Colin stood, his movements silent, his instincts alert, and he remained in the shadows watching the lad’s every movement. He was barely ten and two, if that, and so frail that a rush of strong wind would blow him over, and yet … .
He was determined, foraging in the sacks, stuffing an empty one with the bread and cheese and taking time for a fast gulp of mead. His hunger was obvious, and the fact that he lived on what he scavenged was pathetic. There was no muscle on his skinny frame that would aid him in defending himself. His quick-witted mind obviously made up for his lack of physical strength, and Colin admired his courage.
He was a skinny lad who possessed enough mettle, or stupidity, to rob a sizable band of men and expect to succeed. Colin could not help but grin, though it faded quickly when the lad made ready to steal the remaining pheasant.
His nose had enjoyed the smell of the roasting bird for hours, and his stomach had rumbled in anticipation of the succulent taste. While he had no intentions of seeing the ragged lad go hungry, he was not about to allow him to steal the evening meal.
Colin waited in the shadows for the right moment.
Chapter Two
Hope scavenged as much food as she could with the little time afforded her. She was aware that Lady Gwenth could not forestall the band of angry men for long. She did not have the courage nor propensity to do so. She was, however, hungry, and was probably at this moment, while being chased, chomping with delight on the pheasant. When she finished her rushed meal she would undoubtedly sneak off to hide.
In the meantime Hope was given the chore of stealing food for both of them. They had not eaten in almost a full day’s time and her own stomach was protesting loudly and incessantly, and she feared the grumbling would be heard over the chaos—a foolish thought, but one brought on by fear of being caught. She had never stolen anything in all of her twenty and two years. It was a sin, and yet …
She shoved a sizable piece of cheese in her mouth and continued to scavenge the camp for food. She had never known such hunger. Food had always been plentiful at the castle, and she thought of the many meals she had never finished and the sweets she had taken mere bites of then discarded. If only she had that food at this moment, she would finish every delicious morsel.
With trembling hands she gathered hunks of bread and chunks of cheese, shoving them into a small sack she had hurriedly emptied of its contents. Time was running out and she had to make her escape before any of the outraged men returned. They would surely have no mercy for a young lad stealing their evening meal, but then none of the men looked as if they lacked for food and one night without a meal would do them no harm.
However, she and Lady required nourishment, and she intended to see that they got it no matter how fearful the task.
With her sack full and the roasting pheasant tempting her famished stomach, she reached out to slip it carefully, though hastily, off the wooden spit.
Her fingers were on the bird when she was grabbed by the back of her tunic and hoisted up away from the campfire as though she weighed no more than a feather. She wasted no time in attacking her assailant. She kicked and threw punches, though her frantic actions did little good. Her useless blows struck the night air while her assailant’s hand remained firm at her neck.
Still, her pride would not allow her to surrender without a fight. Her rational mind warned her that the man whose hand held her without difficulty had to be a formidable assailant and that her struggles would prove ultimately useless, but she remained adamant in her attempt to free herself.
It was his laughter that finally caused her swinging limbs to cease their senseless struggle. It was a laughter born of ridicule and the sound rankled her pride.
“Finally you grow sensible,” the mocking voice said.
Hope was fast to respond. “Hunger makes one senseless.”
She was deposited on the ground with a jolt. Her mighty heritage would allow her to bow before no man, and it was with a sense of dignity that she stood and raised a defiant chin to her unknown assailant.
She had been taught that to show emotions would indicate weakness, so she cleverly hid her reactions behind a mask of her own making and for once was pleased that she had acquired such an ability. The man who stood before her was a handsome Devil—too handsome for description, though she would admit that he could steal a woman’s heart in a minute. And undoubtedly he did on many occasions. Yet his eyes told her a different story. He possessed dark eyes, lonely and aching for love; he probably searched for the elusive emotion in every woman he met, hoping he would finally find himself.
A quick glance at his body told her that many men underestimated his strength. He was lean, hard and determined, a combination that could prove fatal if not judged wisely. He stood a good six feet or more, towering over her meager height and making her feel inadequate to deal with him. But then there was her heritage, and it was with the strength of mighty kings that ran through her blood that she tossed her defiant chin up a notch more, demonstrating her bravery.
He laughed again. “You possess an ounce of courage, lad.” He paused and shook his head. “And a ton of foolishness.”
“Hunger does that to you,” she said, her manner remaining brazen.
“You could have asked for food.”
The thought had briefly crossed her mind when she first spied the band of men setting up camp for the night, and with a sense of regret she had dismissed the unwise notion. She feared someone discovering her gender and then possibly her identity; either one would prove disastrous.
She was about to offer a poor excuse for feeling it necessary to steal when shouts of laughter approached the camp and a distinct whine penetrated the revelry. The large men soon appeared out of the darkness towing a frightened and protesting Lady behind them on a rope.
