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Because no one shouted at her, she was certain she hadn't been seen

The piglets made her task easy, for they had rolled the on top of each other Brenna scooped one up in the heainst her chest She thought to run to the kitchens and hide her prize there, and she was sure she would have succeeded with her plan, if her new pet hadn't made such a fuss about it alt

Brenna didn't realize her jeopardy until she was outside the pen and heard the horrible noise coedjust that Her head went dohen she reached the yard, and she charged forward

Brenna started screa Suddenly too terrified to think, she ran in circles, around and around the pen, clutching her piglet in her arms as she bellowed for her papa to coiant who'd smiled at her did And just in the nick of ti pitched to the ground, she felt herself being lifted high into the air She squeezed her eyes shut, stopped screaain She was still in his arms, yet on the opposite side of the fence a fair distance away frootten over the fence?

Chaos surrounded her Everyone was running toward her and the giant Her papa was the last one to reach the fence

She didn't even want to think about her punishment if he discovered what she had hidden in her skirts

She fervently hoped he never found out

She knew her savior could feel her pet wiggling between thee to look up at hi to do about it

He looked surprised, and when the piglet let out another squeal, he sry, she smiled back before she could remember to be shy

One of his friends stepped closer to the fence "Connor, is everything all right?"

He turned to answer Brenna stopped hi hiain

She whispered her plea then He must not have heard her, because he leaned down closer until their foreheads were aliant suddenly threw his head back and let out a bellow of laughter She told hih all the h, and once he'd put her back down, she was able to run past her papa before he could grab hold of her

"Come back here, Brenna"

She pretended she didn't hear him and continued on

It wasn't until she was safely hidden under the kitchen table with her new baby sleeping in her lap that she realized she'd forgotten to ask the ed She would ask him tomorrow, and if he told her no, she would come up with another plan One way or another, she meant to catch him and save her papa the trouble

Chapter 2

Scotland, 1119

He ar paint to his wedding

Connor MacAlister's rim as the dark blue paint smeared across his face and arms

The laird wasn't happy about the duty he'd taken on, but he was an honorable ain justice

Connor had vengeance on his h, in truth, he didn't think he was unusual Every Highlander worth his sas vengeful It was sis were

Five soldiers rode with their laird The men were also finely turned out for battle, but their collectiveto be saddled with an English bride for the rest of his days

Quinlan, the first-in-command, rode beside his laird The warrior was alht, but he wasn't quite as hs and, therefore, didn't th That wasn't the reason Quinlan had stayed on with the MacAlister clan, however It was Connor's intelligence, his relentless thirst for justice, and his unwavering leadership abilities that kept the warrior by his side As his loyal follower, Quinlan would give his life to keep his laird safe Connor had already saved hiain and again, regardless of the risk The other men felt the same way Quinlan did, for Connor treated all of his followers as valuable members of his family

Quinlan wasn't just a loyal follower; he was also a close friend, and like all the other MacAlisters, he too e them like lovers for years and years if need be, until he could find a way to right a wrong done to hie your ainst MacNare on my father's behalf"

"No I've already sent word toyou can say to e my mind"

"Do you think Euphemia will finally come back then?"

"Probably not," Connor answered "She finds it too difficult to return to our land sinceeven to this day"

"What about Alec? Your brother ordered you to end this feud, and you gave him your word to do just that"

"Yes, and this will betiry the pig is for an alliance with the English We'll use his greed to our advantage Remember, friend, he shaainst hih," Connor decreed "When I'ain He'll be vindicated"

Quinlan suddenly laughed "I' God had a hand in this, Connor We didn't know until this hter you meant to take Do you reet Besides, I now have a better reason to give to Alec That isto be furious all the salishwoo"

"And ill you tell him?"

"The truth She did ask hed for a week"

Quinlan nodded "She asked you three tio She will surely have forgotten"