In the Kingdom's Name (Guardian of Scotland Book 2) (19 page)

Left alone at the top of Loudoun Hill, Eva wasn’t about to sit idle. Rain drizzled while she hurried to collect boulders and line them at the cliff’s edge. Lord, her stomach squelched. It didn’t look so high from below, but now she tottered at the precipice. One wrong slip and she’d plummet to her death.

The drive to help steeled her nerves. There was nothing worse than feeling helpless while the enemy advanced. Who would be injured this time? She cringed. Who would die?

She stopped for a moment and rubbed the medallion beneath her kirtle. “Why haven’t you sent me back?” Damn, what else could she try to invoke the powers that be? Why was her presence needed? William had obviously recovered enough. Her stash of penicillin was half gone.

Every time he touched her, he chipped away a bit more of her resolve. Seeing him, touching him, inhaling his provocative scent—every sensory detail drove her to the ragged edge.

The dull thunder of horse hoofs carried on the wind.

Eva’s heartbeat spiked as she peered up to see the English heading straight toward William and his men, crouched in the ravine below, weapons at the ready. Across the glen, Robbie and a handful of archers sat their horses, bows loaded, waiting to fire.

Everything grew quiet.

A chilly breeze flicked her hair. Eva crouched down so not to be seen.

Her heart beat faster.

The enemy rode past William and his men, none the wiser.

Nearly to the hill, she placed her palms atop a boulder.

Her breath rushed in her ears as she waited.

William would sound the attack with a blast of his ram’s horn.

Wouldn’t he?

But the enemy soldiers were so close—she could do some damage for sure.

She leaned out further to glimpse the invading troops, all wearing orange surcoats atop their hauberks.

The rock in her hands slid forward on the slick mud and slipped from her grasp.

The first hit ricocheted off the cliff like a blast from a cannon. By the second boom, men bellowed and arrows hissed through the air.

When the rock crashed into the helm of an enemy soldier, William and his men were already upon them, swords clanging, embroiled in a bloody fight.

Five English were down, clutching arrows.

Robbie and his men thundered ahead, blocking the pass.

Eva clutched another rock, searching for her chance to let it fall.

An English soldier broke away.

Closing her eyes, she hurled the rock.

It thudded behind the man’s retreating horse.

Thank God. What am I doing?
But Eva knew the answer. She couldn’t see William or any of his men hurt.

She picked up another boulder and cursed. “Damn them to hell.”

She stood at the ready, waiting for an opening, and vowed not to hit a patriot.

“Too right. Wallace has resorted to using women to fight his battles?” The sound of a hostile male voice slithered up her spine like a snake.

Trapped at the edge of the cliff she turned and faced the mounted man—the same blackguard she thought had fled.

She let the boulder drop.
Now would be a good time to time travel home
.

The cur dismounted.

Fuck.

Sidestepping, Eva purchased enough room to keep from falling to her death.

He reached for his sword.

She drew hers, hands shaking like palsied limbs.

As he sauntered forward, she assessed his armor. A sleeveless coat of mail, helm, neck bare—loins covered only by a linen surcoat and woolen chausses. “Ye think ye can take on the likes of me with that wee blade?”

She gaped at his pock-ridden face.

Basketball
.

She faked right.

He lunged.

She spun left.

The little sword hissed.

Snapping her head around, Eva eyed his neck sinews.

With a clang reverberating from her wrist clear up her neck, the tyrant deflected the blow.

Heart flying to her throat, Eva backed, teetering on the edge of the precipice. Out of the corner of her eye, the deadly crags glistened with moisture as if daring her to misstep. Her sword slipped in her sweating palm.

“I’ll carve out your liver and eat it raw,” he growled, lunging with a thrust.

Shrieking, she dove aside. The blade caught her sleeve, slicing it open.

Her hip hit hard.

“Get me out of here!” she screamed.

The man lunged. “I’ll send ye to Hades!”

Angling her sword up, Eva cringed.

This is the end
.

Midair, the bastard’s face changed from one of aggression to stunned. His jaw dropped. His eyes bulged. The weapon dropped from his grasp.

He tumbled from the cliff, howling until his body thudded on the sharp rocks below.

Gasping, Eva looked up.

“I thought I told ye to hide.” William shoved his sword into his scabbard and offered his hand.

“I—I wanted to help.”

“Bloody near gave us away.” When he tugged her up, he jerked forward with a grunt.

Eva’s gaze snapped to his flank. “You’re injured.”