A fierce sense of loyalty and love rose up in Hope as she watched her precious dog try with all her might and sizable weight to fight against the rope that tugged viciously around her neck. Her huge paws pushed at the earth in an attempt to gain leverage, and she snarled and snapped, hoping to appear a formidable opponent. But it was her inability to hide her fearful whines that gave her true character away. She was simply a coward.
“Shut up your crying, you mangy thief,” one of the men ordered and gave a hard smack to her snout.
That was it. Hope lunged for the assailant, kicking him fast and hard in the shin before yanking the rope away from the giant of a man who held it and hurrying to free Lady of the menacing noose.
“Cowards the lot of you,” she yelled at the men while throwing her slim arms around Lady’s wide, furry neck and hugging her tightly. The dog whimpered and hid her face against Hope’s chest.
The men stared speechless at the puny lad who fiercely protected the large cowering animal.
“The beast stole and ate our supper,” the large man said, offering a sensible explanation.
“Lady is not a beast,” Hope yelled back. “She is my best friend and would harm no one. She stole because of hunger.” She cast a quick assessing glance over each one. “Something I am certain you men never experienced.”
The band of men stared at the bold lad with wide grins, though none made a move or a sound. They simply waited, and Hope realized why. The man who had grabbed her by the neck stepped forward. He was their leader and he would handle the situation.
Colin stood with arms crossed over his chest, sizing up the ragged pair. Besides being hungry, they looked worn out. And they looked to be inseparable, the young lad being the stronger of the two—a fact that amused Colin.
“What’s your name, lad?” he asked sternly in an attempt to intimidate.
His tactics did not work; the lad once again raised a defiant chin, to everyone’s surprise and amusement.
“Harold,” Hope said, having grown accustomed to the name she had chosen.
Colin took another step forward. “On your own, Harold?”
“Me and Lady,” Hope said, her arms clasped firmly around th
e large dog’s neck. The animal’s head remained buried in Hope’s chest and her sizable body shook with fear.
Colin grew curious about the dog. The woman Hope whom they sought was in possession of a large female dog, and he wondered as he rubbed his chin. “How did you come by Lady?”
Hope had planned well, determining questions that would be asked of her and having reasonable answers for each and every one of them. “I found her alongside the road near to starving, and healed her back to health. We have been sound friends ever since.”
“Where did you find her?” Colin asked, thinking that perhaps this dog had belonged to Hope and they had become separated. If he could learn of her last whereabouts he would have a good starting point or at least information to take to Eric.
“Connaught,” Hope said, deciding that where she had started was a good place to leave Hope behind.
Her answer did not seem to please the man. He frowned and his handsome features turned dark and foreboding. There was another side to this man, a darker side, and the thought sent shivers racing through her.
Colin walked over to the animal and without hesitation or fear he rubbed at the white mark on her head.
Lady whimpered loudly and Hope held her tightly.
Colin looked down at the white smudge on the palm of his hand. “What were you doing in Connaught?”
“I travel the roads,” she said with an indifferent shrug.
“The dog was alone?”
Hope kept up the pretense, but wondered over his questioning. “I saw no one about.”
Colin offered no more. “You are welcome to join us for the evening and share our food.”
His announcement caused the men to disperse, their laughter and boisterous voices an indication that they did not seem opposed to their leader’s decision. This offered her some comfort.
“Thank you,” Hope said and stood, the dog moving to hide behind her.
Colin could not help but smile at the odd pair. The lad barely reached three inches past five feet and looked as though a good gust of wind would blow him over. Smudges of dirt marred a pale complexion and dark, curious eyes peeked out from beneath long lashes. The dog looked to actually weigh more than the lad, and with the size of him you would think her a formidable opponent. But large frightened eyes and a continuous low whine told him otherwise.
No, the lad was definitely the stronger of the two and Colin admired his courage and devotion to the animal.
Hope realized he found them amusing; she could tell by the grin on his face. His good looks probably afforded him his choice of women and, being honest with herself, she had to admit his looks did appeal to her, though it was his character she was presently interested in.
Her uncle told her that the truth of a man was defined in his character, so if she was to deal with this man she wished to discover his true character.
At that moment her near empty stomach decided to protest loudly and embarrass her.
Colin stepped aside and pointed toward the campfire. “Join the men and satisfy that noisy belly.”
Hope’s stomach answered for her, responding with a loud rumble. She walked past Colin with Lady close by her side, stopping a few feet beyond to turn and ask, “Who do I have to thank for this generosity?”
“Colin of Shanekill.”
“The Irish Devil is your lord?” she asked with wide eyes.
“More my friend,” he answered with pride.
Hope simply nodded, turned and walked to the campfire on shaky legs. The Irish Devil and his men were known for their fearlessness and tenacity. They celebrated many a victory and tasted few defeats. And they served the kings of Ireland well, which meant that they would be summoned to help in finding her.
Was this band of men searching for her? If so, perhaps it would be the perfect place for her to hide.
With Lady sitting down quietly beside her, Hope joined the men around the campfire. Food was shared and generously, most of the men making comments of how she needed more meat on her skinny bones.
