Read Highland Brides 03 - On Bended Knee for Free Online

treacherous clutches. But somehow, his friend seemed changed upon his return.
    “’Tis what Cameron asked me as well.”
    Colin studied his long-time friend, looking for some clue as to his change of heart. “And what did ye answer?”
    “I have no love for the English,” Broc admitted. “But I do not think they are all evil.” There was a pause of reflective silence. “Not anymore.”
    Colin had heard rumors about Lagan and Iain, that they were in fact brothers and not cousins. He was curious, as was everyone, to know what had really happened that night when Lagan had gone over the cliff, but he wasn’t certain whether to ask. He didn’t like to put Broc in a position to have to refuse him confidence. Friend or nay, Broc’s first loyalty was to Iain MacKinnon and it was unswerving. As it should be. Colin accepted that, and more he respected it.
    “Did ye ever find Lagan’s body?”
    Broc nodded, wincing, but wouldn’t elaborate. He eyed Colin pointedly, changing the topic. “You’d do well to give Montgomerie a chance, Colin. He canna be so bad if Meghan loves him.”
    Colin turned away. “Mayhap, but I do not like the way he wooed my sister. My sister deserved better than to be carried away like some sack of meal! I know Meghan, and she did not want to wed at all!”
    “Aye, but she did,” Broc countered. “And she did it of her own free will.”
    Colin scowled. “Aye, she did.”
    “Then mayhap she found something in Montgomerie to love?”
    Colin said nothing to that because it was true.
    “She did not look to me like a woman forced into her marriage bed,” Broc pointed out. “She looked to me like a woman in love.”
    Colin cast his friend a beleaguered glare.
    “Ye know… I wasna willing to give FitzSimon’s daughter a chance, either… in the beginning. But she proved to be true of heart and Iain canna have found himself a bride so fair and kind, and brave, as she is. Mairi, God save her rotten soul, could not have walked in her shadow.”
    Iain’s first wife. MacLean’s eldest daughter. Mairi died after giving birth to Iain’s son, flinging herself to her death from a tower window right in front of Ian’s eyes. Still, Colin has never met a Sassenach he’d ever liked. He turned to look at Broc, raising a brow.
    “’Tis the truth,” Broc persisted. He leapt to his feet, ready to do battle though none was waged. His overreaction took Colin by surprise. Merry too. Startled, she bolted away. “Any man would be proud to call her wife, Sassenach, or not!”
    Colin watched the dog bound away, tail between her legs. She halted at a safe distance and turned to look with confusion at her master. Colin did as well. “Christ and be damned, Broc. Settle yourself down. It sounds to me as though ye have more than a liegeman’s heart for the wench.”
    Merry whined.
    “Nay!” Broc denied at once, though without anger, seeming to realize suddenly how his reaction might have appeared. “I do not,” he assured Colin.
    “Are ye certain?”
    Broc grinned suddenly, changing the subject. “As certain as your balls are not shriveled!”
    Colin screwed his face. “Whoreson bastard,” he said without anger, then laughed.
    Broc sat once more and Merry returned to her spot between his legs. Broc resumed petting her and she turned on her back, offering her belly. She wagged her tail happily, and Broc peered up at him. “Though I do hope to find someone like her some day,” he confessed, red faced. “She’s beautiful, she’s brave and full of spirit!”
    Colin sat as well. “Och, now, but I do not know a single woman I would call brave. Soft and sweet, mayhap… even canny… but brave?” He raised a brow at Broc.
    “Aye,” Broc maintained. “Brave! Ye should have seen her!” He grinned. “She did not cow before Iain, nor did she blink an eye to look at me.”
    “Hate to tell you, but you’re not so bloody frightening, Broc,” Colin countered, grinning. “You like to think so, but your