Free The Maclean Groom by Kathleen Harrington Page A

brilliant yarn. Her smile spread into an irrepressible grin.
    â€œTell me what happened.”
    â€œWell, now,” she said, “shortly after Lady Anne died, Lord Philip and Lady Clarissa came to take Joanna back to London with them. Clarissa was Lady Anne’s younger sister. As far as the Blithfields were concerned, Allonby Castle was the farthest outpost of civilization, and they couldn’t wait to shake its dust from their fancy shoes. But before they could pack Joanna up and hustle her off to their manor in Surrey, an army of Scotsmen appeared at the gate. Their leader demanded they turn the heiress over to him or he’d storm the fortress and slay every living soul. Rather than risk losing their own lives, those two cowardly Sassenachs agreed to hand her over, with not so much as a sword being drawn or a hackbut discharged.”
    Rory scowled, scarcely able to believe the tale. “Her own relatives relinquished Joanna without a fight?”
    â€œHumph,” Maude said, as she made a distasteful face. “You must remember, laird, the English aren’t known for their honor. Nor their courage, either.”
    That much he knew to be true. “Was she held for ransom?”
    Maude chuckled and shook her head. “The Scots’ leader was none other than the lassie’s grandpa, old Somerled Macdonald. The Blithfields had never seen him, and when he identified himself as the Red Wolf of Glencoe, the two imbeciles still didn’t realize who he was. They simply had the portcullis raised and shoved the wee lassie outside.”
    â€œNo one in the castle tried to stop them?”
    â€œOh, the officer of the guard tried to reason with theBlithfields. Captain Pechell told the lass he and every last one of his men were willing to give their lives defending her. But when Joanna heard that the armed force outside the walls was too large to repel, she insisted on sacrificing herself to save the others.”
    Rory leaned forward in astonishment. “Didn’t she know who the Scots leader was?”
    Maude shook her head. “Not till she stepped outside the gate. No one had bothered to tell her ’twas the Red Wolf. Then Somerled opened his arms and called her by name, and Joanna ran to him. He said he’d come to take her home to Scotland.”
    â€œWhy hadn’t he told the Blithfields who he was in the first place, instead of threatening the castle?”
    â€œBecause Somerled knew they’d never give her up unless they feared for their own lives. ’Tis a fortune she’s worth, as you very well know, milord. The last thing they wanted was to let the golden goose slip through their fingers. But their terror of the Scots was greater than their greed.”
    Maude’s emphasis on the maid’s fortune made Rory realize exactly how the loyal nursemaid viewed him. In her eyes, he was just another avaricious person who coveted the girl for the wealth and lands she represented.
    Dammit, he had tried to throw the proposed alliance back in the king’s teeth, but he wasn’t going to admit that to Maude now. She’d never believe him, anyway.
    â€œIf what you say is true,” he stated skeptically, “Lady Joanna showed uncommon valor.”
    Maude lifted her brows at the inference she’d been lying. “Faith, ’tis true, right enough. The lass has more pluck than most men. But then, she is a Macdonald.”
    His eyes thoughtful, the laird rose to his feet. “That’s all for now. You may go.”
    She dipped a curtsy and left The MacLean to his quiet contemplation, with the hope that her words would soften his wrath when he discovered just who his impetuous bride-to-be really was.

Chapter 4
    R ory paced the sloping embankment, counting his steps aloud as he went. Just as he’d expected, Joanna came hurrying over.
    â€œWhat are you doing, laird?” she asked with a quizzical smile. Her violet-blue eyes were wide with