Free My Wild Highlander by Vonda Sinclair Page B

Not only a wife, but a whole clan. 'Tis something new
to me." He pressed a fist against his aching stomach. "A wife,
God's bones. What the devil will I do with a wife?"
    "I wager you'll think of something." Rebbie
grinned.
    ***
    "My lady." A knock sounded at the cabin door.
"I have food so you may break your fast."
    Lying on the top berth, Angelique groaned,
nausea roiling inside her so intensely she couldn't lift her head.
With the swaying of the ship, everything spun around. She had
already vomited several times and had nothing left in her
stomach.
    "Non. I do not want it," she called,
hoping the crewman heard her through the door.
    "My lady, you must be hungry."
    "Non!" Damn you, go away.
    The normal wood-against-wood creaking of the
ship filled the silence. Thank the heavens he'd left. She drifted
to sleep. What seemed only minutes later, something thundered
against the door. She sat bolt upright, a pain shot through her
head and her stomach rebelled at the sudden movement.
    "My lady," a male voice called outside the
door. "'Tis your husband. He's injured and bleedin' severely."
    Cold prickles showered over her. "What?
Lachlan?"
    "Aye, he asks for you."
    Mère de Dieu , protect him. She
slid from the top berth, down in front of Camille.
    "Qu'est que c'est?" she asked.
    "Lachlan is injured." In her mind, Angelique
only saw his smiling eyes. She missed his warm protectiveness.
Holding to the table, then the chair, she made her way to the
door.
    She unlocked the portal and opened it. A
brawny bald man waited outside. His gray eyes bore a hole through
her and his expression was odd…leering for a moment, then blank.
Had he never seen a woman before?
    "Where is Lachlan?" she asked.
    "In the galley. We were eating midday meal
when a fight broke out and he was cut on the arm. He's lost a lot
of blood."
    " Sacrebleu. He's a free-bleeder. Take
me to him."
    She clasped the smelly man's elbow and
allowed him to escort her from the stern and along the deck. The
strong, chill wind pierced her clothing with icy needles. She
wanted to run, but her skirts clung fast to her legs, hampering her
movements. Shivering, she realized she had forgotten her cloak.
Surely they would be below deck in a moment and away from the
wind.
    She had to see Lachlan. Why did she care? I do not know; I just do . He'd protected her and now she
must do the same for him. "I hope he does not lose too much
blood."
    The man grunted and quickened his pace.
    The ship tossed and she near lost her footing
on the wet decking. Her stomach ached, a new bout of nausea
rising.
    No, go away. I cannot be sick now! She
pressed a hand to her throat. The gag doubled her over and she
could not stop it. Retching, she fell to her knees.
    "Come!" The man jerked at her arm, dragging
her up. "We got to hurry."
    A pain shot through her shoulder. What the
devil was he doing?
    " Non ." He yanked her into his arms and
tossed her over his shoulder, panic clawing through her. " Mère
de Dieu !" She screamed.
    Running footsteps approached. "You, there!
Unhand her!"
    "Whoreson bastard!" someone else shouted.
More running.
    Upside down, she could see little. The
blackguard's shoulder drove into her aching stomach. Someone else
grabbed her upper body and a tug of war ensued. She kicked. The
bald man released her and fled.
    "Catch him!" Was that Lachlan's voice? It
sounded too harsh. "Angelique?" Someone lifted her high into his
arms. "What the devil happened?"
    "Lachlan?" Head spinning, she looked into his
eyes.
    "Aye."
    "Are you bleeding? How is your arm?"
    "What? Nay, I'm not bleeding. Is that what he
told you?"
    " Oui . That you had lost a lot of
blood. And you wished to see me. You are a free-bleeder."
    "Och. I'm not injured." Lachlan turned with
her and everything whirled around. She slammed her eyes shut
against the illness. "Is he one of your crew, Captain?" Lachlan
asked.
    "No. Never seen him afore," a deep, rough
voice said.
    Yelling and curses sounded from several yards
away. She