Alice laid
out a fleece for him and Rhiannon to share, then settled herself nearby, cocooned up to her little nose. Connor slept near her, wrapped in his plaid.
William
came to his feet with Rhiannon in his arms, then laid her out on the sheep skins, positioning her on her side with her injured arm facing the sky. The fuzzy warmth of the fleece would create a barrier between the lumpy ground and her slim body. Her fingers twitched, but she didn’t wake.
William removed his weapons, his jerkin
, and his boots, then slid in next to her. Her hair was in his face, drowning him in her scent. He draped the top portion of his plaid over the both of them and a worsted wool blanket over that.
And
struggled to ignore her long, lean, but undeniably feminine body next to his.
William hadn’t chosen celibacy. Oddly enough, it had chosen him. He couldn’t be the cause of anyone else’s loss. Not like he had before.
Rhiannon shifted closer, probably in an instinctive search for warmth. Her body formed into his in the way that only a woman can. Then she opened her eyes and looked at him.
H
er fingers slid upward from his lower stomach—making him grit his teeth. Then the flat of her hand pushed against him. Rhiannon’s eyes seemed unfocused, and he wondered if she even knew where she was.
Unsure of what he should do, he
kept her close, even though she twisted away, fighting him. She yelped and he knew he’d squeezed her too hard, aggravating her injuries.
“
Mo Leannan,
” he said.
She
stopped
.
William wove his fingers in
to her hair at the back of her head and lifted her face to his. “It is me.”
“I . . . know.”
“It’s too cold for you to sleep alone. I am only trying to keep you warm.”
“Alice c
an keep me warm.”
“Not as well as I.”
Her fingers twisted in his shirt. He winced when she pulled out a couple
of chest hairs in her iron grip.
“
Talk to me,” she said.
“About what?”
“Nothing. Just talk to me.”
“I thought you said
I talked too much.”
“
Has anyone ever told you that you are arrogant?”
“’Tis not a word often associated with me.”
“Not to your face.”
“Aye.
” He smiled. “Not to my face. Are you in pain?”
“Constantly.”
He smoothed his hand over her injured arm, still wrapped in a sling. “You will never have to endure such pain again.”
“Is that a promise any person can truly make?”
“I will.”
“I knew you were arrogant.”
Her accusation didn’t bother him. He liked it when she challenged him. “Go to sleep. We’ve another long day ahead of us.”
She shifted back so that they were no longer touc
hing. “Keep talking. Nay. Sing. Please sing in your own language.”
H
e gave her a song, and then said whatever else came to mind. When she fell asleep, he drew her cold body close, her slight curves fitting back into him.
And
he knew he wouldn’t be sleeping like that.
Chapter Eight
Rhiannon
woke up alone. William had left her just before dawn, making not a sound as he pulled his warmth away, like a child’s blanket whilst they slept.
She
’d been so humiliated by her weakness the day before that she’d pretended not to notice when he awoke. Had she actually spent the night with him, when Alice could have kept her warm?
Rhiannon pushed away
the layers William had packed her in when he left, recalling the hardness of his solid body alongside hers. Rhiannon could still smell him. She lifted her sleeve to her face. His spicy scent permeated the fabric. It permeated her.
S
he stood, and was immediately hit by an icy blast of air. Morning mist was heavy and the sun was a yellow blur through gray clouds. The wind tossed her messy hair and she caught it up, twisting it with her one good hand. So much for her morning hair brushing ritual with Alice, she thought, tucking the ends in so it made a fat knot at the back of her head.
Rhiannon sensed someone behind her. She turned her face to look over her shoulder
, expecting to see Alice with the hairbrush. But it wasn’t Alice. It was William.
She turned to face him. His eyes,
the very color of the mist, met hers. Nay, they weren’t the color of mist, but of moonstone. Her father had a ring with a gray stone in it. Moonstone, he once told her. It had a blue sheen that changed as the light reflected off it.
“Good morning.” He handed her a mug of ale.
She drank, the air-temperature brew making her shiver.
“
I wanted to let you know that we are not going directly to my hall, but to my cousin’s. It is closer, although not by much.”
“Why your cousin’s?” she asked.
“So you can meet her and her husband.”
“Have you no sisters?”
