Read Lana and the Laird for Free Online Page B

what the future may hold. Afraid of lots of things. Everyone is afraid of something.”
    It warmed Lana’s heart to see Fiona attempt a smile. “Wh-what are you afraid of?”
    She chuckled. “Everything.” She wouldn’t mention the loch, not to this girl. Not now. “But when you’re afraid of everything, nothing holds any true terror. Don’t you think?”
    Fiona observed her with wide eyes, and then nodded.
    Lana took the shivering child to the kitchens, where it was warm and there were bannocks cooling. They nibbled on them—though they were hard—and sipped tea as they recovered. Then Lana left Fiona with Morag, who clucked over her like a mother hen, and made her way to her rooms to change.
    As she crested the stairs, her sister bustled toward her, but, wrapped in her thoughts, Hannah didn’t see her. Her features were drawn into a sour pucker, and her fingers were entangled. A sure sign of agitation. When Hannah finally noticed her, she stopped short and blinked. “Oh. Lana.” A distracted murmur. Then her eyes widened as she took in Lana’s dishevelment. “What happened to you?”
    Lana fluffed out her skirts, which were still damp. “I went for a stroll … in the loch.”
    â€œOh, lord.” Hannah knew she avoided deep water at all costs, and why. “Are you all right?”
    â€œI am, but Dunnet needs to have a talk with John Robin. He was dunking Fiona. Mercilessly.”
    â€œWhy, that rotter.”
    â€œAye.” Lana nodded. “He needs a firm hand.”
    â€œOn his backside.”
    Lana couldn’t help but snort a laugh.
    â€œI will have Dunnet see to it.” Hannah’s brow wrinkled and Lana was once again struck by her sister’s preoccupation. She could feel the tension humming on the air. Something was wrong and Hannah was trying to hide it.
    â€œDo tell me what has happened,” she said they hooked arms and headed for Lana’s rooms.
    Hannah frowned. “What makes you think something has happened?”
    Lana merely quirked a brow. Hannah should know. She should know by now.
    â€œOh, right.” Hannah blew out a breath and shook her head; her inky black hair caught the light. “Dunnet has had word from the Duke of Caithness.”
    Something unpleasant curled in Lana’s belly. She’d never met the duke, their powerful overlord, but she’d heard of him. By all accounts, he was a pompous, self-important popinjay. A Scottish laird who had neglected his clans for decades, preferring the decadent entertainments of London to the tedious business of ruling and protecting his people.
    He’d only recently returned to his homeland, but in that short time, he’d swiftly validated the reputation that preceded him. Last month Dunnet had gone to meet the man in his castle in Ackergill, and it hadn’t gone well. The duke had announced he expected Dunnet to clear his land, to evict his tenants and import sheep. It was a horrifying prospect. Thousands would be homeless, with nowhere to go. Hundreds would starve. It had happened in the south, to Fiona’s mother in fact.
    That the Duke of Caithness was planning the same here was ghastly.
    Naturally, Dunnet had refused outright.
    No laird with a conscience could agree to such an atrocious act.
    They’d all been waiting, on tenterhooks, to see how their overlord would respond to Dunnet’s refusal. Clearly, judging from Hannah’s expression, the duke had issued his response. And clearly, it wasn’t good news.
    â€œWhat did the duke have to say?” she asked through a tight throat.
    Hannah’s tension heightened. The subsequent buzzing in Lana’s head increased. “He’s coming,” Hannah whispered. “He’s coming here.”
    Lana stared at her sister, her heart aching. For she knew what the duke was bringing with him.
    He was bringing death and destruction.

 
    CHAPTER