Free Highland Hellion (Blades of Honor #1) by B.J. Scott Page A

Not to mention, she is a very headstrong lass and doesna like to be told what she can and canna do. I tried to get her to stay here with her mother, but she wouldna listen and vowed to follow. In the end, I thought it was better to take her along.” He lowered his gaze. “Or so I thought.”
    “You must have known there was a risk of getting caught. Regardless of your reason, thievery is punishable by death,” Connor pointed out.
    Garrett raked his fingers through his hair. “I am fully aware of that, but when your people are starving, and you have no other options, you sometimes do things that dinna make sense or are considered unacceptable. We canna farm in soil filled with rocks and the Campbell forbids us to hunt, claiming all game and fish as his own. What else were we to do?”
    “If what you say is true, why would you stay here? You could have moved,” Connor replied.
    “This is our home. The MacDougalls have lived in this part of Scotland for centuries.”
    “Your kinsmen gave up the right to your homelands when you chose to fight with Longshanks,” Bryce growled. “Your clan butchered Scottish men, women, and bairns in their support of the English Crown. I was at Methven where they slaughtered thousands of Scotsmen as they slept, then waited at Dalrigh to finish off the Scottish patriots who managed to get away. I faced Dungal on the shore of Loch Ryan after his men ambushed the Bruce’s brothers. There, he cut me down and left me for dead, along with fifty other Scots. My wife, Fallon, was kidnapped and held hostage by your uncle. He was perhaps the worst scoundrel your clan ever spawned.” Bryce lunged forward, grabbing Garrett by the neck of his tunic, but Alasdair separated them.
    “This isna the time or place to settle old scores,” Alasdair said as he held Bryce at bay.
    Bryce fought against his brother’s hold, but was no match for Alasdair’s strength. “Let me go. You dinna believe what she is saying do you? We have no sister and while I dinna know what this woman hopes to gain by this ruse, it isna going to work.”
    Scotia shook her fist at Bryce. “Believe what you wish, but I speak the truth. Arya is from your father’s loins and is your half-sister, whether you like it or not. It isna fair to condemn her for sins she dinna commit. It was a horrible time for all of Scotland, but the war is over. What you chose to do with the information is up to you.”
    “I understand you are upset, Scotia, but you must realize this comes as quite a shock,” Connor said. “You canna blame Bryce for being skeptical, and even hateful, given the history we’ve had with the Clan MacDougall. But if what you say is true, what do you expect us to do?”
    “I sent word to you before Arya accompanied the men on the raid,” Scotia replied. “It was my hope you would take her to live with you in Beauly. She is very much a free spirit in need of taming. I am afraid, my husband was much too lenient with the lass. She was our only bairn and Ronald adored her. Unfortunately, he taught her many things a father normally teaches a lad to do.”
    “It doesna hurt for a lass to know how to take care of herself,” Connor said.
    “But not to the extent where she has no idea how to act like a proper young lady. And what Garrett says is true. My daughter doesna take orders well. She is stuborn and determined to do things for herself.”
    “Sounds a lot like someone else I know,” Alasdair remarked, then elbowed Bryce in the ribs and snickered.
    “Very funny,” Bryce grumbled. “But that still doesna make her our sister.”
    “Now that I’ve met all of you, I think Arya has a little of each of your traits. I’ll not lie to you, she is a handful,” Scotia said, smiling. “My question is, can you save her from the Campbell, then take her home with you and turn her into a lady your father would be proud to call his daughter? It is my dying wish.”
    “We dinna need their help,” Garrett announced. “Arya