother and sister seemed to energize her. She grabbed her cloak from the peg by the door and draped it over her shoulders, then grabbed her bundle of belongings from the bed.
    “I will be forever in your debt, William.” Craning around Wee William, she cast a wide smile to Daniel and David. “And to you as well!”
    She turned back to Wee William. “Please, extend my thanks and gratitude to your other men as well, William. You and your men were the answers to many prayers and I will never forget any of you!”
    Wee William stood dumbfounded before her. She meant to leave, on her own, to retrieve her brother and sister from Firth. ’Twas more evidence that she wasn’t of sound mind. How did she intend to go about getting them out of the castle? Did she have any weapons, or plans, or help from someone?
    “How do ye intend to get them out of Firth, lass?” Wee William asked as his mind searched for a way to delay her leaving.
    “’Tis late and I’m sure all are abed. I’ve been in the castle several times and I know where they sleep. I’ll just quietly creep in and take them.”
    It took a good amount of energy to suppress the urge to laugh at her naiveté. His men however, didn’t possess the same restraint. They snorted at Nora’s plan. She craned her head around to glare at their rude behavior. It was quite apparent that they weren’t impressed with her plan. Nor were they moved by her icy glare of reproach.
    Nora added a curt huff before looking back to Wee William. “My thanks to each of you,” she said before turning around and opening the door. A gust of virulent wind thrashed into the room. Nora ignored it, lifted up the hood of her cloak and began to step out into the dark winter’s night.
    “Wait!” Wee William said as he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back. He was looking at her feet. “Ye have no shoes, lass!”
    She cast him a look that said she thought him dimwitted. “Aye, I know I’ve no shoes, William.”
    It was Wee William’s turn to look at her as if she were daft.
    “Horace hid them the last time I ran away. But I care not about my own comfort. I have to hurry to Firth, straight away. Now please, will you kindly remove your hand from my person?”
    What was it about the English no’ allowin’ their women shoes? Wee William wondered silently. He thought back to when Aishlinn had first arrived at Gregor, wearing a tunic and trews meant for a man and no shoes.
    There was no doubt as to Nora’s sincerity or her intentions. Even if they were a bit naive and ill planned.
    “Lass, we canna let ye go with no shoes. And we canna let ye go retrieve yer family with out so much as a sgian dubh !”
    Nora blinked and cocked her head to one side. “What is a-a-” she tried to pronounce the word but fell quite short of it. “Whatever that is you said.”
    “A sgian dubh. A dirk or a knife,” he explained. “Ye’ve no weapons and no shoes. In case ye haven’t noticed, it be winter. Ye’ll freeze to death before ye even make it to the