“Nay.” He smiled. “What made you assume that?”
“
If you did, then you would want me to meet your sisters first.”
“I have no siblings. My parents died when I was a child.”
They were both without parents. They had that in common. Rhiannon cleared her throat. “Do you think Geoffrey’s people follow us?”
“
Aye, but they willna for long.” His smile widened. He was so sure of himself. “They willna find us.”
Rhiannon toyed with the edge of her b
orrowed plaid. William reached out, lifting her chin to him.
She
pulled back. “Do not.”
William let his hand drop.
His jaw worked for a moment, then he lowered his voice. “What
did
Geoffrey do to you?”
Oh, Lord, not that.
“He manhandled me,” she said. “Is it not obvious?”
“What else?” he asked, his voice like velvet
, begging her . . .
Tell him about anything save
your impurity and the seed in your womb.
“
Alice told me Geoffrey could not be trusted. I warned my father, but he said he knew, and that he had everything under control. But he didn’t. And now he and my mother are dead, stabbed in their sleep.”
“And you?”
She shrugged. “You already know what happened to me.”
He studied her for a moment. “Aye, I suppose I do.”
She wondered what he meant by that.
“Eat something. We need to ride out.”
* * *
That night,
Rhiannon knelt and stretched her fingers before the fire, grateful for the warmth, as well as the privacy of having their own fire apart from the men. She was also grateful she hadn’t fallen off her horse, despite the fact that she had dozed on and off throughout the day.
Alice plopped down n
ext to her. “My lady,” she said, her smile so bright Rhiannon had to blink lest she go blind.
“
Connor seems quite smitten with you,” Rhiannon said. “I can see why you would be happy.”
Alice
scrunched up her face. “There is that, but I am happy for you. You’re going to have a home, with men who actually guard you for your own protection.”
Yes, but for how long?
Rhiannon looked into the fire, her heart heavy. Even if she could successfully rid herself of Geoffrey’s seed, eventually she would have to allow herself to carry an heir for William, and she wasn’t sure she could do that.
“
Has Connor asked you to marry him?” If he did, then Alice would be guaranteed security in her new home.
“Well, nay. It’s too soon for that. He might. In time.”
“If he does, let me know, and I will release you from your responsibility to me.”
“My lady
?”
“I know you promised to st
ay with me. But have you not already done more than anyone could?” Rhiannon scooted around to face Alice. “You have been so faithful to me. Now I want you to have a good life. If you believe Connor can make you happy, then let him.”
Alice
’s brown eyes widened. “But I cannot leave you.”
“You might have to. There is no way to know
what will happen. He could still change his mind.”
“William?”
“Aye.”
“But
he looks at you. He looked
through
the women at Laird Geoffrey’s hall. He looks
at
you.”
“Young men often find themselves in l
ust.”
Alice tucked her knees beneath her. “He is handsome, and he could have spent his nights with any woman he wanted, but he chose to spend them guarding your door instead. H
e married you!”
“He had no choice.
” Rhiannon waved her hand. “He is the chivalrous sort. Geoffrey knew it, and set him up to that purpose. I was the perfect excuse for Geoffrey to take William down.”
“But it did not work for Laird Geoffrey, did it?”
“Nay, thank God, it did not.”
“You cannot be the first vulnerable woman to have crossed Laird William’s path, yet he married you.”
Rhiannon took Alice’s hand. “You want me to be happy. I understand that. I want you to be happy too. But
I could never love him.”
“Cannot or will not
? You should tell him everything.”
“Are you
tetched?”
“Tell him
. You will feel so much better once you do.”
“
I cannot.” Rhiannon’s eyes stung. “I cannot tell him.” She struggled to her feet, her arm throbbing. “I need to walk.”
“I will accompany you, my lady.” Alice scrambled
up next to her.
“I want to be alone
.”
“But you cannot leave camp.”
“I know. I will just walk around it.” She blew out a breath. “I am not in a pleasant state of mind right now. I do not want to hurt you with my words.”
Alice’s face softened. “You could never hurt me, because I will always know that you do not mean it.”
Rhiannon hugged Alice, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from crying. She released Alice and turned away, her gaze lingering over camp as she walked. She didn’t see William, but knew he was somewhere nearby. He always was.
