Free Journey to the Highlands: Robbie and Caralyn (Clan Grant Series Book 4) by Keira Montclair Page A

slammed the door. “And don’t leave this chamber!” he bellowed as he ran down the staircase.
    Caralyn threw herself back on the bed. “Nay, nay, nay! My lassies. Please, nay. I have to see them.” Sobs wrenched from her gut. How she hoped Robbie had heard her plea. Would he help her? Could he? She couldn’t bear to be separated from her girls.
    Why had this happened to her? She had finally convinced Malcolm to let them live alone in the cottage, with open visitations, of course, but now everything was ruined. Aye, he had left guards while he was away, and she had still been forced to do things she didn’t want to do, but at least her daughters had been at her side. Just when she’d thought her life couldn’t get any worse, Malcolm had found a new way to torture her.
    Why had the Norse come along and ruined her life?
    ***
    Two nights later, Caralyn rested on her side on the bed. Malcolm had just left after taking her body. She hated sex with him but she knew she had no choice. He owned her. He had her daughters. She had only seen them once since they left the priory. Ashlyn and Gracie’s faces had told her everything; they were unhappy. Ashlyn had told her the place they were being kept was dirty, but they were unhurt.
    Gracie had just stared at her with the same haunted look in her eyes, the look Caralyn had hoped to banish from the wee lass’s gaze forever. She failed her daughters again. Now, she would do whatever Malcolm wanted just so she could see them again.
    A slight rustling outside the window caught her attention. She lifted her head, listening, trying to determine the source of the low scratching. Pushing her covers back, she sat up and hung her legs over the side of the bed, shuffling her feet around to find her shoes. Tiptoeing over to the window, she tugged the fur back far enough to peek over the ledge.
    A man had scaled her wall, using a rope secured on the rooftop apparently. For some reason, she didn’t scream. Peering at the top of his head, she recognized the light brown hair, the broad shoulders, the strong hands. He paused for a moment, as if he could sense her presence at the window. Grasping the rope with one hand, he lifted his gaze to hers, and brought a finger to his lips, urging her to keep silent. Robbie Grant. She noticed his friend at the base of the rope.
    Her heart soared at the sight of him. How she wished Robbie Grant could be by her side for the rest of her life. He would make the best father in the world. As his hand reached for the ledge, she pulled the fur back allowing him entrance to her chamber.
    He stepped on the sill and brought himself up to full height, breaking out in a smile that showed his glorious white teeth. Winking at her, he hopped down next to her. “Greetings, lass.”
    “Robbie Grant, you must be daft. If Malcolm finds you here, he’ll kill you.”
    Robbie winked at her. “Och, lass, do you really think Malcolm could do much damage to me on his own? He is naught without his big louts.”
    She couldn’t help but smile. “I didn’t think you would come.”
    His hand cupped her chin, his thumb caressing the line of her jaw for a brief moment. “Did you not ask me to help you? Do you think I could walk away from a lass in need? Och, I am a Grant warrior, love. I could never leave you in the hands of that monster.”
    Robbie bent down and brushed her lips with his, a tentative kiss, but one that made her want more. She parted her lips for him and he tasted her with his tongue, a sweet caress that caused her to lose her senses and lean into his embrace.
    When he finished the kiss, she sighed in satisfaction, hoping there would be more kisses from this man who had stolen her heart. A mischievous grin crossed his features, melting her heart a bit more.
    The expression on his face switched from winsome to serious in the matter of a few seconds. “Lass, we need to talk. Please tell me what goes on here. Is Malcolm your true husband?”
    Caralyn’s gaze