Highlander's Rebellious Love (38 page)

“I will not have a war started over me,” Saundra said more bravely than she felt.

“And it has not come to that yet,” Donald Macinnes said. “For now we eat, drink, and enjoy my two daughters return home.” With that he raised his tankard and all joined in.

~~~

Patience lay naked in her husband’s arms, having made love with him twice and feeling more wonderful than she had a right to, especially with Heather plaguing her thoughts.

“There is something I do not understand,” Patience said.

“I will be glad to provide, in full detail, any further lessons you need,” Hunter said with a pat to her bare bottom.

She jabbed him in the chest. “I am not talking about our lovemaking.” She raised her head off his chest and looked up at him. “Though, lessons are always welcomed.”

Hunter grabbed her chin and kissed her quick. “Careful, wife, or you will find me inside you fast enough.”

“You are welcomed there even more.”

He had her flat on her back in an instant and her hands pinned above her head. “Before I do more wicked things to you, tell me what it is you do not understand.”

Her brow furrowed.

“You do not remember?” he teased with a smile.

Her eyes shot wide, recalling what had been on her mind. “Ghost warriors. They are exceptionally skilled warriors who I believe would rarely make a mistake. So how were two women able to avoid them?”

“Luck?”

“One perhaps, but two?” she said shaking her head. “That does not seem feasible.”

“What are you thinking?”

“I do not know, but the thought has troubled me and when a thought troubles there is usually a good reason behind it.”

“In time, you will find it,” Hunter assured her.

“But will I find it
in time
?”

Hunter saw the worry in her eyes and his response was to change the worry there to passion and he did. He kept his promise and made love to her throughout the night and in between sleep.”

Surprisingly, they both were up by sunrise the next day, feeling more rested than ever. They hurried to the Great Hall hoping to have breakfast alone and were surprised to see Emma at the table by the hearth, her head resting on it.

Patience approached her with anxious steps and when her head came up and Patience saw how pale she was, she hurried to her side.

“What is wrong?” Patience demanded.

“I am not feeling well that is all,” Emma said.

Maura suddenly appeared with a wet cloth in hand and pressed it against the back of Emma’s neck. “This will help.”

A servant appeared and placed a wooden board with sliced bread on it in front of Emma and sent her a sympathetic smile as she said, “It will pass.”

“She is right,” Maura said. “Take the bread it will help.”

“I cannot. It will make me more ill,” Emma complained.

Hunter tore a small piece off a slice and placed it in her hand. “Eat. It will help.”

“How do you know?” Patience asked perplexed that her husband understood what was wrong with her sister while she knew absolutely nothing about it.

“I have seen it with sisters and friends of the women I have known,” he said.

“It is something that spreads easily?” Patience asked concerned.

“Hopefully,” he said with a smile, “you will catch it soon.”

“How lovely it would be for both of us to be with child at the same time,” Emma said.

“You carry a babe!” Patience said with joy.

“You what?” Rogan’s roar echoed through the Great Hall as all eyes turned to see him entering the room.

Hunter took his wife’s hand and tugged her away from her sister and Maura stepped away as well.

Rogan strode up to the table and slapped his hands down on it in front of his wife. “Why did you not tell me?” He shook his head and answered his own query. “You feared I would not let you travel to see your sister.”

“Would you have?” she asked, rising her chin.

“No,” he shouted and pointed at her, “and this proves why. The babe has you ill and you need to rest.”

“Do not yell at my sister,” Patience said and tried to step forward, but Hunter stopped her.

“Keep a hold on your wife’s tongue, Hunter,” Rogan yelled.

Hunter laughed. “God himself could not perform that feat.”

Emma laughed. “Your husband knows you well, unlike mine.” She got quickly to her feet, too quickly. Her head spun and her stomach revolted. She moaned and dropped back down on the bench.

Hunter’s arm hurried around his wife’s waist when she went to move and whispered, “You would not want anyone interfering with us.” His words stilled her, though her body remained tense as if ready for battle.

Rogan shook his head as he hurried to his wife’s side, hunching down in front of her. “Forgive me, I am a fool.”

“No one will argue with that,” Patience said.

Emma smiled and rested her brow to her husband’s. “My sister is accustomed to defending me.”

“And glad I am for it,” Rogan said.

