Moods grew somber and grumbling could be heard. Hope knew the men looked forward to their return home, and she could not blame them.
Thunder rumbled but the dark clouds did not open up and Colin ordered the men to prepare to make camp early.
Colin rode up to Hope who walked with a trembling Lady beside her.
He laughed and shook his head. “She is afraid of thunder.”
Hope nodded. “And lightning.”
He looked to the trembling dog with concerned eyes. “We will stop soon, Lady. Then you may find shelter and comfort in your master’s arms.”
Lady whined as if she understood his every word and thanked him.
“It will be a difficult night, Harold, so keep yourself warm and I will see that you have sufficient shelter from the storm.”
He rode off without expecting an answer or allowing Hope to thank him for his generosity. Every time he saw to the lad’s care he won another small part of Hope’s heart.
The group rode on with the thunder growing louder, as if they rode into the very heart of the storm instead of away from it. Everyone huddled beneath extra coverings, waiting for the fat drops of rain to soak them.
But the rain turned out not to be their foe.
The attack came suddenly, though the men responded with the speed and agility of seasoned warriors, and the band of thieves was surprised by the group’s instant and fierce response.
Hope froze for a moment and then took action. She knew she was no match for the burly men who fought ferociously. She attempted to maneuver her way around the battling men.
Lady, God bless her, growled and showed enough impressive, sharp teeth to deter any men from approaching her.
The men fought like trained warriors, never once worrying about their own lives, concerned more with the battle and victory… and the protection of the skinny lad.
“Get yourself cover, lad,” Stuart shouted, deflecting a charging sword with his own.
The clash of metal against metal reverberated in her ears as she attempted to make her way through the melee to the cover and safety of a large rock. Lady trembled yet kept a constant growl that continued to keep men at bay, though Hope was not certain how long the dog could maintain her false courage.
Anguished cries filled the air and Hope prayed none of Colin’s men knew harm. She prayed even harder that Colin survived the battle. Her quick glimpses of him confirmed his skills. He wielded a sword with the ability of one born to the task.
She ducked and swayed and made her way to the rock, pushing Lady behind it, intending to follow. Just as she was about to take cover she saw a man descending on Stuart, his sword raised high and aimed for Stuart’s back.
She did not waste time on thought or on the consequences of her actions. She simply knew that Stuart’s life was in danger and she could not stand there and do nothing.
Without weight or physical strength to aid her she did what she thought was sensible. She leaned low and threw her body at the charging man.
She connected with his knees, hearing a brittle crack of bone and an anguished cry of pain from the unsuspecting assailant. She rolled away quickly, rising to her feet and running for the safety of the large rock.
The clash of swords and the crack of thunder brought her hands to her ears in an attempt to deflect the terror surrounding her. She charged forward, her path clear, the rock a short distance away.
Tears were stinging her eyes; her throat felt tight and dry, and she was unable to utter a single sound. The thought terrified her. She raced for the safety of the rock.
She was yanked backward by her hair and before she could think or had time to react, her assailant swiftly raised a knife to her throat. She could not scream, she could not move.
She was going to die.
Chapter Eight
Hope offered a silent prayer for her soul, when suddenly she was yanked out of the man’s hands and shoved behind Colin. It took mere seconds for her assailant to realize he was no match for the skillful warrior and that his pitiful attempts only shamed him. He made a wise choice and fled as fast as his stumbling feet would carry him. The other thieves began to do the same when they finally realized that they would not see victory that day.
Hope was so relieved that she gave no thought to her actions. She threw herself against Colin with such a force that he had no choice but to wrap his arms around her.
She came to her senses when she realized that if it was not for the extra clothing the men had given her for protection against the rain, Colin at this moment would realize she was a woman.
Her foolish actions propelled her to pull away from him though she continued to tremble.
Colin seemed concerned and offered the comfort of a supporting arm around the lad’s shoulders. “First battles have a way of putting the fear into you.”
Hope nodded; she could do no more.
Colin continued to offer counsel. “Once at Shanekill I will personally see to teaching you how to defend yourself.”
More problems she did not presently need. Her only need at the moment was to wrap herself around Colin and linger in the comfort of his strength and courage.
Instead she received a pat on the back and more encouraging words from a man to a young boy.
“You will grow strong, I will see to it, and one day you will have no trouble taking on an opponent.”
She responded with another nod.
“You did well for your first encounter,” Colin said in an attempt to praise. “You should be proud.”
“That he should be,” Stuart said as he approached them. “He saved my life.”
Colin looked to Harold. “Is this so, lad?”
Hope shrugged and made an attempt to speak, but her throat was too dry. Instead she once again resorted to a single nod.
“Then you not only do yourself, but all of us proud,” Colin said, offering another pat on the back.
Hope barely broke a smile and was glad that Colin was summoned by one of his men. She in turn went to find Lady, who she was certain remained hiding behind the rock.
