Page 5 of A Virgin for the Highland Beast
“Gotcha.”
“Let me go,” Isobel called out as Emma whipped around to find several men surrounding them. She stumbled back in shock.
How Geoffrey’s men caught up with them so quickly was beyond her.
“Oy, watch it,” Nora hissed.
“Unhand me, ye brute,” Lydia whimpered.
“Let me sisters go,” Emma demanded as the men glared at her defiance.
“Looks to me as if ye’re trespassin’,” one of the men said with a snicker as Nora struggled against his mighty strength.
“Please, we just need a place for the night. We mean nay harm, truly,” Emma implored.
“I’m sure ye do,” another guard said.
“I demand to see the Laird,” Emma snapped, her voice rising with determination.
“Ye hear that, Coften? The lady demands to see the Laird.”
Emma’s heart dropped as the men’s laughter turned dark. Every cell in her body screamed at her to flee, but with her sisters in danger, she wouldn’t leave them.
“Then by all means, let’s bring ‘em to the Laird,” another said as firm hands curled around Emma’s shoulders.
Fear rippled through Emma as the men guided them to the castle. She swallowed hard as she tried to figure out where they were. The crest on the side of the steps sent a new terror rushing through her.
The heavy doors swung open, and the moment Emma stepped inside, she knew they had made a terrible mistake. The foyer was barren, with nothing but a few candles burning to light their way.
“Get movin’,” the guard demanded, pushing Emma down the hallway.
He opened another door and shoved the girls into the room. Nora instinctively grabbed hold of Isobel, as if she could shield her from the doom bearing down on them.
The room was much like the foyer and the hallway, barren and devoid of life. Emma glanced around. The room was too bare to be considered a hall, yet far too warm to be a dungeon.
“Dinnae leave this room until the Laird arrives, or ye’ll find yerselves in far less accommodatin’ circumstances,” the guard warned, his voice echoing off the stone walls.
“Where are we?” Lydia asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she huddled close to Nora.
“And I’d keep quiet if I were ye,” another guard added with a sinister grin. “Otherwise, the meetin’ with the Laird will be far worse than ye could ever imagine.”
“At least tell us where ye’ve taken us,” Isobel snapped.
“Isobel,” Emma hissed and nudged her head towards the tapestry.
Nora, Lydia, and Isobel turned to see the unicorn on a blue field with the double swords.
“Maybe this wasnae such a good idea, after all,” Nora said, shooting Emma a hard look.
The guard’s lips curled into a knowing smirk as he stepped to the door. A clap of thunder rang out, causing the girls to jump.
“Welcome to Clan MacRoss.”
3
The rhythmic patter of rain beating on the roof of the stables was soothing compared to the storm raging within Hunter as he brushed a handful of hay across his horse’s back. Each drop pelting the thatched roof over his head weaved a melody that harmonized with the gentle rustle of straw in his hand.
Warm, earthy scents of the stables mingled with the crisp scent of the rain, creating a cocoon of peace and tranquility that blanketed Hunter as he toiled over his grooming duties. He watched each stroke of his hand as he traced the contours of the horse’s body. It was a simple task, one that he cherished every chance he got.