“Perhaps he is not so bad,” Patience said begrudgingly.

“He is not bad at all,” Emma said, resting a gentle hand to his cheek. “He is a most wonderful husband and I love him dearly. I should have told him of the babe, but I feared he would have restricted my activities, out of concern for me, and that could have stopped me from searching for Heather if the chance presented itself.”

Rogan took her hand and kissed her palm. “I would go search for Heather if you could not. I will do whatever is necessary to see her brought home as I promised you.”

“He just redeemed himself,” Patience said.

“Thank you,” Rogan said with a nod to Patience, “but I much rather my wife forgive me for reacting so badly to news that fills my heart with joy.”

“There is nothing to forgive, for I share a fault in this,” Emma said and kissed her husband.

Handshakes and hugs were shared in congratulating the couple and soon they were all seated at the table enjoying breakfast. Even Emma managed a few bites, her stomach calming.

Donald Macinnes joined them and got tears in his eyes when Emma told him of the impending birth.

“My first among many grandchildren,” he said, raising his tankard.

Emma’s smile faded, her face turning pale again.

Rogan kept his arm firm around her. “What is wrong?’

Emma looked to Patience and reached across the table to her.

Patience took her hand and gripped it firmly.

“Heather should be here to share this special moment with us,” Emma said. “It is not right that we are so happy and she...” Tears stung her eyes and choked away her words.

The door to the Great Hall swung open and a hooded, cloaked figure stumbled in with the slashing rain. Servants hurried to shut the large doors and the figure stumbled forward, a hand going to rest on the edge of a table to steady itself.

Patience stood, thinking perhaps it was a messenger who had braved the weather, but from whom?

It took the figure a moment for limbs to regain strength, and then with hands that trembled, pushed back the hood.

Gasps echoed around the Great Hall.

“I made it,” Heather called out as if she did not quite believe it. “Thank God, I made it home.”

Patience and Emma were out of their chairs in an instant and made it just as fast to their sister’s side. They threw their arms around her and hugged her tight. Tears fell rapidly, and the sisters refused to let go of one another. Noting would separate them again. Nothing.

It took their father’s love and need to take his oldest daughter in his arms, to tear the sisters apart. Rogan took his weeping wife in his arms and Patience turned to fling herself in Hunter’s arms.

“All is well now,” she said after hugging him tight. “My sister is home and she is finally safe. Whatever the future holds, we face it together as a family once more.”

THE END

Coming winter 2015...

Highlander: The Dark Dragon,

Heather’s story and the final book in the Macinnes Sisters trilogy.

Titles by Donna Fletcher

Single Titles

San Francisco Surrender

Rebellious Bride

The Buccaneer

Tame My Wild Touch

Playing Cupid

Whispers on the Wind

Series Books

Wyrrd Witch Series

The Wedding Spell

Magical Moments

Magical Memories

Remember the Magic

The Irish Devil

Irish Hope

Isle of Lies

Love Me Forever

Dark Warrior

Legendary Warrior

The Daring Twin

The Bewitching Twin

Taken By Storm

The Highlander’s Bride

Sinclare Brothers’ Series

Return of the Rogue

Under the Highlander’s Spell

The Angel & The Highlander

Highlander’s Forbidden Bride

Warrior King Series

Bound To A Warrior

Loved By A Warrior

A Warrior’s Promise

Wed To A Highland Warrior

Highlander Trilogy

Highlander Unchained

Forbidden Highlander

Highlander’s Captive

Rancheros Trilogy

Untamed Fire

Renegade Love

Third book yet to be titled

Sexual Appetites of Unearthly Creatures Novella Series

Sexual Appetites of Vampires

Macinnes Sisters Trilogy

The Highlander’s Stolen Heart

Highlander’s Rebellious Love

Highlander: The Dark Dragon
, Winter 2015

About the Author

Donna Fletcher is a
USA Today
bestselling author of historical and paranormal romances. Her books are sold worldwide. She started her career selling short stories and winning reader contests. She soon expanded her writing to her love of romance novels and sold her first book SAN FRANCISCO SURRENDER the year she became president of New Jersey Romance Writers.

Drop by Donna’s website
www.donnafletcher.com
where you can learn more about her, get a printable Book List, and read her blog.