Free Highland Captive by Hannah Howell

twa years back naming Rory as his heir. That could make my father
all the firmer in his decision.”
    “God,
a promise to a dear friend now dead. They are the hardest to change. Does Aimil
favor Rory?” Parlan asked.
    “Nay,
she says she doesnae even like him. T’was why I meant to speak to my father.
The way things stand between Aimil and my father, however, it could make him
push all the harder for the marriage.” Leith spoke with weariness weighting his
voice for he did not have the strength to wrestle with such problems.
    “Why?
What did the girl do to turn Lachlan against her?”
    “She
grew up. Aye, ye may weel look puzzled but there isnae any other explanation.
She was his favorite. He took the pair of us everywhere. Then, one night she
wore a new gown that revealed her budding woman’s figure and he has turned a
cold side to her ever since. None of us kens why, and my father offers no
answers.”
    “There
must be a way,” Parlan growled as he started toward the door.
    “Weel,
I will be verra glad to hear of it if ye find it.”
    “If
there isnae another way, I will wed the cursed wench myself,” he snapped, and
left abruptly, leaving Leith staring after him in stunned surprise.

Chapter Five
    Lagan
entered Parlan’s chambers after a terse “Enter” had answered his knock. He shut
the door and looked at the bed with raised brows for Aimil still slept there.
It was rare that a woman was in Parlan’s bed come the morning. Parlan would
take his fill of the woman and then sleep alone. It was a habit Lagan could not
recall the man breaking before without having had too much drink. Lagan leaned
against the bed post and eyed Parlan who was shaving.
    “Shouldnae
ye at least give the poor lass a pillow for her head?”
    Drying
off his face, Parlan strode to the side of the bed. “I have put her head on a
pillow three times, but she moves off it.”
    “Strange
she didnae wake when ye did so.”
    “I
think the bed could collapse about her and she would sleep through it. I even
put her shirt on after I awoke and she never even blinked.”
    “Sure
she still lives?” Lagan teased.
    Parlan
grinned. “Aye, though I did wonder at first. Never seen a person sleep so
sound. Only able to rouse her once during the night”—he ignored Lagan’s
mockingly sympathetic noise—“and she was certainly with me in body but, after
she fell asleep again so quickly and so deeply, I began to think she never
really woke up. I will be curious to see if she remembers the incident.”
    “Ye
dinnae think something ails her, do ye?”
    “I
never thought on that. I will ask her brother,” Parlan said even as he strode
from the room.
    While
he was gone, Lagan studied the girl. She was flat on her back with her legs and
arms flung out. Her long fingers were lightly curled toward her upturned palms
in a soft childlike gesture. Nearly obscured by her mass of hair which seemed
to fill each empty space on the bed, her face was turned sideways. Lagan had
reached the decision that she really was quite lovely when Parlan returned.
    “When
he could stop laughing, Leith said she does this when she has overworked
herself.”
    “Ah.
Weel, she certainly had a busy day yesterday. I have never seen a woman sleep
in such a position.”
    “Nay?”
Parlan frowned in thought. “I have never noticed.”
    “Ye
need to sleep with them to notice how they sleep,” Lagan drawled. “Once ye are
done ye send them on their way.”
    Not
really sure why he had not done the same with Aimil, Parlan made no comment. “Weel?
What is odd about the way she sleeps?”
    “Aside
from the fact that she looks as if she was dealt a sound blow to the jaw? Women
tend to sleep on their sides, curled up a wee bit.”
    Shrugging,
Parlan began to dress, murmuring, “She is betrothed.”
    “I
am little surprised by that news. Are ye saying there will be an enraged fiancé
coming to face you?”
    “Nay,
I doubt this man will come to face me though I would sore like