Colin joined them only moments after she had and she noticed he kept a watchful eye on her. She continued eating the tasty chunks of pheasant, sharing them with Lady.
“That animal ate a whole pheasant; she needs no more food,” the large man they called Stuart said with a firm nod to Hope.
Hope gave Lady another piece of her portion of meat. “My dog, my decision.”
The other men smiled and Stuart even cracked a wide grin. “You have courage, lad, for one so small. How old are you? Ten and one? Ten and two?”
Hope had decided that with her meager size and weight she would be better admitting to a younger age. “Ten and two.”
“You have family?” another man asked.
She shook her head, having taken a generous bite of the tasty meat.
“On your own, then?” Stuart continued the questions.
She understood their curiosity. A lone, young and frail-looking boy on the roads alone—what was one to think? She attempted to appease their concern. “With no family ties, I found the road a good home.”
“How long have you been on your own?” Colin asked, tearing a piece of pheasant from the cooked bird.
Hope shrugged, as if the length of time made no difference. “About six months.”
The men looked startled by her answer.
“You have survived that long on your own?” Stuart asked, obviously surprised.
Had she erred? The short time she had traveled the roads had proved difficult, near to impossible. But would a young lad accustomed to a hard existence find the roads more of a challenge than a difficulty?
She shrugged again and answered more truthfully than she realized. “I have no choice.”
“Too true for too many,” Stuart said with a sadness.
Hope understood his comment. In her travels she had seen too many poor souls in dire need of help and many with too little food to feed their large broods. With a land so bountiful and possessed of such beauty, how could any go hungry?
One of the other men offered her another generous chunk of pheasant and she gladly accepted it, sharing her portion once again with Lady, though no one commented.
No more questions were asked of her and she offered no information. Conversation turned to family and friends and their strong desires to return home. She ate quietly and listened with interest. She learned that these fierce warriors were tired of battle, and while none would shun it or run from it, they preferred life at Shanekill to the battlefield. But then, if she remembered the tales well enough, the Irish Devil’s contingent had fought an endless series of bloody battles.
Hope finished her food and could not stifle a persistent yawn. Lady agreed with her own loud yawn before settling her large body next to Hope and resting her head in her lap. Hope instinctively laid a comforting hand over her faithful companion.
Colin watched the odd pair with admiration. Puny as the lad was, he stood his ground with courage and he protected the one he loved. But to whom did the large animal actually belong? Was the skinny lad telling him the truth about how he came by the dog? And where the hell was Hope?
He felt like giving the young woman a sound thrashing for all the senseless problems she was creating, and if he found her he just might give her what she so richly deserved.
Another wide yawn from the strange pair attracted his attention and he shook his head. The young boy battled to keep his eyes open while the large dog slept contentedly.
“Harold,” Colin said and the lad’s head snapped up, his eyes wide. “There is bedding over by that grouping of rocks.” He pointed to a spot a short distance from the campfire. “Go settle yourself for the night.”
“I will not deprive another of his bed?” Hope asked with concern.
Without knowing it Hope was beginning to win the respect of the small band of men.
“Take what is offered you,” Colin said firmly.
Hope thought to protest. She had, after all, grown accustomed to the h
ard ground and on many a cool night she and Lady had shared their warmth. However, Colin sounded as if he intended to have his way and she thought it better not to protest.
She stood, Lady coming alert and standing up alongside her. “Thank you.”
Colin nodded. “Sleep well.”
She walked to the bedding spread out on the ground and gratefully crawled between the warm blankets. Lady snuggled beside her, her head resting on Hope’s stomach. Hope placed a protective arm over the animal and the pair was soon sound asleep.
The men drifted off to their blankets and without comment one of the men dropped a blanket beside Colin before walking off to his own bedding. Colin accepted the offer, the night air having taken on a decisive chill. He draped the wool blanket over him after stretching out on the ground near the fire.
His glance remained on the young lad though his thoughts drifted to his own childhood days. Unlike Harold he had a family, if it could be called that. His father had been a tyrant ruling with an iron hand, demanding he and his brothers do as he commanded or suffer his wrath. His mother was a frail woman who was weak in character. She followed her husband’s every command without question.
However, there was one person who had made a difference in his bleak life and strangely enough she was his father’s mistress, Lilith. Beauty was not her forte but charm was. She possessed a smile that could disarm any man and a charm that captivated the coldest heart. She had taught him well those skills and when he grew older she had gladly, though without his father’s knowledge, taught him how to turn sex into the art of making love.
He had shed no tears when his mother passed on, but he had wept in private when Lilith passed away unexpectedly from fever. She had made a decisive difference in his life and he missed her to this day. Her passing had caused him finally to make a difficult decision. A week after her burial Colin had packed a few meager belongings and left his home.
He was the first son and was to inherit his father’s vast holdings. There were even plans of a marriage, though of course his father had not consulted him on the bride. He wanted none of his father’s plans for he was certain they were meant to benefit him and his wealth. He had simply ridden off and never once looked back or regretted his decision.
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