Free Broken Highlander's Blood Oath by Missy Strom Page A

me a bit, but—”
    Analise nodded and loosened her hold on him, until she could sit in the circle of his arms and speak to Shancy also.
    “My stepbrother Armand g-gave her to Red Kife one night. H-He bade Kife to rape her. I didn't know until the morning that it had happened. She was so scared.” Analise paused and took a deep breath. “Later in the dark of the night Armand had her taken to Saint Angelicas, while he kept me locked in the cellar, so I couldn't see her go. But I heard him saying if she didn't lose her inheritance to him because of the bastard babe she now carried, Red Kife could go to the convent and kill her. And then, Armand laughed, saying, ‘accidents happen to bitches carrying bastard’s all the time.’”
    “Och, lass,” Donan murmured, as Shancy shook his head.
    “The bloody bastard!” Shancy cursed as he furiously tossed a twig into the fire.
    Donan took Analise’s chin and turned her face to look at him. “She is the eldest then?”
    “By two years, Donan.”
    “You don't have to answer if it’s too much, lass, but what was he going to do with you? Would you not inherit after her?” he asked.
    “I don't know,” she whispered. “We were all from the Ethigilo, so daughters inherit the same as sons. I never thought of it.”
    “The Ethigilo?” Shancy asked. “It that not a Saxon faith?”
    “Oh!” Analise gasped, holding her small fingers to her lips. “I wasn't supposed to say—”
    “It’s all right, imp,” Donan said quickly. “You’ll not find Shancy or me with any problems toward that old and noble house.” Turning his head, Donan glared at his brother, saying tightly, “Will we now, Shancy?”
    “Of course not, you bloody old goat,” Shancy muttered. “I was just curious over the ... umm, the history, I was.” Shancy stood suddenly. He was straight and tall with his long legs braced and the golden streaks of his tawny hair catching sparks of light from the fire. “And I’m going to get her now . Just see if I don’t!”
    “Whoa,” Donan began at the quick change, just as Analise squealed happily.
    “Cheval! Oh, Shancy, you're going to get, Cheval!”
    “I certainly am—” Shancy began.
    “ Now just a minute,” Donan nearly shouted, interrupting him, but he was waylaid by Shancy’s louder interruption.
    “We have no choice, brother, and you know it! We cannot leave your lass’ sister—”
    “She’s not my lass!” Donan exploded.
    “I am to,” Analise quipped.
    “Then, Glenncannon, why are ye holding her so tight?” Shancy asked with an aggravated shout.
    Donan instantly let Analise go and tried to scoot backward away from her a bit with his arms, however his little imp was having none of it because she grabbed him about the neck, until he drug her along too.
    “See!” Shancy said, shaking a snooty finger at him.
    “I will not argue the point,” Donan huffed. “But I will be arguing about you going after Cheval alone!”
    Shancy’s brown eyes glared at him in a snit. “And there’s no time for anything else. I can bloody well take care of myself and one wee lass in the time it will take to get from Saint Angelica’s to Saint Helen’s.” Shancy paused and ground his teeth. “It cannot be more than a day's ride between them.”
    Donan opened his mouth to argue, and then he shut it. It wasn't that he didn't have plenty of good arguments to bolster his argument. He even knew he had enough to change Shancy’s mind and if that failed as the Glenncannon and Shancy’s laird, he could just order him not to do it.
    The problem was that his brother was right and he couldn't hold him back from doing what was right just because it was dangerous. That and his own need, not to be left alone with Analise, were not enough to wage against an innocent lass’ plight.
    “One day,” Donan growled. “I’ll send every man I have after you before the sun is down tomorrow eve!”
    “Well, I would expect no less of you," Shancy said with a devilish