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Alick shifted quickly out of the way and Aulay took his spot He bent over to peer at the wo She had been a beautiful lass, her face a pale white, her hair a deep, shiny black The gown she as torn and tattered, presus on display before they bent at the knee and disappeared over the end of the mast and into the water She must have slid down the aze to her upper body and the barely covered, and very generous bosoms Alick had noticed The cloth there was as tattered as it was on her lower legs, leavingelse, however, was covered by rope that started under her breasts and rapped around and around her all the way down past her hips

"I think she's alive," Alick said suddenly, sounding as shocked as Aulay felt at the suggestion when his brother pointed out, "Her breasts are rising and falling"

"Stop looking at her breasts," Aulay groith disgust "The lass needs help, not to have so her breasts and--"

Aulay's words died abruptly when the wo that she was indeed alive He stared into her sparkling bright green eyes, waiting for her to take fright at the sight of his scarred face and start in screa, but she merely stared at hiht, lass Ye're safe We'll get ye off that mast and to shore quick as we can"

Her eyes widened then, and he took the ti in the green around each pupil, and then she breathed, "Angel"

Aulay tipped his head uncertainly "Is that yer name, lass?"

"Nay" She shook her head on theher eyes against it, she el"

Aulay was sure she was delirious and nearly said, "Nay, I'ht sure I would die, but God sent you to save me"

He was justover the words when Alick muttered, "Hmm, she ht out o' hell since--"

"Alick," Aulay growled as he slid his dirk under one of the strands of rope to begin sawing at it

"Aye?"

"Shut it," he snapped as the first rope gave way to his blade and he moved on to work it under another

Alick obeyed the order for all of a , "She's lucky the mast didn't land with her face down in the water She'd have drowned fer sure"

The words actually ht of this lovely creature coave his head a shake and continued to cut at the rope The woain, and Aulay was quite certain she'd lost consciousness He had to slice through six or seven lengths of rope before it all suddenly unraveled and fell away fro she lay on A moan of protest slipped froht her upper ar into the water

"'Tis all right, lass I've got ye," he said reassuringly as he quickly slid his dirk back into its sheath Aulay then pulled the woman closer to the boat, and leaned out to scoop her froered under her weight The lass ee, but heavier than he expected He hadn't taken into account that as left of her long goas noaterlogged

Aulay paused briefly to adjust to the weight, and then turned to sit on the bench Alick had previously occupied Once he had her settled in his lap, leaning against one arm, he was able to free his other hand to brush the damp strands of hair away from her face

"Lass, are ye all right?" he asked, and was relieved when her eyes opened again S, Aulay murmured, "Good day to ye, lass What's yer naet ye home safe to them"

"Nay," she said with alar her eyes closed, she muttered, "He'll kill me"

"Who?" Aulay asked with a frown "Who will kill ye, lass?"

She groaned, andabout a cat and betrothed and his killing some Lady White?

"Yer betrothed?" Aulay asked with a frown "Yer betrothed killed Lady White and will kill ye?"

"Nay," she groaned and instinctively shook her head, only to cry out and clutch it in both hands After a ot out, "Not my betrothedmake me marry himwill kill me like first wife"

Aulay frowned as he watched her struggle with the pain Her face was coony apparently tearing at her head

"All right, lass," he said soothingly Rocking her fro child, he promised, "All will be well We'll no' tell anyone we have ye We'll keep ye safe and see ye get healthy and strong again ere orry about that 'Twill all be fine"

Much to his surprise, the lass forced her eyes open again then She stared at hiently touch the scar that divided his face

"Thank you," she whispered She closed her eyes on a little sigh and her hands dropped away from both his face and her own head Her expression then slackened, the pain slipping away and leaving serenity in its place as her head fell limply back

"Is she dead?" Alick asked with concern

"Nay, just unconscious," Aulay said and shifted his hand under her head, intending to lift it so he could better see her face But feeling the lu to count the bue

"Blood," Alick said with concern when Aulay took his fingers away

Mouth tightening, Aulay noted the blood on his hand and clenched it shut "She's several bumps on her head"

"Sheon the mast repeatedly 'Tis lucky she's alive at all"

"Aye Row us ashore, Alick She'll need tending," Aulay growled

Alick took Aulay's place at the oars without argument and quickly set them to water

"Once we're ashore, I'll ride to Buchanan and bring back Rory," Alick said as he paddled them back toward the beach

Aulay nodded Rory was the second youngest of the Buchanan brothers He'd trained in healing for years and was quickly beco known as the best damned healer in Scotland If anyone could help the lass, Rory could Aulay dropped his gaze to the wo Conran, Geordie and Uncle Acair too But do no' mention the lass to anyone else"

Aulay trusted his uncle, as well as his brothers Conran and Geordie, to keep theirout by telling anyone else of her presence

"Right," Alick agreed firmly as he rowed

Aulay continued to stare at the woileand beautiful He wished she'd open her eyes again and speak to hi his face He'd expected her to scream her head off as most women did when they saw hiel He could still feel her touch on his skin and wanted to feel it again She gave him hope that he too could have a wife and partner ouldn't shrink from him and--

The boat gave a jolt as the bottoht to an abrupt halt Aulay waited a moment for it to settle and then stood with the woman in his arms, moved up to the front of the boat and stepped out The minute he did, the boat rose in the water and slid off the sand Alick quickly scrambled out after him, and pulled it up onto the beach a ways

"Pull it right out," Aulay growled "Back to where it e arrived, else the tide will take it"

Nodding, Alick put his back into the effort and Aulay watched until heto walk to their horses Once there though, he paused and glanced from the woman in his arms to his saddle

"I'll hold her while ye mount"

Aulay glanced around to see Alick approaching Nodding, he waited for the younger man to reach him and then handed the woman over, quickly mounted and then leaned down to take her back

"Will you be all right getting her to the lodge alone?" Alick asked as he mounted his own horse

"Aye," Aulay answered "Ride to Buchanan and fetch the boys"

"I'll bring them back quick as I can," Alick assured him as he turned his horse and headed off

Aulay watched until horse and man disappeared into the trees, and then turned to survey the coast Theits oay to shore By his guess, she would have drifted up onto the beach by son of anything else left over from a shipwreck

He shifted his gaze down to the woman in his arms and frowned It would take a while for Alick to fetch Rory back, but he needed to get the woe, replace her wet clothes with dry ones and put her in bed He'd have to tend her head wounds too as best he could until Rory arrived He'd clean away the blood at least

Pressing the woman close to his chest, Aulay turned his horse and headed for the lodge Mo froht in an effort toas he landed, but it was a difficult task and he winced and glanced to her anxiously as he hit the ground with a jolt, but the lass didn't even stir Worried about that, he carried her quickly inside and straight up to the bedroom on the second floor