She
decided to spend some time with Jeremiah. There was nothing better than a horse when one was in a sour mood. Angus and Charley laughed as she walked past their fire, and she had the impression that it had something to do with her
Connor
left the other men, jogging toward her. “They didna mean aught by it, my lady.”
“I am sure.”
She rolled her eyes.
“They
woulda hurt you. Not for anything. And they know better than to come within ten paces of you without a direct order.”
She belonged to their laird
, making her untouchable.
A
surge coursed down her spine. The idea of being untouchable was enticing. It felt safe.
Blast those sticky webs of William’s. She could feel them adhering to the edges of her heart.
“Can I go now,
Connor, or did William give you orders to follow me?”
“Nay, of course you can. Just dinna leave camp.”
“Yes, I am well aware.” Guilt pinched her stomach. She tucked her hair behind her ear. “Go sit with Alice, please. I am afraid I have been less than kind today.”
“I will.” He gestured toward where the horses were staked.
“William is brushing his new stallion.”
“I was
just going to check on mine.”
“Imagine that.” Connor
chuckled and walked away.
Jeremiah
nickered to her as she approached. She pulled out a molasses cake, feeding it to him.
“I heard him call to you.”
Familiar brogue. “Now he is useless to me in a battle.”
Rhiannon searched the darkness. Firelight flicked
over shifting horseflesh, but she couldn’t see William.
“I’m here,” he answered her unspoken question
, straightening from behind the younger stallion. “You are ruining my favorite warhorse.”
“My horse
. I stole him, and seeing as you presented no charges against me, he is still mine.”
“
Such sophisticated logic, my lady.”
She tilted her face
toward the sound of his voice. “He should be retired now,” she said. “Be a lady’s mount.”
“A lady’s mount?” His pitch
rose, more tenor than base. She could only see his silhouette in the dark. “Jeremiah? He has seen more battle than most men.”
“Precisely.”
The stallion nudged her and Rhiannon stroked his charcoal muzzle. “Now he should be spoiled.”
“Is the same true of men?”
Did he say what she thought he said?
He laughed to himself
, and she caught a flash of white teeth. Then she heard the sound of bristles on horseflesh and his smile disappeared as he moved. Rhiannon leaned against Jeremiah, young butterflies testing their wings in her stomach.
“I need to name this beast,” he said.
“I suppose you cannot call him The Stallion. Geoffrey probably just called him Mine.”
“It wouldna
surprise me.”
She glanced up and caught him
watching her. She couldn’t read his expression in the dark.
“
I have never been good with names,” he said.
“
What’s wrong with Jeremiah?”
Soft firelight caressed his tall, broad form as he
moved closer to her.
“Do you have any idea how many times I was teased about it? Then again, I was teased all the time by my cousin.”
She laughed before she could stop herself. The thought of William being teased about anything was ridiculous.
“Was that a laugh, my lady?”
It was. She hadn’t laughed in months.
“Do you have another brush?” she asked.
He
handed her the brush in his hand. She reached out to take it, but he didn’t let go. William tugged, bringing her closer. His eyes were visible, but the rest of his face bathed in shadows. For a moment Rhiannon was lost in them, and her past disappeared.
William
tossed the brush aside.
“M
ight be hard to find that in the dark,” she said.
“I dinna care.”
He carefully drew her in, by increments, hands on her waist. She kept her eyes locked onto his, her breath shuttered. It seemed an eternity before he eased her into his chest.
“Am I scaring you?” he
asked.
“
Nay.”
“Are you cold?”
“Not anymore.”
“You’re shaking.”
“I’m not cold,” she breathed.
His nose brushed her temple. “
You smell good, like ginger.”
“I do? I cannot smell it anymore. I just smell you.” Rhiannon backed away. “I hadn’t meant . . . I meant . . .” Nay, she couldn’t let him wind her in like that. Even if he was a good man, he still had needs she wasn’t prepared to meet.
She ran her hand over Jeremiah’s neck, clearing her throat. “How about Jamie?”
“What?”
“A name for your horse. It is simple. You are not likely to be teased for it. Not that I believe for a moment that you were.”
“You have not met my cousin.” He studied her for a moment, then ducked his head.
“I think Jamie will do nicely.”