He pulled his hand away from his side. Red blood glistened on his fingers. “Just a flesh wound.”

“Oh Lord, please don’t tell me I’m the cause of that.”

“Nay,” he muttered. “Come, we must haste.”

Eva stole a glance down the hill. “Did we win?”

“For the now.” He bent down to give her a leg up. “But it willna be long afore another mob is hunting us down.”

She ignored his hands, putting her foot in the stirrup and hoisting herself up. “I need to dress your wound. Take me someplace safe.”

Mounting with a strained groan, he picked up the reins. “I’ll come good in a day or two.”

“I’ve heard that before and I’m not buying it.” She glanced back. “I mean it—someplace safe.”

They headed west toward the setting sun.

Eva expected to hear horses following, but when she turned they were alone. “Where are the others?”

“Split up—’tis the only way to ensure we’re not followed.”

***

William hated it when he was wrong, but he kent he shouldn’t have been fighting, even before Eva had told him not to. Good God, his limbs hung like sacks of fatty mutton. His stomach growled. Hell, he even shivered against the cold. So they’d stopped another mob of bloodthirsty soldiers? They’d only be replaced by more.

He should drop Eva at the nearest village and tell her to go. She had no business staying with him. No wonder she’d been keeping her distance. It seemed like the whole world was hunting him and every time he took up the sword, more followed. “Blair said Longshanks has offered a thousand Ayrshire acres and a purse of gold to anyone who turns me in, dead or alive.”

“Lord,” Eva whispered. “Why not sail for the Orkneys? They’re still under Norse rule. I doubt Longshanks would find you there.”

“Och aye, that sounds like a coward’s dream. I’ve never run from my enemies and I’m not abou-to start.” His words began to slur.

“I didn’t mean it that way.” Eva straightened her back against his urge to slump. “We could rebuild your army up there. Like Andrew did in Ross Shire before you conquered Stirling.”

The path ahead suddenly spinning, William blinked to clear his vision. He wanted to hold on to that thought—give it some real consideration. Mayhap a year away and he could recruit enough men from Ross to join him? He shook his foggy head.
I’m going daft
.

Eva tapped his ribs with her elbow. “Lady Christina could help spread the word—send Highlanders to join us.” Then she turned and gave him an endearing grin. “It would give you time to heal.”

“Too right, give all my men a reprieve…If only…” He swayed in the saddle. “Be li…ol’ times.”

“William?”

He hunched forward trying not to lean on her.

“Are you all right?”

Dammit, why did things always have to go from bad to worse? The rain drove sideways, spitting in her face while Eva clutched William’s arms around her waist with one hand and took charge of the reins with the other. Even wearing a fur-lined mantle, she was miserably cold, soaked through and totally lost.

Get a freaking grip
.

She knew this area—had not only been a part of an archaeological dig at Loudoun Hill, she had ridden through Ayrshire with William, albeit eight years ago. The burn that ran past the hill flowed into the River Irvine, which meant Kilmarnock was due west.

Though the villagers had welcomed William with open arms last time, she had no idea who would welcome them and who would turn them in. She couldn’t risk taking him to a town—or even a farm.

Lord help
.

Bowing her head against the deluge, she led the horse to the burn and urged him onward. With few roads and overgrown scrub, the going was rough.

Hooves sloshed through the burn and mud, the muck making every step an effort. Branches slapped her face and the westward wind drove the rain into her eyes, making the visibility impossible. On each side of the gully, mud oozed down the embankment making the horse stumble. The water in the burn rushed faster, roaring louder than the icy wind. Without gloves, Eva couldn’t feel her fingers—couldn’t move them either.

When they passed beneath the cover of an enormous sycamore, Eva pulled the warhorse to a stop. At least the tree provided some shelter and the rain only slapped them with sloppy droplets. But the wind cut through to the bone. Neither one of them would survive the night without shelter.

Riding in the gully, they were out of sight, but that made it impossible to see—to find her bearings. She had to take a chance. Ahead, a game trail led from the water with a decent coverage of trees above.

Squinting, grey stones peeked through green vines and moss.

A wall?

Gently tapping her heels, she urged the horse to move toward the structure. With William’s torso leaning on her with dead weight, Eva didn’t dare dismount—but she couldn’t support him much longer. Nearing, a perpendicular wall came into view—and a partial roof, completely overgrown by foliage. Goodness, it was an abandoned shieling—and the roof hadn’t caved in on the far end.

Perhaps Eva’s luck hadn’t completely run its course.

