The Runaway Highlander (The Highland Renegades Book 2) (24 page)
Read The Runaway Highlander (The Highland Renegades Book 2) Online
Authors: R. L. Syme
~ Acknowledgments ~
I feel obligated to acknowledge that not only am I the product of all my positive experiences, but also my negative ones. Every five-star review and every one-star, and all in between, have helped me to understand and hone my craft. Where would writers be without readers?
In the early stages of this book, I received some unbelievable guidance from two women: Jill Davis and Carol Schmidt. This book would not be what it is without their feedback, their kick in my butt, and their support.
I belong to a phenomenal writing community in Celtic Hearts Romance Writers (CHRWA) and the encouragement and knowledge I receive from my fellow writers means more than I can ever express.
Over the years, I have been blessed to have many excellent writing and literature teachers. Starting with my grandma, mother, and aunt, who inspired my love of reading which eventually became a love of writing. My mother was my most influential English teacher, as she taught me that hard work is the key to make talent sustainable.
Thank you to my parents, my family, my friends, and my coworkers, all of whom supported me in this. Thank you to Shanelle, who kicked me out of her house to get the book done; thank you to Cathy who always reminds me that I am a professional author; thank you to Kristy who always reads with love, but asks questions with enthusiasm (and asks great questions). Thank you to my editors, who catch my Yoda sentences. And thank you to my readers, especially the ones I’ve had the pleasure to meet. You all make this life an honor to live and these books a blessing to write.
Thank you to my characters, whose stories I always feel I have not done justice, but who continue to hang out and wait for the next one, regardless. I hope the readers enjoy Aedan and Anne as much as I do.
Want to know what happened to Malcolm? Lachlan?
Elena? Brighde?
Read more about the Sinclairs, the MacLeods, and the rest of the Highland Renegades in upcoming books from R.L. Syme, coming in 2014. Join the Big Hopes, Big Heroes newsletter for deleted scenes, news on forthcoming books, prequels, and more!
Other Books from R.L. Syme
From the Highland Renegades Series
of Medieval Scottish Historical Romance:
The Outcast Highlander
(2013)
The Runaway Highlander
(2014)
The Pirate Highlander
(coming in 2014)
Novella
Lachlan’s Revenge
(coming in 2014)
From the Montana Smokejumper Series of Contemporary New West Inspirational Romance:
His Wounded Heart
(2013)
His Forgotten Past
(coming in 2014)
All with Big Hopes and Big Heroes under Big Skies!
Special Preview of Book Three...
The Pirate Highlander
COMING, SUMMER of 2014
Chapter One
May 1297 – Berwick, Scotland
Lilian Mason held her breath as the great, hulking beast of an innkeeper snored in the chair above her. The wood floor creaked beneath her as she crawled under his legs. Her brother Erlan sat in front of her, hands out,
still as a predator.
Her stomach rumbled and Erlan rolled his eyes skyward, shaking his head back and forth
, then refocusing on the innkeeper.
She reached out, hoping he would pull her to safety, but instead of grabbing her hand, he pointed down, frowning.
No
, she mouthed to him and reached farther.
He gestured again and withdrew his hands. Finally, she sucked in, trying to bring all her body down under the old man’
s legs, and scooted the last few inches. She could feel the bustle of her dress catch the bottom of his calf and both Lilian and her brother froze.
Erlan pointed again at her décolletage. She supposed he was right. Lilian reached into her corset and pulled out the keys, holding one firmly so they wouldn’t knock together.
Her brother’s blue eyes widened and he leaned forward, grabbing the free key. He shimmied away and she heard a lock creak, turn, then open.
Lilian inched the last distance under the man’s legs until she was nearly to where her brother had been, then glanced back to find him still heavy asleep, and pushed herself to her feet.
She pranced carefully to the door that had just been locked and slid inside. A hand clamped over her widened mouth before she could gasp in surprise. The larder was not only full, but overflowing. Her stomach growled in anticipation.
Erlan already had a sack open and had been filling it with fruit from an overflowing bin near the back. Once he released her, he continued to grab at the fruit.
