Hiding Katherine by GG Shalton (reading women .txt) 📗

two of the biggest clans, although his oldest brother remains unwed.”

She smiled and asked, “What about you?”

He winked at her. “Me? I am free to choose.”

Deanna smiled and kissed him on the mouth, and they covered themselves with the blanket for some time alone.

Chapter 6

Katherine opened her eyes and watched the sun come out. She felt so warm and content in the two furs wrapped around her and remembering the night before, she twisted around and found herself alone.

“You’re awake?” A deep voice startled her.

Looking up, she saw Ian standing over her. “Yes, Sir Ian. I almost forgot where I was.” She sat up and he reached for her hand. She took his hand and stood. “I need to wash up and find some privacy. If you will excuse me?”

He stroked his chin thinking over her question. “I will excuse you. But you have to call me Ian.”

She grinned at his flirting. “Very well, Ian. I will see you shortly.”

He watched her walk away to her sister. Katherine approached Deanna and Claudia. “I need to speak to you privately.”

Deanna nodded her head. “Come let’s go over that small ridge by the stream. I believe the brush is heavy enough to allow us some privacy.”

Katherine reached for her saddlebags and the women walked away from the camp. When they neared the bush, Deanna reached for Katherine’s arm. “Tell me, Sister. And be truthful. Did the heathen treat you without respect? I could not sleep last night worrying about you. Was he awful? I longed to rescue you.”

Katherine looked at her sister and shrugged her shoulders. “Not at all.”

Claudia giggled at her lighthearted attitude. “Not even a kiss?”

Katherine blushed carefully avoiding their prying stares. “He is nothing like they said. He was very gentle and kind.”

Deanna snorted. “Don’t be so stupid! They don’t call him Cold-Heart for his kindness. Dorian told me that he is known for his viciousness.”

Katherine lifted her chin defensively. “I don’t care what Dorian says. He was not like that with me.”

Deanna let out a quick laugh. “Not yet.” She touched Katherine’s arm. “Just promise me that you will stay clear of him. I think you should avoid him if he tries to get close to you today.”

“I will do no such thing!”

Claudia’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh, my! She is in love!”

Deanna snarled at her. “Katherine! As your older sister, you have to obey me.”

Katherine placed her hands on her hips. “I do not! You are not my mother. I am a woman now and will decide my own fate.”

Deanna stomped her foot. “Such insolence from an ungrateful sister!”

Katherine yelled, “Ungrateful? You dragged me across Scotland under false pretenses. I am now stuck in the middle of nowhere with no provisions and no way to get home. Not to mention, you now want to stay in Scotland for some man that will probably enjoy your favors until we reach his keep.”

Claudia gasped audibly.

Deanna opened her mouth turning red in anger. “How dare you!” She pushed Katherine back and she stumbled onto the ground. Katherine screamed and grabbed Deanna’s skirt causing her to fall back. Deanna reached for Katherine’s hair as she scratched her on the cheek. Katherine reciprocated kicking Deanna in the stomach. They rolled through the grass—kicking and scratching—until they were pulled apart. Ian and Dorian grabbed both women and separated them.

Dorian yelled, “Enough!” He pulled Deanna away from the others and whispered to her as Claudia walked back toward the camp.

Ian gently touched Katherine’s face running his finger over the scratch. “Are you hurt?” He reached over and helped her remove grass out of her hair.

Katherine embarrassedly took a deep breath. “Forgive me. I am usually not so unrefined—my sister’s words took me by surprise and I reacted most unladylike.”

He looked back at Deanna and then to Katherine, leaning down and whispering near her ear, “I believe that you could take her. You are one feisty woman.”

Katherine giggled. “It’s a new side of me.”

He cracked a half-smile at her. “I like it!”

He offered her his elbow and escorted her back to camp.

The group headed toward the north. Dorian invited Ian’s men to stay at his home when they arrived on the morrow. Most of the men kept to themselves and rode within their own group. Katherine rode a horse with Claudia and Deanna rode alone near Dorian. Katherine wondered at their growing attachment. Would her sister marry him?

They stopped a few hours later. Katherine was anxious to see if Ian would pay her any attention as she tried to dismount her horse. To her delight, he rushed over and helped her down. She felt dainty as he lifted her to the ground. “Are you hungry?”

Katherine nodded as the men started a fire to eat more boar meat. They sprinkled strips of the meat with some spices and cooked skewers over the fire. Katherine and Claudia walked to a nearby stream to wash up. She took some of her rose soap and freshened herself hearing her sister come up behind her. She took her comb out and brushed her hair ignoring Deanna.

Deanna snorted. “Do not fill the comb with pieces of your hair. It is disgusting.”

“At least I take care of myself. You’re beginning to smell like the men.”

Deanna reached for her and Claudia stood between them to stop another fight from erupting. Katherine was ready to smack her when they heard a commotion in the camp. All three women turned at the frightening sight of men attacking their camp in an ambush, the sound of metal scraping metal filled the air. A war cry came out of Dorian and more men joined in fighting off their attackers.

Unable to move, Katherine stood still as a stone near the brush. Deanna took her arm. “Come on! We must hide.” She pulled her arm until her feet stumbled and she started moving. Katherine ducked down staying below the weeds and brush until they made it to the tree line. Deanna held tightly onto