by Tina Donahue
She glanced at Fernando. He searched the area, as he always did, keeping them close to the trees. Again, she considered if he’d only guessed someone had planned her abduction or if he’d suspected it from the beginning, along with Don Rodrigo’s role in the crime.
The notion seemed unlikely. How could he even know the man existed when he’d failed to recall the name of his betrothed?
He looked at her. “Why are you staring? Do you have something to tell me?”
Heat crept up her throat. She shook her head.
His expression hardened. He resumed his quiet search, while a new worry came to her. “Are we near the road leading to my papá’s castle?”
Again, he looked at her. “Why do you ask?”
If they were, and if her uncle’s agents had already learned of her rescue in Granada, she and Fernando might risk meeting up with them. It wasn’t a concern Isabella could ask outright, so she approached it as best she could. “After the thieves killed the mule, you said we had to use another route lest they follow us. Are we on the route now or have we returned to the first path nearer the main road? Will we risk meeting up with the thieves again?”
“The thieves are long gone. This path is neither the first we took nor the second.”
“Why did you choose it? Why not another? Is there another?”
He frowned. “Why do you ask?”
“What will we face on this path?”
“A posada.”
She couldn’t hide her surprise. A posada was another type of inn known to have cooked meals for travelers and better accommodations than a venta.
“We should be able to reach it in a few days,” he said. “If not unduly delayed.”
“Delayed by what? Is the posada on the main road? Will we be at risk of other thieves and new perils if we use it?”
“Only your endless questions put us at risk.”
“How?”
He leveled his gaze on her. “By delaying us. The posada is on the main road. However, our approach will be from another route. An exceedingly safe route with us arriving as the sun sets.”
“In a few days?”
“No more than that.”
She nodded. If the posada was a few days away, her papá’s castle was even farther.
Fernando increased his pace. Soon, the unforgiving sun made the day unbearably hot. After what seemed an eternity of walking, Isabella longed for more of the venta’s horrible food and drink. “Do we have any wine left?”
“I finished it off after you tasted it again and muttered an Arabic oath.” He looked over. “I forbid you to use such foul language again. Understand?”
“You use it.”
His clenched jaw said she’d gone too far. “As a man I have the right.”
“As a boy ready to become a man, I should also have the right.” She flung out her arms to show him her boy’s clothing.
He laughed. “You are impossible.”
“I am disagreeable, my lord.” She was also tired and thirsty, her feet and legs so sore she walked with limited grace over the uneven terrain. At this point, Isabella had to lock her knees and sway from side to side to keep moving at all.
Fernando stopped. When she was able to do the same, she turned and retraced her steps to him. “What now?”
He glanced to the right, staring.
She tensed. “What is it?” She touched his chest and looked where he did. “What do you see?”
“Nothing.” He turned to her, his face dampened with sweat. “It sounds as though a stream lies to the right. A short walk from here. Can you make it on your own?” He cradled her face. “Or will I have to carry you again?”
She smiled. “Given what I ate last night and this morning, my weight may now be too much for you.”
“Never. Not even when your belly is swollen with my son.”
Isabella ached at what could never be. She turned her face into his palm, pressing her lips to it.
“You want our betrothal, Isabella? You want my children?”
“If you would only allow it.”
“What? How can you say such a thing?” He dropped his hand and gathered her close. “You belong to me, no other man.”
“I want no other.”
He eased back and searched her face. “You mean it?”
“Of course.”
Again, he studied her and grinned as though she’d given him a priceless gift. With his arm slung across her shoulders, he shook her as an older brother might. “Come, Tomás. Water and perhaps food await us.”
He pulled her forward, his pace more brutal than ever as they hurried through the trees.
She spoke between gasps. “I grow weary of being your brother.”
“Good. I far prefer you to be my—” He stopped and stared ahead.
Chapter 7
Before Isabella could see what Fernando had, he pushed her behind a tree, shielding her with his body. She clutched his shirt, worried someone from the venta had followed them, or her uncle’s agents had arrived to do their worst. Her heart pounded so hard, she could barely talk. “Are men looking for us?”
