by Alisa Adams
“In the meantime, I'm going to pay my respects to Janie. Perhaps seeing someone of nobility will lift her spirits and cheer her mood.”
He walked away and Bryan didn’t like the way he was speaking, or the way Hamish’s gaze dropped to the floor. Men like this Englishman were used to getting their own way in everything. They were bullies, and Bryan didn’t like the thought of Janie being left alone with that man.
After a few moments, as one of the guards was counting the money and the other one was stood by the door, preventing anyone from leaving, Bryan announced that he was going to check on the animals, for it was time for the pigs to be fed. The guards didn’t seem to take notice of him, so Bryan left and skipped up the stairs to Janie’s room.
As soon as he reached the top of the stairs he could hear muffled sounds and moans coming from Janie’s room, and Bryan’s anger blazed. He drew his sword and burst into the room to see Janie pinned down and struggling as the grey-haired man fumbled with his breeches. As soon as the door was opened both Janie and the grey-haired man stared at him; Janie’s eyes were frantic with panic, while the man glared. With one hand he held Janie down, and with the other he gestured for Bryan to leave.
“Go now, or suffer the consequences of my wrath,” he said in his clipped English accent.
“I think it’s ye who needs tae leave,” Bryan said, pointing the sharp tip of his sword at the man. The man sneered and snarled and looked down at Janie. The poor girl was frightened out of her mind and it was clear she couldn’t put up enough fight to battle him away. If Bryan left then this man would have his wicked way with her, and Bryan’s conscience could not allow that to happen.
“Are you a fool boy? Do you not know who I am and what I can do to you? If I wanted to I could call an army to tear you apart.”
“Ye dinnae hae an army. Ye dinnae hae anything. Let the lass gae,” Bryan said again. The man stared at him for what seemed like an eternity, and in the end he threw back his head and laughed.
“You won’t do anything to me. You probably don’t even know how to use that sword.”
“I know how tae use it more than ye know how tae use that wee dagger,” Bryan said. The man’s pale cheeks were suffused with crimson as he finally let Janie go and turned to Bryan. He had already taken off his belt, which he’d placed nearby, and he picked up his sword, but from the way he held it Bryan could tell he was not a skilled swordsman.
“It’s been too long since I’ve smelled the blood of a barbarian like you, and once I'm done with you I’ll make you watch as I teach that girl a lesson. You’ll soon regret the day you ever crossed me, and maybe in time she’ll give birth to my child, and you’ll know you can never get back the virtue I’ve taken.”
Even though Bryan wasn’t betrothed to Janie, he wasn’t about to stand there and let her be insulted like that. If he wasn’t going to stand up for her honor then nobody would, and he wouldn’t be able to live with himself. If he wanted the Pressley name to mean anything then it had to begin with him. With a growl and a flash of steel he moved forward. His ornate blade gleamed as it caught the sunlight that flowed into the room, and with a flick of his wrist he dodged the awkward slash of the grey-haired man’s blade and brought his own sword slashing down. The Englishman howled in pain and blood poured from his cheek. He collapsed to the floor, and beat his fist against the floor.
“Guards!” he howled, a high-pitched scream that pierced the air. Bryan looked down on the man, hand clutched to his bleeding face, and realized that he had made a very powerful enemy. He heard the guards running up the stairs and even though he was a gifted swordsman, he didn’t like the odds of three against one in a cramped room, especially not with Janie nearby. Panic seized him and he hated to think he had brought punishment on Hamish and his family, so he looked around for a way to escape, but there was only the window. He ran to it and saw the drop straight down to the ground. It was a long jump, and if he made it the chances were that his legs would be broken, and perhaps his neck and back too depending on how he landed, so he turned, ready to face the three men at once.
But then Janie handed him the unfinished blanket and hooked it to the window latch. It fell down.
“Use this,” she urged.
Bryan didn’t hesitate as he turned around to see the guards entering the room. They saw their leader, bloodied and humiliated, and then the man that had caused the wounds. They scowled as they came forward, so Bryan ducked out of the window and jumped out, hoping the blanket would hold his weight.
It just about did, but as the blanket jerked he felt it rip. He was now halfway down the house, a lot closer to the ground, and as the blanket ripped he braced himself for impact. The ground rose up and slammed against him, making his teeth chatter and thunder made his bones tremble, but as he pushed himself up he checked himself over and was confident that nothing had broken. He still had his precious sword in his hand, but he tossed the piece of blanket he was holding aside. He looked up and saw the two guards peering out of the window at him, and then he ran.
He knew it would take them some time to run downstairs and then leave through the front door, so he would try to put a lot of distance between them. He hoped that Hamish could forgive him for bringing such controversy to the farmer’s household, and he also hoped that Janie wouldn’t suffer again at the hands of this grey-haired man. Bryan almost wished that he had finished the job as he sprinted away into the forest, hoping that he could escape the clutches of the guards.
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Also by the author
Some other stories you will love:
Highlander’s Stolen Wife
Highland Rebirth
Highlander’s Stolen Destiny
Highland Savior
Highlander’s Fate
Highlander’s Stolen Love
Highlander’s Unexpected Love
Highlander’s Secret Nun
Highlander’s Dark Enemy
Highlander’s Imprisoned Love
Highlanders To Fall For
Highlanders Burning Desire
Highlanders Veiled Assassin
Highlanders To Lust For
Highlander’s Lionheart
Highlander’s Unexpected Ally
Highlander’s to Die For
Highlander’s Scarred Angel
Highlander’s Daring Escape
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About the Author
Alisa was born and raised in Austin, Texas and from early on identified her two passions, kids and writing.
Starting her career as a teacher, after a life-changing trip in Scottish Highlands, she decided to commit to her writing career.
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Copyright Alisa Adams Publications © 2019
This book may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the publisher. In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher.
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DISCLAIMER:
This book is a work of fiction. Some of the characters are real historical figures, but the others exist
only in the imagination of the author. All events in this book are fictional and for entertainment purposes only.