by Eliza Knight
Jamie, his feet solidly planted and his hands on his hips, exploded in peals of laughter catching everyone off guard.
Laura thought he was a crazy man.
“And you believed her. I’ve been burdened with this woman for some time. I would gladly give her up, however I’ve just spent weeks looking for her. You see, she ran away from me and our four babies. Left us just like that,” he snapped his fingers, “the wee one so small, not even walking.”
That got her to her feet.
“Off to see the world she said. And fancy things she wanted. Look at her clothes. She stole what little money I saved and spent it all on fineries.” His outstretched hand pointed from her toes to the top of her gown. A vicious rumble went through the room.
How dare he say she would leave her babies? If she had any, she certainly wouldn’t leave them with him.
Her chest heaved and her hands crushed her skirt she grabbed it so hard. Unable to take another word, she took her bowl of stew and threw it at him. He ducked. The plate hit the innkeeper’s wife behind him.
The room went silent, the only noise from a patron who snored in his seat by the window. Mortified, Laura stood rooted to the spot. The woman slowly wiped limp pieces of onion and flecks of beef off her face with the dirty rag in her hand. The room burst into an uproar.
In two steps, he approached her and hoisted her over his shoulder. Shouts told him to punish the ungrateful woman. She could only guess at the meaning of some of the words they threw at her. Jamie took the steps two at a time. He entered their room, kicked the door closed then dumped her on the bed.
“You have ten minutes to undress and get under the covers before I come back.”
“But—”
“Not a word from you. You could have gotten us both killed. What were you thinking? Ten minutes.” He left the room. The sound of the tumbler falling into place was too much to tolerate.
A quick glance around the room and she took action. Rather than do his bidding, she dragged the heavy chest in front of the door. Let him try to get through that. She dusted off her hands and changed into her night clothes. In bed with the candle out, she waited for him to return.
Sitting in the tavern near a window with an ale, he watched the others in the room. Most were farmers, although he was sure four men at a nearby table were reivers. The men raided farms and stole from travelers that had no protector or connection to the raiders’ own kin. This time of year, the late fall, was best for raids, the nights were long and cattle and horses fat from grazing.
An hour later, Jamie went up the stairs. He hoped giving Laura more time would ease her temper. Never in his life had he wanted to strike a woman but she tried his patience. The faster he got her into Herbert’s care the better.
A thin layer of ice glazed the gallery walk. His breath turned to frost as he hurried to the room and turned the key in the lock. The door opened only an inch. He pushed on it, but it wouldn’t budge. It wasn’t stuck, something substantial blocked the other side. The chest.
Annoyed, tired and cold, he had no plans of staying outside in this weather, nor did he have any intention of staying downstairs and getting his coin lifted.
Jamie went down the outside steps and around the building to the oak tree. He climbed the oak and came through the broken window.
A moonbeam gave off enough light for him to see her wrapped in her bedroll. Her soft, even breath told him she slept soundly. He let out a deep sigh, took off his boots and coat and settled on the bed.
He looked over at her and adjusted her blanket. Satisfied, he wrapped his bedroll around himself, showed her his back and went to sleep.
Laura pulled the blanket around her and shuddered. The broken window left no way to stop the draft. Ripples of shivers ran up her back until her teeth chattered. She rearranged the blanket and again searched for a comfortable warmer spot.
“Hush, you sound like a bear plodding in the forest.” Jamie moved next to her and touched her hand that held the blanket to her throat.
“Faith, woman. You’re as cold as ice.” He cuddled her against his chest, pulled his blanket around them both.
“How did you—”
“Did you really think you could keep me out? Now hush.” She stiffened with apprehension, his rhythmic breathing soothed her. She sighed as her body thawed and she moved closer greedy for more of his heat.
Jamie snored.
A soft moan escaped her lips as she fell asleep.
The woman would drive him to drink. He continued to “snore”.
What had he gotten himself into? His chest burst with pride, and a bit of fear, when she stood against Bryce’s men. Smart. She read the situation well and quickly. Her swift actions surprised him and put those men on the defensive from the start. She was as fearless as a lioness protecting her cubs. Even downstairs, she’d held her own. He took a deep breath. Lavender and spice. She’d make a fine warrior’s wife.
Good thing he planned to be a farmer.
Chapter Four
“Time is with us. We should be at the castle by nightfall.” Jamie rode in the front of the column with Sean. Well past noon, he’d pushed everyone since first light, stopping only for necessities and to rest their mounts.
“Did Lady Darla give you any spells or powders to help rid us of the ghost?” the man’s tone dripped with scorn. Jamie held back a smirk. Of all his men, Sean was the least to believe in spells and magic. He couldn’t say that about some of the others.
“No, she sent along Lady Laura to help us figure out what needs to be done to appease him.”
Sean gave him a sideways glance. “I did wonder why we were saddled with the lady.”
“Lady Laura will be with us for a week doing whatever it is she does. When it doesn’t work, we’ll thank her for her kind efforts and take her back to Glen Kirk all sweet and nice.” He wasn’t about to mention his biggest reason for removing Laura from Glen Kirk.