Fernando pressed his mouth to her ear. “Be still.”
She held her breath, straining to hear what they said. Oddly, she didn’t hear any words, only intermittent growls that made her skin crawl. “What kind of men are they?”
“Not men. An animal protecting its kill.”
The thing growled again.
She tried to match the sound with an image of a wild boar or wolf. Although Spain had its share of those animals, her papá had said the creatures lived mostly in the north. She glanced past Fernando’s shoulder, expecting the worst.
A lone galgo was ahead.
She nearly laughed. “We stopped because of a greyhound?”
“One without a home or master. One that may be diseased or protecting its young.”
Its sleek body suggested youth, its long legs and stature full growth, its alert nature good health. “From the looks of it the dog is hardly diseased, though he is male, making it impossible for him to have given birth to any young. You do know how to determine such things, no?”
Fernando eased back until he was eye to eye with her.
Despite his obvious irritation, she smiled.
“Be still. Allow the creature to finish its meal. When it leaves, we can go to the stream.”
She turned to the dog. Despite its good health, the poor thing had as many scars on its mottled brown body as Fernando had on his and seemed uncertain as to what it should do. One moment it seemed ready to bolt; the next it took a bite of its precious kill; and in the next it glanced about, growling to warn anything or anyone from stealing its food.
Her heart ached. “Look how lonely he is and how sad.”
“What would you know of loneliness and sadness?”
Everything, once their journey ended. She’d experience a lifetime of unhappiness without Fernando. Holding back a sigh, she sidled away.
He clamped his hand on her wrist. “What are you doing?”
“We should coax him to our side so he joins us on our journey.”
“Coax the sorry beast to join us? Never. Leave it to finish its meal.”
“If we gain his trust he can provide us with meat and alert us to danger long before we sense anything is amiss.” She yanked her wrist from Fernando and stepped away. “I promise to take care.”
Fernando drew his sword as he followed.
She stopped. “Return your weapon to its scabbard.”
“No.”
“You have no reason to harm the poor thing. If you did, I would never forgive you.”
He seemed torn between railing at her and laughing. Isabella used his hesitation to creep toward the dog.
At her approach, the galgo’s ears pricked and its dark eyes grew wary. Rabbit hair and blood clung to its bared teeth.
“Isabella.”
With her gaze still
on the dog, she motioned for Fernando to stay back. Before he could stop her, she eased toward the beast, using her best smile. “Be still, I mean you no harm.”
The galgo tilted its head but didn’t growl.
Encouraged, she continued until the dog regarded Fernando. Again, the galgo bared its teeth.
“Stay back.” She put up her hand to stop Fernando as she focused on the dog. “Allow me this one request and I will never make another.”
“You are such a liar.”
“Fernando, please. Allow me this.”
“If the creature makes one wrong move, it dies, whether you forgive me or not.”
She feared as much. “Dear Diego, good Diego.” She used the name she would have given her first-born son if she were to have one with Fernando. Suppressing a sigh, she focused on the animal. “You have a plump rabbit, I see, and many scars on your poor body. Are your wounds from a cruel master or other galgos wanting to steal your food?”
The dog regarded her, seemingly undecided between defending its kill and running for its life.
She sank to the ground to diffuse the situation. “Go on. Finish your meal. I have no intention of keeping you from it.”
Again, the galgo seemed torn, though hunger soon won out. It finished off the rabbit, pausing only to take furtive glances at her and Fernando.
“Stay back.” She held out her hand again. “Wait till he trusts you.”
Fernando muttered an Arabic oath.
Isabella smiled. She patted the short, dry grass next to her. “Come here, Diego. Allow Mamá to stroke you.”
The dog met her gaze and took off.
Fernando snorted. “It appears the beast has yet to trust you.”
“He will.”
“Come, we need to get to the stream.”
“He will trust me. Look, he came back.”
The galgo trotted to a nearby tree and hid behind it.
When it poked out its head to see her, she patted the ground. “Diego, come to Mamá.”
