Free The Highlander's Conquest by Eliza Knight Page A

marked out for their cave. The only intruders being the occasional rabbit, squirrel or deer. His mouth watered for a good meal. He was tempted to bring out his bow and arrows and catch them a hearty supper, but cooking the meat would require a fire and he’d already deemed one too dangerous to light .
    Over the past few weeks, a succulent meaty dish had been few and far between. He was growing rather tired of jerky, oatcakes, apples, dried bread, hunks of moldy cheese and whatever else he could forage in the forest. Once they reached Scotland, he would stop at the inn he patronized whenever he went to market. He trusted the owners and knew the beds would be clean and the food ample .
    Someone cleared his throat behind him and Blane whirled around, yanking his sword from its sheath and holding the blade at the man’s throat. Too late he noticed it was his own man. “Liam, ballocks, man, I almost killed you.”
    “Ye are tense, Sir Blane.” Liam pushed the blade away.
    Blane looked around nervously . The rule was not to speak since his men had yet to perfect their English accents. He sheathed his sword when he was satisfied they were alone.
    “The lass is fast asleep, buried in wool and dog.” Liam chuckled. “Ye should get some rest now yourself. I’ll wake ye when gloaming takes us.”
    Blane nodded. Sleep called to him. He would be no good to anyone if he continued on this path toward exhaustion. Moments ago he’d nearly taken his friend’s head off. C obwebs marred his thinking and his vision seemed a little blurred.
    “I have seen nothing come to pass this way,” he relayed. “While I sleep, make sure that no fires are lit. So far it appears we have entered here unnoticed and I want it to remain that way.”
    “I will see it done,” Liam said.
    The man scanned the forest then picked his way along his own imaginary path. Satisfied they were in capable hands, Blane headed toward the cave. With each step forward, sleep beckoned, drawing him closer. As he entered the cave, Frosty lifted his head and growled until he saw that it was Blane. Recognition dawning, his tail thumped on the floor, but he did not leave his spot beside his mistress. The other men were already settled in and sleeping. Blane tried not to look at Aliah, but his eyes disobeyed him.
    She lay curled up on her side, some of her hair , loose from her plait , form ing waves around the creamy skin of her face. Her lips were parted slightly, and when he listened intently , he could hear the faint sound of her breathing. Her lashes fluttered and he wondered what she might be dreaming of. His kisses?
    Blane wrenched his gaze away. No more thoughts of kissing. She would never be his and he’d best get used to it. No doubt when they reached Scotland, Arbella would have located her father and the man would come to collect his youngest daughter. Blane did not want to be caught in the middle of that. The Englishman would be in a murderous rage if he lost two daughters to Scotsmen. Especially with the state of their two countries. A future with Aliah was impossible.
    Blane’s older brother and laird, Magnus, was lucky to have made it safely through his first battle alongside William Wallace when they took Stirling. During Blane’s brief visit home after traveling to the fleece market and then agreeing to return to England to retrieve Lady Aliah, he’d come to learn much of the goings on between the two countries and his brothers’ involvement. Even Ronan, his younger brother by a few years, had been invited to fight alongside William Wallace , and last he’d heard , was thinking of accepting. When Blane arrived at Dunrobin, would Ronan have already left? He hoped not.
    Ronan was a true leader, an excellent warrior and very level headed. He was a lot like Magnus in that respect and Blane had no doubt his brother would make a great impression with Wallace and forge ahead with the war for Scottish Freedom.
    Blane dropped to a free blanket, rolling