Once he saw that the snow had stopped, he had told her he would go hunt, in hopes of finding them a more substantial meal.
With Sara sleeping peacefully and Slatter hunting, Willow decided to freshen herself with a quick wash. She grabbed the empty wooden bucket, not bothering with her cloak, since she’d be but a moment in scooping up some snow to melt by the hearth.
She cast a glance at Sara, checking on her as she opened the door and kept her head turned to make sure she closed the door good, not wanting to let any cold air in the cottage. She turned and took a step, halting abruptly, the bucket falling from her hand.
A few feet away stood not only Rhodes and his warriors, but Ruddock’s warriors as well.
Chapter 12
“You’re a difficult woman to find, but now that I’ve found you, you won’t be escaping me again,” Rhodes said, taking a step toward her and stopped when her hand shot out in front of her.
“Don’t bother to come near me, since I’m not going anywhere with you,” she said with worry for her husband filling her every thought. If he returned now, he would be captured. What then? And what of Sara? She needed care.
“We have orders to see you safely home.”
Willow was pleased to see it was William who spoke. He wore a clean bandage around his head and looked much better since she’d last seen him.
“You do well, William?” she asked.
“Thanks to you and I’d like to repay that kindness and see you home without any problem.”
“That is very nice of you, William, but I’m not ready to go home just yet,” she said, chasing her worry as best she could so that she could think more clearly and find a hasty solution.
“Whether you’re ready or not, you’re going home,” Rhodes commanded.
A quick and stinging response rushed off Willow’s tongue. “Lord Ruddock’s men were charged in seeing me returned home. This has nothing to do with you.”
“Wrong,” Rhodes said and marched toward her, though William brought him to an abrupt stop with a curt shout of his name.
“Rhodes, give me a moment to speak with Willow.”
That William spoke to Rhodes as if the man was in charge disturbed her. Had Tarass’s men been directed to lead the mission to rescue her?
“What is there to say?” Rhodes asked with annoyance. “She is to come with us and you and your warriors are charged with finding Slatter and returning him to Lord Tarass to serve his punishment.”
“Who has given such an order?” Willow demanded.
“The Lord of Fire,” Rhodes all but snarled.
“He has no say over me,” Willow said with a defiant lift of her chin.
Rhodes grinned. “James, Chieftain of the Clan Macardle, gave the Lord of Fire say over you when Lord Ruddock’s men arrived at the Clan Macardle wounded. William,” —he gave a nod toward the warrior— “gladly accepted our help, since I doubt he wants to return home and tell Lord Ruddock that a Northwick troop failed to see you home safely. I received word what was to be done and William confirmed it once he joined us. Unlike, William, I will see my duty done without incident.” His grin had long faded. “Get your cloak. We leave now.”
Did she go with him to draw them away from here, so that her husband would be safe? But how safe would he be with William and his men searching for him? She threw reason aside and did something, she never did before. She threw caution aside and stood her ground.
“I don’t care what orders you were given, I’m not going with you,” Willow said, squaring her shoulders, ready for a fight.
“It’s not your choice,” Rhodes said and rushed at her.
Willow reacted, picking up the bucket she had dropped and throwing it at Rhodes.
He batted it out of his way with his arm, and grabbed her arm, his fingers clamping like a shackle around it before she could move out of his reach.
“See if anyone hides in the cottage and get her cloak,” Rhodes ordered and one of his men went to obey.
“There is an injured, old woman in there with fever, leave her be,” Willow demanded, while struggling to free herself.
Rhodes nodded toward the cottage and the young warrior walked to the door.
“Harm her in any way and I’ll see you suffer the fires of hell for it,” Willow threatened Rhodes.
He ignored her, as if her threat meant nothing, was futile, and that fired Willow’s temper even more.
“Let go of me now,” she demanded, yanking her arm as hard as she could and not realizing that the snow was pushing up beneath her shift and tunic as Rhodes dragged her toward his horse, her boots digging into the snow to try and stop him.
Willow’s anger grew. She wished her husband was there, and then she wished he wasn’t. He’d be caught along with her and what would happen to Sara?
“You can’t leave the old woman alone. You have to take her back to my home with me,” Willow demanded.
“She’s not my problem,” Rhodes said.
“But she’s mine,” Willow argued, hating the man for being so heartless and annoyed at her herself for being so helpless.
What would Sorrell do?
With the silent question came an answer and Willow fisted her hand and brought it around so fast that it actually stunned Rhodes when it connected with his jaw. Unfortunately, it didn’t stun him enough to free her, though it did anger him.
Rhodes gave her arm a sharp yank and Willow stumbled almost falling to her knees, and yelping in pain when he yanked her arm again to keep her from falling.
“Let go of my wife or I’ll kill you.”
That stunned Rhodes enough to loosen his hold on her and she took immediate advantage and broke free of his grip and ran to her husband where he stood on the side of the cottage.
Slatter caught her up in one arm, his sword gripped in his other hand. “Are you harmed?”
