Taken by Angeline Fortin (great books of all time TXT) 📗

“Aye, I’m ready to be off.  See?”

She turned to see Willem leading a pair of heavily laden horses over to the tent.

“If we’re to Norham this day, we need to make haste, if ye dinnae mind, Rhys.”

Rhys glanced curiously at Laird, taken aback by his snappish tone and hurried to Scarlett’s side.  Looping his arm around her waist, he turned her away and whispered, “Is something amiss?”

Scarlett shook her head.  “I don’t know.  He was perky enough this morning but something’s eating him now.”

“I’ll try to pry the truth from him,” he assured her.  “I shall write ye of that and our progress assuming I dinnae lose a hand or other more valuable limb along the way.”

Scarlett bit her lip.  “That’s not funny.”

The two of them shared a long look and tears stung at the back of her eyes as the implications of the battles awaiting them truly hit her.  If the worse were to happen, she might never see Rhys again.  Or Laird. The thought was staggering.  “Rhys.”

“Come, Rhys, we maun go,” Laird barked harshly.

Casting a look over her shoulder, Scarlett turned back to the man who had started out as nothing more than a mordant scoundrel spewing nothing but mischief but had rapidly become her unlikely ally, a friend and confidante.

“Rhys.”  She reached up to rest her palm against his unshaven cheek. “Damn it.  Don’t get dead, okay?”

Humor twinkled in his eyes.  His big hand covered hers before he pressed a kiss to her palm.  “I wouldnae dare disappointment ye, my dear.  How would I ever face ye again?”

“You’re not as funny as you think you are,” she chided him but couldn’t help the soft smile that curved her lips.  “Just be careful.  Promise me.”

“I shall see to it wi’ all the care I am capable of mustering,” he said.  “Ye hae my word.”

Scarlett pursed her lips.  “I guess I cannot expect any greater effort than that.”

“And ye, as well?” Rhys’s eyes clouded over briefly.  “I ken there is something bothering ye.  Whatever it is, hae a care for yerself and patience for my brother.  He is just as conflicted, me thinks.”

Laird was glaring at them now, she noticed as she shot him a sidelong glance.  “We’ll figure it out.”  Lifting herself onto her toes, she kissed him softly on the lips then smiled as they parted.  “You’re a good man, Rhys.”

“Yer the only one who thinks so,” Rhys laughed and led her on his arm to his horse, kissing her one last time before he leapt into the saddle.  “Fare thee well, my dearest Scarlett.”

Scarlett nodded and turned to Laird, wringing her hands worriedly.  For all that she was uncertain of how she planned to proceed with him, or if she wanted to at all, the last thing she wanted was for a hair on his gorgeous head to be harmed.

“Laird.”  She reached out to him, running her hand over his forearm as he checked the cinch on his saddle, but he ignored her.  “Laird?  What’s wrong?”

“Are ye done wi’ yer goodbyes?”

Blinking at his harsh tone, her hand slid away.  His cheerful friskiness of the predawn hours long gone.  Now his shoulders were stiff, his spine rigid. “No, not even a little.  Laird, look at me, please.  You’re angry.”

“I’m no’.  Now I maun go.”

“Without a goodbye?” she asked, reaching up to rake her nails along his bearded jaw.  Framing his face in her hands, she forced him to look at her.  “Be safe.  Promise me you’ll come back in one piece.”

Laird scoffed and tried to look away but Scarlett held him firmly.  Lifting herself up on to her toes, Scarlett pressed a kiss to his chin.  It was all that was within her reach.  He held himself stiff, unbending and Scarlett knew she should just leave it at that.  She should let him go, let him walk away and be happy that he was putting the distance between them that she could not force herself to create, but she couldn’t let him leave like that.  If this were the last time she would ever see his face, she wanted the memory of a smile to carry with her always.

Or at least not a frown.

“Laird, please.” She pressed her body against his and nipped lightly at his jaw.  Then at the tendons at the side of his neck.  At his collarbone.  He resisted at first, then a shudder ran down his body and he was kissing her back.  Bending her over his arm, he plundered her mouth as if that kiss would save his soul.

“James,” a sharp voice barked out.

Laird’s lips eased away, but not in haste.  With one last lingering kiss, he drew back with a frown.  Not for her but for his father.

“Let us go.”

Sir William kicked his horse into motion and trotted by with Patrick, Alexander, Adam and Arthur following close behind.  All of them but Sir William looking down at her with bemusement written clearly on their faces.

Chucking her chin lightly, Laird brushed one last kiss across her lips and turned away.  Just a moment later he was mounted.  With a wave but no smile, he was gone.

Soft hands took hers and Scarlett clasped Aleizia’s tightly as they watched their men ride away.

“Brother.”

James stiffened as Rhys rode up beside him but ignored him, spurring his horse to a greater pace.

“Laird,” he said more insistently.  “I maun talk to ye aboot Scarlett.  She said the strangest thing last night.”

“Last night when she was bladdered wi’ wine?” Laird asked caustically. “Away wi’ ye, Rhys, I hae better things to do than to listen to ye this morn.”

“Nay, Laird, I maun tell ye.  ‘Twas nonsensical to be sure but she dinnae seem deceitful.  I cannae fathom, but–” Rhys put a hand on his arm but Laird shrugged him off, refusing to listen.  “Bugger it, Laird, I’m worried for her.”

“Enough!  She isnae yer concern, Rhys.”  Laird kicked his horse into a gallop and left his brother behind.

31

August