Free Taming the Wild Highlander 04 by Terry Spear

brothers.
    " Angus was injured in a swordfight with some of Robert Curthose's men," Gunnolf said. "He couldna fight for a fortnight, but his injuries healed, and he has use of his sword arm again."
    She glanced at Angus 's arm, not having seen him favor it in the least. But now she worried he might be injured if he was unable to keep up with the other men.
    "' Tis properly healed," Angus said, giving Gunnolf an annoyed look.
    But she still worried. "Your brother, James, laid siege to Lockton Castle?"
    " James had some assistance. Once he and his men were shown the secret tunnel, they made their way inside."
    H er spirits lifted at once. "You can sneak them out. Good. Aye, you will need my da's men to assist you."
    " We canna just force our way inside," Niall said. "We have to learn if her brothers are even there."
    " Aye, 'tis true," Angus said.
    " How will you be able to do that with a group of men? They will surely realize you mean to wage war on them. Especially when they see my da's men, if they know which clan my brothers belong to. Or I suspect they might."
    " We will come up with a plan," Angus said, sounding as though he was attempting to appease a bairn and wished to end this discussion.
    She meant to speak not another word to them all the rest of the way back to the keep, though it would take them two days, but she couldn 't help herself. "What if my da doesna believe you? That my brothers are being held in Dunbarton's dungeon? What if he thinks you will cause trouble with a clan we havena had problems with before? What if he says no' only is he no' sending men, but he doesna wish you to visit Dunbarton's keep on my brothers' behalf either?"
    But worse, what if they had it all wrong and her brothers were not shackled at Lockton Castle?

Chapter 6
     
    As Angus and his companions crossed the glen, the foaming burn running through the center of it, they paused their horses to drink of the fresh water and fill their flasks. He felt unsure about what to do concerning Edana as she stretched her legs, bending over to add water to her flask. So surprised, he stared, mesmerized as he considered her lovely backside. It didn't matter that she was wearing a brat over her léine. Just the way she was bent over made him harden.
    Och. He quickly turned away, but caught Niall and Gunnolf watching her, all smiles. He frowned at them and once they saw his scowl, they busied themselves with filling their own flasks.
    The lass belonged at home, not with the men who were not family and when she had no female to accompany her.
    He glanced at the Scots pine towering nearby and the craggy peaks of mountains, spearing low-lying clouds , predicting they would soon have more rain.
    Shortly thereafter, they remounted their horses and continued on their way.
    The nagging thought kept pulling at his conscience. She could be right. That even if they convinced her father to allow them to take men with them, what if they couldn't persuade the current Laird of Lockton Castle to give up her brothers? What if the laird wouldn't admit to having the brothers incarcerated at his keep? Worse, what if they discovered her brothers were not even there?
    His mind made up, though he could not believe he 'd come to this decision, he hollered, "Hold!"
    Everyone stopped.
    "We go to see the Laird of Lockton."
    " We canna take her with us," Gunnolf said, frowning.
    " She will be my wife," Angus said.
    Her jaw dropped.
    "We will pretend you are my wife," Angus clarified. "We will ask for Highland hospitality and see if we can learn for certain that Edana's brothers are there. Once we learn the truth, we can take the news to Edana's father, and he can send men with us to convince the laird to release her brothers."
    " What if the lady herself ends up in the dungeon?" Niall protested.
    " We will endeavor to keep her safe," Angus said, not believing anyone would take such measures with the lass.
    " Sorry, Niall," Gunnolf said, already agreeing to the plan that could