The horse crept forward, taking a bite of green foliage while tugging his head to the side. Eva gave him tap. “Hey, big fella, you can eat your fill once we’re under cover.”

They picked their way to the entrance of the ruin.

“Hello?” she called peering into the darkness.

Sudden rustling came from within.

Eva clamped her fist around the reins, her eyes nearly popping out of her head.

The horse stutter-stepped as five deer barreled toward them.

Eva shrieked.

The horse reared.

Dropping the reins, she clutched William’s arms tighter around her stomach.

Mistake.

Together they careened backward, landing with a thud.

Eva blinked, rain filling her eyes. William’s chest rose beneath her. His damned horse skittered about six feet to a patch of grass. “I hope it was worth it, you mongrel beast.”

Sliding off the poor unconscious man, Eva looked longingly at the shelter. A few more paces and she would have easily been able to slide William off the horse under cover.

The man was a behemoth. Hefting up his shoulders, Eva tugged. Jeez, William didn’t even budge.

She stood, planted her fists on her hips, and regarded the horse. “Are you happy…you miserable, lazy lump of lard?” A total non-horse person, Eva opted to clear away the debris and rolled William until he was under cover. Dirt and mud smudged across his face and plastered his entire body.

She couldn’t worry about that now. They still could die of exposure. Working urgently, she ran to the horse and used a length of rope to hobble his two front legs—thank God she remembered how. After untying the rolls from the back of the saddle, she raced back under cover.

Lord, the wind and rain cut to the bone. Droplets streamed from her hair and down her face as she regarded the giant gelding. Damn. She had to venture out one more time to pull the saddle, bridle and blanket off the beast.

Once certain the horse was set, she found a bit of old timber and straw at the back of the lean-to, then fished the flint out of the leather purse William carried on his belt—the same one she’d given him in Renfrew.

I can do this
.

She’d seen William, Robbie and a host of others start fires countless times. She found enough dried tow—plant fibers that would burn. She made two balls and placed one in the center of her makeshift fire pit, then made a nest out of the other and set it aside. Stacking dry twigs around the tow on the ground, until she had a three-quarter teepee like circle, she drew her eating knife from her sleeve and scraped the flint into the nest until a white dusting of powder covered the bottom.

So far so good
.

Turning the flint over in her hand, she struck the serrated end into the powder until it sparked.

Holding her breath, she waited while a tiny flame licked up.

Yea!

Carefully, she pushed the nest under the a-frame she’d built and prayed while smoke billowed around her.

Come on
.

Bending her head down, she gave the base a wee blow.

The fire crackled.

Grasping more twigs, she carefully piled them around the growing flame.

I am not helpless. Girls Scouts, here I come
.

Well, maybe Eva was too old to be a Scout, but this wee boon of accomplishment certainly helped to bolster her confidence, especially after a disastrous day.

But there was still much to do. Their clothing was soaked clean through. She untied the oiled leather around William’s bedroll. At least the plaid inside was dry. She draped it over him.

Removing her cloak and kirtle, she hung them over the only remaining rafter. Working in her shift, she found a handful of bully beef and oatcakes in William’s kit. It wouldn’t last long but if she rationed it, the food might see her through till he regained consciousness.

The fire was a help, but without a door, and a gaping hole in half the roof, the cold still had Eva’s teeth chattering and her nose running. She glanced down. William’s teeth chattered too. Those wet clothes had to go before he caught pneumonia.

Tugging off his hauberk took every shred of strength she could muster. William wasn’t only the size of an ox, his mail had to weigh eighty pounds. Grunting, she pulled and pulled until she had it halfway over his head. Bending over, she sucked in a few deep breaths. Then she crouched, gritted her teeth and finally yanked the heavy thing all the way off. Her fingers trembled as she removed his shoes, hose, chausses, quilted jerkin and shirt.

“Ssss.” She examined the gash at his side. The bleeding had ebbed, but from the broken skin and purple bruise spreading across his entire flank, he’d received a good whack—probably would have killed him if he hadn’t been wearing his mail. Eva regarded her dirty hands and looked outside. If anything, the rain pelted harder as night turned the forest darker than soot. She wasn’t about to pick her way to the burn to wash.

Instead, she gave them a good rub with a dollop of alcohol soap from her bag. Once clean, she pulled the tube of antibiotic ointment from her first aid kit. Using the tube to spread it over the wound, she applied a gauze bandage and stuck it in place with two Band Aids.