“Don’t take the fruit,” she hissed. Another bag hung with its fellows near her brother’s head and she pulled it from the wall. “Take the bread. It will fill our bellies better.”
Erlan pulled a juicy peach from the pile and bit into its ripe flesh. The juice was fragrant and dribbled down his long chin. “But the fruit tastes better, sister.”
Lilian rolled her eyes and began gathering every loaf of bread she could find. The cook would have had her hide in the morning.
If she planned to be there in the morning to be tanned. She did not. Not after he tried to lift her skirt.
Men.
Her brother was just like them. An idiot, ruled by his baser instincts. When they’d finally decided to run, and made the plan, he takes fruit instead of bread! Fruit that will be bad in a day or two, knowing the cook.
Bread would keep them alive for far longer than fruit. Especially at the rate Erlan would eat through the fruit, if given the chance.
“We haven’t much time.” Lilian cinched one sack and grabbed another, going for cheese and dried meat instead. “Carter will be back once he’s found that noise box you set up.”
Erlan ate another peach, noisily, as he worked at his fruit pile. “He couldn’t find his own ass with a map and a torch, he’s so drunk tonight.”
“No thanks to you, I imagine.” Lilian cinched the second sack and tied them together, then dragged her brother to the larder door. He filled his pockets with oatcakes as Lilian pulled him out.
They stood in the door and surveyed the inn. They only had to get past the Innkeeper to get away, and could have easily escaped if they’d skipped the larder all together, but Lilian preferred to take goods instead of money, which would have been more dangerous.
They’d either have to vault the counter, or climb under the old man’s legs again, as he slept at the only entrance to the back. Having almost woken the man the last time, she preferred acrobatics. Especially given their take.
She pointed to the corner, where the counter came to a point before attaching to the wall. That seemed the easiest place. Erlan nodded and she took two steps before hearing a scuttling noise. She saw the edge of her brother’s coat on the floor, then his feet, as he opted for the sneaking.
If only she hadn’t filled out last summer, she would have been able to sneak, as well.
Lilian stepped up on one shelf, then another, and climbed her way over the bar. When she landed, rather louder than she would have liked, she looked behind her, expecting to see Erlan’s smiling face, and instead, she saw nothing.
She peered back around and saw his head, and then his elbows, working at something.
The old man snorted and wobbled in his chair and Erlan let loose an oath. A loud clanking noise sounded, and then more scuttling.
The
Innkeeper stood, then her brother stood. He threw the purse at her. Damn! Why had he stopped for the purse?
She caught the heavy leather satchel and yelled at her brother. “Run, Erlan!”
He clambered after her and she ran for the back door, the gate, the horses Erlan had stolen, and freedom.
Lilian held her breath as she sprinted for the door. As soon as she felt the cool night air on her face and smelled the seawater, she knew they would be
well.
Erlan stumbled out the door and fell against her. The
Innkeeper called after them, but the old man was slow enough that he wouldn’t be able to catch them now. They both jumped to their feet and ran down the alley toward the back gate.
The horses wickered nervously as they approached. Erlan passed her both of his sacks and pulled himself up onto the horse. She threw the sacks back and ran to the other side of her horse. She climbed up the fencepost next to her mount and jumped into the saddle, all the while, managing to keep the sacks around her neck from choking her.
Erlan made a sound like a whip and both horses took off for the open gate. They were out on the countryside, running toward the city, before the Innkeeper could even make it into the courtyard. Lilian watched behind her as the old man flailed his hands in the air and called after them.
They were criminals. Fugitives. But they were together, and safe, and they would find a way to survive. They always did.
Watch my website for the release of
The Pirate Highlander
!
Summer of 2014.
Coming in June of 2014,
Lachlan’s Revenge
… a novella that will tell the “rest of the story” of Lachlan MacLeod. Join my newsletter today to get a free copy of
Lachlan’s Revenge
.
Copyright © R.L. Syme, 2014
ISBN 978-0-9960103-0-6
All Rights Reserved.
This book may not be reproduced in part or in whole in any form without written permission from the author. This digital copy of this book cannot be sold, shared, or given away as this is an infringement of the copyright. This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.
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Cover Design and Interior format by The Killion Group