How to protect her from Bryce had been in the back of his mind since Darla suggested he bring her to the castle. There wasn’t any way he could keep her at the castle forever. He hoped Herbert could find another way to protect her.
“Lady Darla is sure Evan didn’t kill Angel.”
“Lady Darla is perceptive,” Sean said. “I don’t think the boy killed her either.”
Bryce faded from Jamie’s mind. Instead, he concentrated on Evan. The sooner he got to the bottom of this conundrum, the faster he could return to his farm.
“Where were the wounds? Do we know the condition of the room when they found the bodies? Was there a fight? Who overheard the argument?” Sean’s endless questions didn’t surprise Jamie. They were similar to Laura’s questions.
“Yes, exactly. Everyone happily accepted the explanation and didn’t look any further. It’s been three weeks. The bodies are buried. We’re fortunate no one wanted to go into the pantry. Lord Herbert locked it up, especially when the ghost started to appear. The castle staff uses the storage room underneath the castle, by the well.”
“It will be difficult to get answers, but not impossible. Find out what you can. The staff is our best source and, perhaps, the two families,” Jamie said.
“The families had been close, intertwined would be a better word. It’s hard to figure out who belongs to which family. They did everything together. Now, each blames the other and people in the castle take sides.” Sean shook his head. “You even have to be cautious at the tavern. A word misspoken starts an argument and sends tempers flying.”
“If Lady Darla is right, and Evan and Angel were murdered by someone else, it would resolve the family problems although leaves us with a bigger one, who murdered them. Perhaps that’s what our ghost wants.” Jamie let out a small chuckle. “Our ghost wants justice.”
“How will Lady Laura help?” Sean asked.
Jamie ran his hand through his hair. “I’m not sure. I have no idea how she does what she does and, truth be told, I don’t want to know as long as she doesn’t get in our way. Our job is do
ne once we present her to Herbert. Right now, tell the others we’ll be making a short stop at Annan.”
“I’ll speak to the men and see if they have any information,” Sean said. Jamie nodded. Sean wheeled away and fell in with the men behind them.
Jamie slowed. Lady Laura rode up next to him.
“We’ll stop at Annan for a brief rest.”
“Not on my account. I can go on.” Laura, her chin lifted, stared in front of her.
“Not on your account at all. It’s the horses that have my concern. I’ve pushed them hard. They need to rest before we go the last ten miles. I want to get to the castle before they close the gate for the night. I’ll not sleep on the ground when I can have a nice warm bed.”
“Of course. The horses,” her voice was tight, her tone low. Her knuckles were white from strangling the reins.
At every turn she argued. Except last night. The memories of her warm body cuddled next to him, the fragrance of lavender and spice, the sound of her soft breath sent spasms through his body. Last night she was—Richard’s sister. He straightened in the saddle. His building manhood quickly collapsed.
“I’ve been thinking about Evan’s ghost. If we—”
“Laura, when we get to the castle, I’ll bring you to Herbert. You can tell him what you need for your spells and incantations.” Her blood boiled at his dismissive attitude. Spells and incantations. Was that what he thought she was all about? That she didn’t have a brain in her head?
She forced herself to quiet her insides. Yelling at the stubborn man never got her anywhere, besides, she didn’t need his help. Look at him sitting on his warhorse, so sure that his way was the only one.
He treated her like a child, patting her on her head then sending her on her way. He didn’t remember that day when he unleashed his fury on Bryce.
“Is he all right?” she asked Gareth as he marched out of the barracks.
“Stubborn and more stubborn. Won’t even let me help him. See if you can.” He handed her the clean linens. “Except for a few cuts and bruises, he’ll be fine. I’ve never known Jamie to hit a person. I didn’t know he knew how.”
Gareth walked away shaking his head.
Laura entered the barracks quietly. Jamie sat at the table, staring at nothing. His bedroll tied and ready to go. His face was a mess, a large cut on his lip, his cheeks rough and bloody, his nose caked with blood.
She dipped one of Gareth’s linens into the fresh basin of warm water and dabbed it on his forehead. He didn’t swat her hand away. She took that as a good sign.
Laura progressed and ministered to the rest of his wounds. Finally, she put the stained linens in the basin and sat across from him in silence.
“Thank you,” he finally said. He picked up his bedroll and started to leave. She grabbed his arm.
“Where are you going?” A wave of panic rolled through her.
“I need to go.” His voice was cold and distant. She panicked more.
“What do you mean you need to go? You’re family. If anyone should leave, it’s Bryce.” He gently took her hand off his arm and turned toward the door. “Why are you doing this? Because a foolish boy who is half the man you are called you out?”
“No,” he gazed at her, a hurt look in his eyes.
Gareth stepped back into the room.
“Not at all. I’m leaving because I wanted to kill him. If he hadn’t fallen, I would have kept at it. I was a berserker. Not in control. I never want to feel that way again. If I stay here, near Bryce, I don’t know that it won’t happen again.”
“You’ve made a powerful enemy,” Gareth said. “It doesn’t matter who was right or that he taunted you. You bested him in front of others, but you didn’t kill him, if that’s what’s worrying you, although sometimes his smug attitude makes me want to wring his neck.”
