Free Black Raven's Lady: Highland Lairds Trilogy by Kathleen Harrington Page A

take charge of the prisoners?” Tam asked, a look of expectation on his comely face.
    “We’re only taking Macdonald and MacMurchaidh back to Edinburgh, plus any rebel chieftains we might find there. The rest we’ll leave at the castle. We’ll divide the felons among us.” Keir turned to Fearchar. “We’ll separate Donald Dubh from The MacMurchaidh. I’m going to entrust Macdonald to you.”
    Fearchar smoothed his fingers down his thick beard and grinned. He readjusted the band that held his eye patch and chortled with anticipation. “Forbye, ’twill be a pleasure to clap that pawky bastard usurper in chains and toss him in the Dragon ’s hold.”
    “What about Lady Raine?” Colin blurted out as clear and precise as a town crier proclaiming the news. The handsome redhead only stuttered and stammered around the beautiful ladies. That hadn’t stopped him from gaining a reputation in the boudoir last summer. Thanks to his married Sassenach mistress, his prodigious stamina had been the talk of Edinburgh.
    “Lady Raine’s safety is my responsibility,” Keir informed him in clear and precise words of his own.
    Colin stiffened visibly, and Walter put a warning hand on his son’s shoulder. “Aye, ’tis true enough,” the elder MacRath agreed. “But as you know, we’re all fond of the lassie. We would nay want to think of her caught in the midst of a siege bombardment.”
    “She won’t be,” Keir told them curtly. “Several days before we enter the harbor, I’ll send Lady Raine ashore to the tiny village of Sanndabhaig with three able seamen to protect her. There’s no chance she’ll be caught in the fighting.”
    “What’s at Sanndabhaig?” Tam asked with a baffled frown.
    “Nothing but a few fishermen’s huts,” Keir replied. “She’ll be perfectly safe. We can pick her up on the way back to the Minch.”
    “With your permission, sir,” Colin persisted stubbornly, “Lady Raine has asked to return with me to the Sea Hawk this afternoon.”
    “Permission denied,” Keir snapped.
    Beneath his freckles, Colin’s face grew white. He clearly struggled to control his redheaded temper. Like all Highlanders, he had a deep streak of independence and wouldn’t tolerate being treated with contempt.
    Fearchar met Keir’s angry gaze, and the amusement lighting the giant’s battle-scarred features brought Keir back from the brink. He glanced across the table at Walter, whose good-natured grin revealed the seasoned warrior’s chipped front tooth. The humiliating awareness that every man at the table now suspected the secret that Keir had kept hidden for the last two years—even from himself—brought him to his feet.
    “After the castle falls,” he said, “we sail for Skye. Dismissed.”
    R AINE STOOD AT the larboard rail and watched the two longboats pull away from the Raven. She’d had only a short time to say good-bye to her friends before they disappeared over the side. And only a few brief minutes to speak with Colin alone. When he’d offered his apologies, she hadn’t been the least surprised that Keir had refused permission for her to return to the Sea Hawk. She tried to hide her disappointment. She was fully aware that Keir stood on the quarterdeck above, watching them.
    “Here,” she said with a halfhearted smile as she handed Colin a faery arrow. “Take this with you. Long ago, tiny arrowheads such as this were used on mortals. The person struck was taken to the dwelling place of the faeries. But now the elf-bolt will shield you from misfortune.”
    Colin held the tiny piece of chipped flint on his large calloused palm for a moment, then closed his long fingers over it. He looked up from her offering to meet her gaze. His deep blue eyes shone with quiet understanding. “I—I appreciate y-your concern, L-lady Raine,” he’d told her. Then he’d turned to make his way over the side of the Raven .
    Now Raine clutched the railing, watching as the two longboats reached their