Stuart gave her a manly hug before she could walk past him and thanked her, insisting he would be there for “Harold” whenever needed.
Hope found Lady shivering behind the rock and instantly fell to her knees to hug her. The large dog whined in her ear and licked her face clean, so relieved was she to see her. Hope felt the same overwhelming sense of relief and held onto the animal until both of their trembling subsided.
The rain began as they resumed their journey.
Hope did not think she possessed the strength to walk but she found it was wiser to keep moving than to stop and think about how close she had come to death. She told herself that she would be fine, that all was well. Her stomach, however, told her differently, and she wondered if her next battle would be to keep from making a fool of herself by losing what little food she had eaten that day.
Colin watched the lad with concerned eyes. He was pale and his steps uncertain, yet still he did not utter one word of complaint. He continued walking. He could not help but worry about the boy. After having the lad plastered against him he realized he had much physical maturing to do. He was much too slim, his body too frail. He needed nourishment and someone to care for him.
What it was that drew him to the lad he could not say. He only knew that the more he came to know the lad the more he admired his strength and courage and the more he wished to help him.
Once at Shanekill there would be time to spend with him. Time to make him realize that they could be good friends, always good friends.
He shook his head at himself. Why did he feel a need to keep the lad around and see to his safety? Why did he feel so protective of him? The redundant thought annoyed and perplexed him and yet he could not shake it. He felt compelled to take care of the lad.
He watched as Harold struggled along on trembling legs, the heavy rain soaking him to the bone. Colin shook his head and rode toward him.
H
ope fought against her rumbling stomach, knowing it was a useless fight she was bound to lose. But she fought anyway. She was glad she tried to walk. She had to concentrate on taking her steps, thereby keeping her mind occupied by anything other than her protesting stomach.
It rumbled again and she moaned softly.
“Are you all right, Harold?”
Hope jumped, not having heard Colin’s approach over the heavy rain and her own deep thoughts.
“Aye, I am fine,” she said, though her lips chattered and her face was pale.
“I think it is best that you ride.”
Hope shook her head. “Nay, nay, I am fine.”
“It is an order,” Colin said, meaning to be obeyed.
Hope had been gallant in her efforts to maintain her courage and her dignity, and surrender was not to her liking. Unfortunately, her stomach thought otherwise and at that moment she decided that surrender was precisely what was necessary.
Hope made a dash for the grove of trees and bushes off to the left of the road, Lady fast on her heels.
On her knees with her arms wrapped tightly around her protesting stomach, Hope lost what little food had nourished her. She wished Colin would not follow her or that no one would come upon her when she was so weak and vulnerable. Then as suddenly as the thought came she felt a strong arm wrap around her own arms and she knew she had not gotten her wish.
Colin was there.
“Easy, lad,” he said. “It is a common enough reaction. There is no need to be embarrassed.”
The thought that he understood her upset her all the more, and she continued to heave even though her stomach had long since lost its contents.
When she finally regained control of herself, she sighed heavily and leaned back against Colin. His arm remained firm around her.
“I did the same myself when first I tasted the threat of death.”
She understood he tried to console the lad, but presently all she wanted was to melt in his strong arms and forget that the world existed. She wanted to be swept away from the reality of her situation and into the comfort of his protective arms.
That, unfortunately, was not possible and as much as she yearned for the fantasy, she knew it was not to be.
She took command of her senses and addressed Colin as a lad in need, not as a woman in need… a woman in need of a man to love her.
“I can take care of myself,” she said with the bravado of a young boy.
“I have no doubt you can,” Colin said, impressed by the boy’s determination. “But I want you to know that I am a friend you can rely on when needed.”
Need.
Her need for him seemed to be growing day by day. And the more he showed a concern for the lad the more he stole her heart. She saw a man who cared, truly cared for those less fortunate, for those in need, for those who truly needed a friend.
She managed to show her appreciation with a simple “Thanks.” Then she pulled away from him to lean on Lady, who sat nearby. The dog welcomed her with a swipe of her wet tongue.
“You will ride until we camp,” he ordered in his no-nonsense tone.
She chose to argue. “I prefer to walk.”
“You do not feel well. You will ride.” He was adamant in his directive.
“I will do better walking.”
“You will ride.” His stern tone promised he would have his way.
Hope wisely chose reason. “My stomach continues to protest. I feel riding will only make it worse.”
Colin gave it thought, then nodded. “You may walk for a while but as your stomach eases you will tell me and then you will ride for the remainder of the way.”
She agreed with a nod and stood, Lady rising to stand beside her.
“It is only two days’ journey to Shanekill.”
She understood his words were meant to ease her worries, but they only added to her trepidation. Once at Shanekill her time would be sorely limited. Her journey was fast coming to an end, and what had she accomplished?
“Something troubles you?”