She worked quickly to hang his clothing beside hers and then stoked the fire. The last thing she draped over the rafter was her wet shift. Wearing only her panties and bra, she slipped under the blanket and lay beside William, draping an arm and leg across him.

Briskly rubbing his arms, she chuckled. “Don’t get the wrong idea here, big fella.”

But honestly, she could think of no other way to stave off hypothermia. As she warmed his body, his also helped her shivers to subside.

Not a suite at the Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, but her work would see them through the night. Nothing to make a girl tired like a brush with death and hours on the back of a horse fleeing for her life while her savior flopped unconsciously behind her.

About to drop, Eva needed to sleep.

But how could that happen when she was lying on top of the man she wanted with her very soul with only her panties and his braies separating them?

He’ll be okay
.

She rested her head on his chest.

And I think he warmed to the idea of going to Orkney
.

Her fingers slipped up and caressed the nape of his neck, sliding into thick tresses—so incredibly soft.

Is it possible to break the only rule and change the future?

She brushed his cheek with her lips.

I damn well aim to try.

***

Something weighed on William’s chest, something soft with a stirring fragrance. He moved his head, his nose lightly brushing silken tresses.

Eva
.

With an arch of his brow, he opened one eye. “Mm.” He smoothed his fingertips over a bare shoulder. Then he peeked under the blanket. Holy Moses, she was all but naked, wearing nothing but her newfangled undergarments. Come to think of it, he was stripped down to his braies.

Did we?

Nay. I wouldna slept through that, even if I was half dead.

Inhaling, he peered around them. Where were they? Wherever it was, their clothes hung from the rafter and beyond that, daylight shone through a gap. Beside them, warm coals glowed. The last thing he remembered, they were riding west.

How did Eva manage to get me off my horse—moreover, remove my hauberk and clothes?

He grinned.
That would have been a sight not to miss
.

But he finally had the woman of his dreams sleeping in his arms. He rubbed his hands down her back.

“Mm,” she purred, moving against him.

Good God, his cock instantly sprang to life—shot up like a mast catching the wind. Bless it, her allure had driven him mad for the past sennight. Did she have any idea how utterly ravishing she appeared to a battle-weary warrior? Every night for the past eight years, he’d thought about how heavenly it would be to lose himself in her arms, melting into her feminine core. If only for a moment, sail with her to heaven and take his mind away from the world that had become his hell.

With a low sigh, she rocked her hips ever so slightly.

William’s heart nearly stopped. God save him, her every little move practically brought him undone. Hell, if he’d been standing, he’d be on his knees by now. He slid his hands down and cupped her buttocks—Jesu, his fingers sank into unbelievably supple flesh. “Eva,” he whispered as quietly as he could.

Those delectable hips swirled in an even more provocative arc. “Mm.”

He slipped his finger under the leg opening of those wee braies she called panties. Pillow soft skin met his rough pads. William’s breathing became shallow as he smoothed along the curve of her bottom until he met her core—hot, wet, molten. God’s teeth, she was ready for him. If he pulled the slip of fabric away, he could be inside her in the blink of an eye.

He slipped his free hand between their bodies and released the cord tying his braies.

Again she moaned and rocked her hips while he worked his finger, tantalizing the wee button he knew would drive her to the precipice of oblivion.

With an easy lift of his hips, his bare cock slipped between her legs. Heaven help him, he was too close to resist her.

Closing his eyes he kissed her forehead. “Eva?”

“Mm.”

“I want ye.”

A pair of sleepy green eyes turned up to him—not dull green, but vivid, like spring leaves.

William parted his lips as her mouth covered his. Lord save him, Eva’s entire body turned wicked, writhing, groping. Her mouth sucking, dictating a frenzied pace as she lifted her hips and let him tug off those damnable panties.

Ah yes, she slid her moist center up and down his cock until it caught at her entrance. All the while her mouth explored his with the fervor of a skilled seductress—the wanton woman who’d oft brought him pleasure in the bedchamber had finally returned.

With a wee chuckle that rolled through his chest, she took him inside. Gasping, William dug his fingers into her hips and slowed the pace. “I’ll spill if we go too fast.”

She said nothing, but watched his eyes as she worked him with languid strokes, her lips red and swollen from kissing.

“I love ye,
mon amour
.”

A gasp caught in the back of her throat as she grinned and sped the rocking of her hips.

He didn’t need to ask. She was close to her peak—as close as he.

Thank the stars, ’cause he’d not last but a few more strokes.

Her breathing came faster.