Free Highland Song by Christine Young

surprise Bertram if Slade had her several times before he made it here. He could live with that. He'd had her first.
     
    "What do you want me to do, General?" The man had backed himself toward the door as if he were ready to bolt.
     
    "Go back to Jericho and tell him he'd better find Slade and the girl. I want her here."
     
    "But sir, Lainie MacPherson has a bounty on her head. She will go to the prison." The soldier's hand found the door handle.
     
    Bertram's arms flew in the air, "Bring her here."
     
    "But sir--"
     
    "Go on. Go before I have you put in the prison."
     
    The man saluted then fled the room.
     
    Bertram sunk into a chair, wiping his brow. Sweat beaded around his lips and slid down his chin to his neck.
     
    The door opened slowly, a girl of about sixteen slipped into the room.
     
    "You sent for me?" she asked.
     
    Bertram looked up. He didn't smile but he patted his heavy thighs and motioned for the girl to sit there.
     
    She looked to the door as if she wanted to run. Bertram's smile grew even wider.
     
    "Come here, he beckoned with one hand . " I won't hurt you."
     
    He watched her swallow hard and waited.
     
    She moved forward but her steps were small and hesitant.
     
    Good, she is afraid. This is much better than the last Scottish lass. Perhaps tonight he would be able to relieve the horrible burning ache that had possessed him for too long. Her fear was good. Terror reminded him of the MacPherson lass. Aye terror was good.
     
    He licked his lips and drank long and deep of the sweet red wine that he'd poured.
     
    "What's your name?" he asked.
     
    "Lainie," she told him.
     
    His grin widened even farther. His staff had schooled her well. He closed his eyes letting his mind see the real Lainie MacPherson. When he opened his eyes, he tried to imagine Lainie. The girl stood in front of him.
     
    He took her hand and pulled her to sit on him. His finger wound around her waist. He heard her whimper. He grew hard and the burning, pulsing heat swept inside him.
     
    "Lainie, Lainie, touch me," he purred. He didn't wait for her to touch him. He ripped her dress in half down the front. She cried out and tears slid down her cheeks.
     
    "Lainie," he cooed. But the girl was not Lainie MacPherson. He grew soft but the burning need did not vanish.
     
    He let out a wild cry. "Lainie!"
     

Chapter Four
     
     
    "Bertram takes what he wants with no regard to anyone else," Lainie said, her voice humming with fury. "He found me alone and--" she stopped, catching her lower lip between her teeth. "If you think to take me anywhere near that pig, you’ll have the biggest fight on your hands you’ve ever seen."
     
    Slade looked away from Lainie’s flashing eyes and pale lips, feeling something close to shame for pushing her so hard. Then he cursed himself for feeling anything at all for the little spy who had done her best to get him killed while she ran to safety.
     
    "When did you meet him?" Slade asked roughly, needing answers to the questions that hung between them.
     
    She looked at him as if she knew he would keep badgering her until she told him everything. "At MacPherson castle."
     
    "That must have been awkward," Slade said dryly, challenging Lainie to tell him all her secrets. "Is that why they kicked you out?"
     
    “That was cruel.”
     
    “But is it the truth?” he asked bluntly.
     
    "Bertram and his men were searching for Callie Whitcomb. They came to the castle to take her back to England."  
 
    "Go on."
     
    Though Slade wasn’t looking at Lainie any longer, he was truly interested for the first time. She inhaled a slow discreet breath and kept talking.
     
    "Callie believed my brother Hawke was a friend of her father’s, and she came to the castle seeking refuge from her half-brother. She was wrong. My brother loathed David Whitcomb. When he was a boy, he vowed vengeance against the family," Lainie said. "I think the only person he hated as much or even more was the man Callie