Much troubled her, especially her attraction to Colin. Her adventure was turning more complicated than she had planned. Or was her adventure turning too adventurous for her?
“What if I do not like Shanekill?”
Colin had expected the lad to have doubts and he hoped to ease his worries. “I think you will be surprised at how much you will favor Shanekill.”
They walked back to the road, the men having waited for them and the rain having settled into a steady drizzle. Once they were spied coming through the grove of trees the men continued on, leaving Colin to walk alongside the lad. His obedient mare followed close behind him.
Hope was persistent, needing to confirm her suspicions. “So say you, but what if I do not favor it?”
Colin would not lie to the lad. “When I feel you are well and capable of defending yourself, you may go where you choose.”
So he did feel responsible for the lad. While Hope thought it amiable of him, it hindered her plans and posed the threat of discovery for her. She refused to consider her growing feelings for him—that would only complicate matters more. Her adventure had certainly turned perilous and she wondered how she would handle it all and how she would cope with the consequences.
For now she intended to hold fast to her independence as best as possible. “You have no right to force me to remain at the keep.”
“I have every right,” he insisted, though his tone was far from stern. He seemed to want the lad to understand and offered reason instead of demands. “You accepted the Irish Devil’s protection.”
“I thought it was given freely,” she said, annoyed with herself for not being wiser in her choice of words when he had offered for her to join them. Now she feared she had made a commitment she had never intended to keep.
“And you freely accepted it. Now Eric of Shanekill is responsible for your protection and you in turn are answerable to the Irish Devil.”
That thought did not sit well with her and her mighty heritage reared its regal head. “I answer to no one.”
“Nay, lad,” Colin said with a warning in his voice that sent a chill through her, and the words that followed caused goose flesh to rise on her damp skin. “You answer to the Devil.”
An involuntary shiver trembled her body and she wrapped her own arms around herself. She had heard tales about the infamous Irish Devil and had believed them to be just that—tales. But now she wondered.
“He is a fair and just man,” Colin said, attempting to ease the lad’s apparent concern. “He expects what he himself gives to others; respect, honor and truth. Show him these and you will have no problem with him.”
One question haunted her and she had to ask it though she thought she already knew the answer. “How will the Irish Devil feel about you returning without the woman you search for?”
Surprisingly, Colin laughed. “He will grow angry, though he will display no temper. He probably has already formulated another plan and has another troop ready to leave if we should return unsuccessful in our quest. If they should return unsuccessful, then he himself will search and he will find her. And God help her when he does.”
Hope kept her voice from quivering. “What will he do to her?”
“Make her regret the day she met him, though”—he laughed once again—“from what I have learned about Hope she might make the Irish Devil rue the day he found her.”
His remark caused her to smile and say, “You seem to admire this Hope.”
“She has courage. Foolish courage, but—” He shook his head. “She must possess a strong character even to think that her foolish adventure could succeed.”
Hope grew annoyed; after all, she had succeeded so far. “But has she not been successful? She has avoided the Irish Devil’s troop and remains free to enjoy her adventure.”
Her remark annoyed him; she could hear it in his voice. “She may not be free. She may be in harm’s way, and she has lost her dog.” Colin glan
ced down at Lady who walked close beside the lad.
“You do not know for certain if Lady belonged to Hope.”
“Lady Gwenth!” Colin called out, intending to prove his point, but the dog kept her head down and continued walking as if she heard nothing.
Hope kept her lips pursed, forcing back a persistent grin. She had nudged Lady with her leg when she realized Colin’s intention. It was the one and only command that Lady ever obeyed. It was meant for her to remain as she was and respond to no one.
Hope wanted to kiss her for being so obedient. Instead she said to Colin, “Looks like you might have the wrong dog.”
“Lady!” he shouted and the dog raised her head and barked.
It was Hope’s turn to laugh.
“The two names are too similar to be certain which she answers to,” he insisted.
“True enough, though you would think a lady of such importance would have a dog that protected.”
“I have given that fact consideration, but since this woman is not of the common mind, I am led to believe she would not have a common dog.”
“But a coward?” she grimaced and shook her head. “That does not make sense.”
Lady whined at the insult and Hope nudged her silent.
“Time will tell and time is running out for Hope,” Colin said with confidence.
She made no comment. She could not deny the truth of his words.
Colin mounted his horse and looked down at Harold. “You may walk until I send one of the men with his horse, then you will ride.”
She did not argue. He would have his way and besides she had suddenly grown weary. Riding sounded appealing at the moment.
He seemed to sense her tiredness, his glance running over her with concern. “I will send Stuart. He feels obligated to reward your courage.”
“I did what any decent man would do.”
“You did what any courageous man would do and not all men are courageous.” He smiled. “And besides, you are but a mere lad yet to grow into his manhood.”
She wondered what he would think if he only knew the truth. She spoke without weighing her words. “I will never be the man you are.”
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