She shook her head and while relieved to have his arm firm around her, she worried for his safety.
William was the one to ask, “Willow is your wife?”
“She is and she’ll not be going anywhere with you,” Slatter said, the strength of his voice leaving no doubt that he meant it.
“This presents a problem,” William said, turning to Rhodes.
“What problem? I was tasked with bringing Willow home and you were tasked with finding Slatter and returning him to the Lord of Fire. That can now easily be accomplished,” Rhodes argued.
“What can easily be accomplished is returning both Willow and her husband, Slatter, to James of the Clan Macardle and have him discuss the matter with the Lord of Fire. The decision is theirs to make,” William explained.
Willow was relieved to hear some common sense being made, but it also annoyed her that a decision would be made for her, then she remembered.
“It is no one’s decision but mine,” she said, drawing both men’s attention. “Lord Ruddock claimed that I was free to pick a husband of my choosing and I picked Slatter.”
Rhodes’s brow creased in annoyance and he looked to William. “This is nonsense. He’s charmed her and now she lies for him. He’s a scoundrel, liar, and thief, and I refuse to believe they’re wed or if for some outlandish reason they are, that James Macardle would approve of their union.”
“Evidently you didn’t hear what I said,” Willow said caustically. “It’s no one’s decision but mine who I wed.”
“If you are wed,” Rhodes challenged.
William spoke up. “We have only one choice, return them home and let James Macardle and Lord Tarass decide what is to be done with them.”
Rhodes didn’t hide his deepening anger. “The Lord of Fire will see it made right.”
That was what Willow was afraid of, that Tarass would have his way no matter what, and the thought made her shiver.
“Worry not, leannan, all will go well,” Slatter whispered near her ear.
His words only worried her more, since she recalled how he’d talked with pride of how he could escape anyone or anyplace. Wou
ld he eventually make his escape and leave her? She shivered again.
His arm coiled tighter around her waist. “The only ones to make this right between us will be you and me.”
Something about the way he said you and me as if no one else mattered, only the two of them and that only they would decide their destiny, vanquished some of her worry.
“Get yourselves together, we leave shortly. I want this mission done,” Rhodes said.
“We’re not leaving until it is safe for the old woman to travel,” Willow said, turning to Rhodes.
“Who is this old woman to you?” Rhodes demanded.
Her husband gave her side a squeeze and she understood, though she had had no intention of telling Rhodes the truth, fearful it could hurt Sara.
“She was a good friend of my mother’s,” Willow said, since neither man would know if that were true or not.
Rhodes conceded with a complaint. “We can’t wait long or they’ll send another troop out after us and if it snows again and we get stuck here, it will not bode well for mine and William’s warriors.”
“I will let you know after I see how she fares,” Willow said and stepped away from her husband, expecting him to follow her into the cottage. When she saw that he headed toward Rhodes, she stopped, fearful for what might happen.
Rhodes didn’t wait for Slatter to reach him, he walked straight at him.
Willow worried this would end poorly and as she’d seen him do on other occasions, her husband moved with such speed that Rhodes didn’t even see the punch coming. He was flat on his back, his eyes stunned wide, his lip bleeding and already swelling.
His men went to go at Slatter and he shook his head. “You truly wish to embarrass him even more, by all of you coming to his defense against a man he should have been able to defend himself against.”
“Stay!” Rhodes shouted, weak as the shout was, still lying flat on his back in the snow.
His men backed away.
“A reminder,” Slatter said, standing over the fallen man. “Lay your hands on my wife again and I will kill you.”
He turned his back on Rhodes, an action that made it clear he did not fear the man, and joined his wife at the door, reaching past her to open it and with a gentle hand to her back entered the cottage with her.
Willow went immediately to Sara. Thankfully, she was sleeping peacefully and a tender touch to her brow told Willow that the fever hadn’t returned. She turned to her husband, standing directly behind her, worry in his dark eyes. “She does well.”
His worry faded as he settled his hands on her waist. “And you? Do you do well?”
Her response surprised her. “When you’re with me, I always do well.”
His teasing grin surfaced. “I do always seem to be rescuing you.”
When he had heard her yell as he was returning to the cottage, fear twisted at his heart and gut, feeling as if they’d be ripped out of him. And when he had seen how Rhodes had hold of his wife, dragging her in the snow, he was ready to kill the man. He was still trying to temper his anger so he wouldn’t go out there and run a dagger through him.
He didn’t like that she wasn’t smiling in return.
“But will I be able to rescue you?” she asked, more of herself than her husband, and the thought made her shiver.
“You’re cold. Come by the fire,” he said, easing her over to the hearth, moving a chair in front of it, sitting, and taking her in his lap as he did.
Willow rested her head on his shoulder. “You know what this means, don’t you?” She raised her head to look at him.
“That we remain husband and wife or chance the Lord of Fire taking me prisoner once again.” He ran his finger along her chin. “I’m not good for you, mo ghaol.”
She didn’t think that at all true, but kept that to herself. “Perhaps, but do we have a choice? And what of your grandmother? She would fare much better at my home than here. She could ride with you. You would keep her warm and safe.”