“But Bryce started the fight. It was clear to everyone that Jamie didn’t want to hit him back,” she said.
Gareth let out something that sounded like a laugh. “Once started and without any resistance, Bryce thought he could win the fight, establish his supremacy over Jamie, like a dog fighting for his place in the pack.” The grimace on Gareth’s face left no doubt what he thought of Bryce.
“Laura, you don’t understand. Bryce is English and I’m—”
“My Scottish cousin. Emphasis on Scottish, like Richard, Lisbeth and me.” She jabbed her finger at his chest as she said each name. “And we’re proud of it. If he doesn’t like it then the—”
Gareth gave a loud cough. She saw the twinkle return to Jamie’s eyes.
“You made your point, Lass.” Jamie stared at her face as if he was preserving the image in his mind. “I’m leaving, but I’ll never be far away from you.”
The sound of rushing water brought Laura back into the moment. Jamie led the group through the high grass marsh that bordered the river. In a few moments, they stood on the muddy sandy shore of the River Annan.
“We’ll rest when we’re out of the marsh on the other side.” He looked at Laura on her palfrey. “You’ll ride across with me.”
Laura looked at him aghast. “I assure you, I can handle my horse crossing the river.”
“I’m sure you can. However, it’s all about size,” he smirked.
She tilted her head and sucked in a quick breath when she reconsidered the double meaning of his words.
“My horse,” he leaned over and said in a husky tone. “He stands several hands higher than yours. Where is your mind, m’lady?” He straightened in his saddle. She was sure he enjoyed her discomfort. “There won’t be any time to stop and dry your skirts. Unless you want to spend the next two hours wet to your waist. You ride with me.”
A command.
The idea of sitting in a wet skirt didn’t appeal to her, neither did riding with Jamie.
He reached over and lifted her onto his lap as if she weighed nothing. His hand lingered a moment too long. A tingling started in the pit of her stomach. Tucked across his lap, he pulled her close. She stopped arguing.
“Hold tight.”
Another command.
“Or we’ll both be taking an unexpected bath,” he whispered in her ear. Laura wasn’t sure if it was his low voice or the picture his words painted in her head that made her heart turn over. It took every ounce of control not to quiver.
His chest rumbled with a chuckle and she wanted to swat him.
Jamie waited for his men to cross the river and go down stream. When they were out of sight, he walked his destrier into the water.
“Gather up your skirts, Lass. I’ll do my best not to peek.” His voice was low and mellow. He took a deep breath and straightened his back, distancing himself from her. She was almost disappointed. “The men are away and will not notice your ankles and I’d rather you stay dry. The water is higher than I anticipated.”
One minute he was rude and commanding and the next playful and thoughtful. Rather than make an issue of the contradiction, she decided to enjoy his playful, thoughtful side.
Laura gathered her skirts, her ankles shamelessly dangling.
“I hope you know how to swim. You never know about the river sprites. They may take offense at your serious expression.”
She swung her head around. “Have I been that difficult? No, don’t answer that.”
She turned away and glanced up river and stiffened.
“What is it?” Jamie followed her stare. Riders galloped towards them and they weren’t his men.
He and Laura were targets in the swift moving water. He needed to get farther downstream, away from the marshland. He cursed himself for worrying about her propriety rather than her safety.
The sound of splashing from up river grew closer.
“Wrap your arms around my waist and try not to lose your seat.”
They reached the far bank and raced along the river, the raiders not far behind.
“You need to let me down,” she yelled at him in the wind. “You can go faster without me.”
The spray of water from his horse’s pounding hooves turned into small clouds of dust as they came out of the marshland into the meadow. His horse couldn’t maintain this speed much longer. They reached the area where the river dog-legged to the right. A dense fog hung low in the forest. Jamie let loose his battle cry then veered into the woods.
They raced on. Out of the mist his men charged and dashed past them set to do battle with the reivers close behind them.
Jamie and Laura raced on. Laura glanced over his shoulder.
“Rider behind us.” Jamie urged his horse on faster. If they didn’t stop soon, the poor animal would collapse.
Another glance. The man was gaining ground. Think, she told herself. Sunlight bounced off Jamie’s sword. Could it work? It had to.
“Put your sword on your left shoulder then make a quick half-turn to your left and face the rider. Don’t stop, charge,” Laura said as she lay as close to his horse as possible to give Jamie more room to maneuver.
“Don’t look. It’s not going to be a pretty sight.”
She closed her eyes tight.
Jamie followed her instructions. The sound of the horse’s hooves echoed in her head as he completed the maneuver and his horse sprang forward. With the full weight of the charging horse behind his sword, he hit the raider in the chest. The man fell to the ground. His disembodied head rolled somewhere in the mist.
Jamie turned his horse again and continued into the woods. Laura sat up. The trees sped by. She began to panic at the tall hedge row that loomed in front of them.
Their direction didn’t waver. Rather than slow down, the animal gathered speed. Jamie crushed her in front of him and held her head against his chest.
“I won’t let anything happen to you. Hold me.”
The sensation of flying through the air frightened and exhilarated her at the same time. For a moment, her heart stopped. How they landed without the horse falling or them being thrown was beyond her, but they did.