Highlander's Beautiful Liar A Scottish Medieval Highlander Romance Historical Novel - Adamina Young Page 0,10
was only able to eat a few bites. Any more, and she knew that she’d be sick. It would take some time for her body to heal, but it was a good start.
Fear from her nightmares lingered. The horrid dreams had haunted her for most of the night, but she was free from the prison, and as long as she did not have to go back, she would be all right. Deep down, she knew that.
Alec Sinclair. She watched from the window as he trained his men. Tall and rugged, he was everything that she’d expected a highlander to be. Like Seth and Innes, he was a terrifying man to look at, but unlike them, she couldn’t stop looking.
She liked the way that his sculpted muscles rippled when he moved. He was impressive in a fight, and she couldn’t help the stirring in her body when she watched him.
God help her, she was attracted to the man. It was a dangerous notion considering that he could very well be just like Seth and Innes. Just because he’d freed her didn’t mean she should trust him. If he discovered who she was and what her father had wanted, he could kill her.
Or marry her.
Frankly, neither idea sat well with her. So she’d keep her secrets and search for a way out. If she could, she’d leave all of this behind and flee to London. The Thistles would continue to care for her. She knew it in her heart they’d never abandon her.
As the men left the fields and trickled back to their homes, she walked back over to the bed and stretched out. The pain in her ribs still hurt her something fierce, and the bruises were turning a bright purple, but even the few bites of the hearty breakfast was enough to fuel her. She wanted desperately to walk around, but she knew that the guard at the door would never allow it.
Cora didn’t know how much time passed before there was a knock at the door. Assuming it was the guard with dinner, she straightened herself. “Enter.”
When the door opened, it wasn’t the guard but Alec himself carrying a tray of food. Her eyes flew open in alarm, and she fought the urge to climb back to the corner of the bed.
“Claire,” he said softly. She blinked in confusion until she remembered the fake name that she’d given him. “How are ye feeling?”
Licking her lips, she watched as he set the tray on the edge of the bed and gently smiled at her. “Better, thank you,” she managed to say.
“I know that the healer wasn’t able to examine ye. If ye’d like her to come back, I’d be happy to call her.”
“No,” she said quickly. “I thank you, but that will not be necessary.” She couldn’t let him know of her ribs or bruises. Who knew what Innes would do?
The man looked obviously frustrated. “Claire, I know that Seth and Innes visited you in the prisons.”
“They wanted a confession,” she said quickly. “And I refused to give it. I’ve done nothing wrong, and I’d appreciate it if you could give me an escort back to London. I promise that you’ll never see me again.”
He regarded her closely, and she could tell he didn’t believe her. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he said finally. “I want ye to know that you can trust me. Whatever crimes that ye’ve committed, ye can tell me. I’m sure ye’ve already been punished enough.”
“Then let me go.”
Alec shook his head. “I can’t do that, my sweet. I know that there is no way Seth and Innes visited ye in prison just to talk. If ye don’t trust me enough to tell me the truth, then I cannot trust ye enough to let ye go.”
Alarmed, she gasped. “So you mean to keep me trapped in this room? Trading one prison for another?”
“Nay. If ye won’t admit to any pain, then in a few days ye’ll be moved to the servants’ quarters. Ye’ll have a job here, and ye’ll be treated well, but ye’ll naught be free to leave until ye can be honest with me. Starting with yer name.”
Cora narrowed her eyes. The man was too bloody smart for his own good. “I told you my name.”
“And if ye think that I believe it, ye’ll have quite a bit to learn about me. Eat yer dinner. If yer well enough, I’ll order a bath for ye.”