She could see he was giving it thought, though she wondered if it was his grandmother’s well-being that swayed him to consider it.
“And where would you ride?” he asked.
She hadn’t thought he’d ask that, but she was quick to say, “With William.” Her answer seemed to appease him.
“Is my grandmother strong enough to make the two-day journey?”
“I can’t say with any certainty. What I do know is that I will have much more at my disposal to help her heal at my home than here. She’ll have a warm room, a comfortable bed, and enough food to aid her in healing.”
“It appears it would be a wise choice,” he said, yet didn’t sound entirely convinced.
“Something troubles you about it?”
“No, that doesn’t trouble me. I see the wisdom in what you say.”
“Something else troubles you then,” she asked, seeing something in his dark eyes, but not quite understanding what she saw there.
“I’m not the man you think I am. Rhodes said it well… I’m a scoundrel and liar. We can play at being husband and wife, but only for so long. One day you will wake and I will be gone because that’s who I am.”
An ache settled around Willow’s heart and she asked the one question that mattered the most to her. “Do you care at all for me?”
“That’s the problem, mo ghaol, I care too much for you.”
Chapter 13
Willow sat silent in front of William on his horse since leaving Sara’s cottage more than an hour ago. She had checked Sara’s wounds and all seemed to be well and with no signs of fever, it was decided they would take their leave. The old woman had stirred when she and Slatter had wrapped her in three blankets. Slatter had spoken softly to her, telling her that he was taking her to a safe place where she could heal without worry or fear. Her eyes fluttered open and she nodded.
Willow’s mother had taught her that rest was best when a person needed to heal, but it was no good if a person slept and didn’t stir. Then it was too deep of a sleep, one that many never woke from. So she was relieved that Sara responded when spoken to even if it was only a shake or nod of her head.
Willow’s silence, though, wasn’t due to any worry over Sara. She was in the best place she could be, her grandson’s arms. Her silence was due to what Slatter had said to her earlier.
That’s the problem, mo ghaol, I care too much for you.
She had been ready to ask him… why then would he leave her if he cared for her? But Rhodes entered the cottage letting them know a light snow had begun to fall. That was another reason they had hastened their decision to leave. It wouldn’t have been wise to remain there with barely enough food to feed one person.
Willow more than cared for him. She believed she had fallen in love with him. It made no sense and she questioned the wisdom of her feelings for her husband. She’d even made excuses as to why it was a foolish thought, but her heart ignored every one of them. Common sense cautioned her against thinking Slatter would make a good husband. And yet, the warning went unheeded.
Love can blind. That was what her mum had once told her.
When she had asked how not to be blinded by love, her mum had smiled and told her that was a mystery she doubted would ever be solved. Was she letting love blind her to the truth?
I’m not the man you think I am.
Was Rhodes right? Was Slatter nothing more than a scoundrel and a liar? Would he leave her brokenhearted?
Willow was suddenly eager to know what William thought of Slatter.
She turned a soft smile on him. “What do you know about Slatter, William?”
“I only know that his lies caused great pain and heartache to the Northwick Clan. He also had many a lass enthralled with him and some surrendered to his charm and lying tongue.”
“You agree with Rhodes then?”
“I do. Slatter is nothing more than a scoundrel and a liar. You can trust nothing he says.”
Why when everyone warned her against Slatter, did she
not see it for herself? Had love blinded her that badly? Had she become one of those women who refused to see the worthlessness of her husband?
But what of the other man who resembled Slatter? Was that truth or tale? Devin had known of the man. Or did he lie to protect his friend? And why? Why? Why did she miss being in his arms?
She turned silent again and felt relieved she was on her way home. She’d be in familiar surroundings with people who loved her, perhaps once there she would see things differently.
They arrived at Willow’s home late past mid-day on the second day of their journey. Thankfully, only a light snow had followed them on their way home, though it had turned heavier about an hour ago.
Rhodes and William followed her and Slatter, his grandmother cradled in his arms, into the Great Hall, where James, Snow, and Eleanor waited.
“Explanations will have to wait, I have an old, ill woman who needs tending,” Willow announced upon seeing her family and got the results she wanted.
Snow, with Eleanor’s help, hurried toward her. Thaw, Snow’s pup, yapped as he followed along.
Willow was quick to reach out to her sister and hug her tight. “I am well, do not worry. We will talk later and I will explain all.”
“I am glad you are home safe,” Snow said, tears lingering in her eyes.
They both turned to their brother as he spoke.
“I’ll speak with Slatter while you tend to the woman, Willow.”
Slatter issued his own command. “I speak to no one until I’ve seen my grandmother settled.”
Willow shocked them all when she said, “And you’ll not talk with my husband without me present.”
“Husband?” James, Snow, and Eleanor asked in unison.
“Aye,” Willow confirmed. “That he is and that he’ll stay.”
“You let your wife dictate to you?” Rhodes said, sounding as if he issued a challenge.
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