Fernando sighed loudly. She beckoned once more. At last, the galgo approached. When she reached to stroke its side, it edged away, only to return, before backing away again. Her soft voice and gentle stroking finally had the animal licking her fingers, much as Fernando had done last night.
She turned to him. “You may now approach. However, do so with great care.”
He stomped to them until the galgo bared its teeth.
“Diego.” Isabella shook her head.
The dog stared at Fernando a moment longer before he resumed licking her fingers.
She turned to Fernando. “Take care.”
This time, he was more cautious in his approach.
Isabella smiled. “If you continue to behave, I may allow you to lick my fingers.”
“Continue to act so foolishly, and this will be the last of your freedom. How dare you put yourself at risk.”
“I only want to use this gentle creature to warn us of danger and to provide us with meat. How can such kindness be wrong?”
“Given the beast’s sorry state, we may never see meat.”
“Sorry state? His condition is splendid, except for his scars.” She turned to Diego. “Fearless warrior. Brave knight. Circumstances forced you to protect yourself from others, much like your papá, Fernando, has defended Spain from her enemies.”
“What?”
She gave Fernando a smile before focusing on the dog. “His scars and courage prove Diego is your son. You best admit it.”
“Admit that thing is part of my family?”
“His name is Diego. Please address him as such.” She gave Fernando another smile. “Does the name please you?”
He frowned. “Nothing about the creature pleases me.”
“Wait until he provides you with a meal of fat rabbits.”
Fernando glanced past her to the stream. “Do what you must with the beast, though take care, understand?”
“Sí.” She turned to Diego. “We must go to the stream now.”
As she pushed to her feet, the galgo backed away, only to return when it again decided to trust her.
She stroked Fernando’s arm. “When we reach the stream, will you rest?”
“I might.” He regarded her. “If I could trust the extent of your plans as well as your beast seems to.”
“Not beast. Diego.”
The dog grunted, seeming to approve of its name.
She blew a kiss. Fernando shook his head. “What will you be doing as I sleep?”
“Cooking the rabbits Diego catches.”
He laughed.
“Fernando.” Isabella arched one eyebrow. “I give you my oath: Diego and I will provide you with a cooked meal.”
“Time will tell.” With his hand on the hilt of his sword and his attention on their surroundings, he marched toward the stream.
Isabella followed until she realized Diego was holding back. “Come.” She patted her thigh. “You must keep up with Mamá.”
The dog took off in the opposite direction.
Her heart fell. Already she loved the creature. “Diego, please. You must follow Mamá.”
“Who continues to delay our journey.” Fernando shook his head. “And alerts all to our location.”
She regarded the area. Only trees were here, with endless fields flowing past the stand. “No one else is around except us.”
“If true, why did the beast run off?”
“He has yet to trust you.”
“The same as his mamá has yet to trust me.”
“How can you say such a thing?” She advanced a step. “After what we shared last night, how can you even think such a thing?”
“With great ease as you resist following me now.”
“I have to wait for Diego.”
“The beast is gone.” Fernando strode forward and stopped as Diego shot from the trees, circling back until he was at Isabella’s side.
Laughing, she clapped her hands. “Good Diego. Again you proved Papá wrong.”
Fernando strode toward the stream. When she and Diego caught up with him, he pointed to a stand of trees near the bank. “I shall await your fire and my meal over there.”
“Each will be delivered to you with the greatest haste.”
* * * *
Fernando dared not comment. When they reached the trees, Isabella kept looking around. He sensed she was trying to determine how to light a fire without a torch. With the matter unresolved, she watched the dog shoot past and circle around.
“Come.” She clapped to get the dog’s attention. “We need to hunt rabbits for Papá. Prove yourself to him and he may be far less disagreeable.”
The beast grunted. Fernando sank to the ground and leaned against a trunk. The sorry creature did everything except hunt. It ran away from Isabella, refusing to return until she used her sweetest voice to lure it back. It ran in circles around her, yelping, coaxing her to play.
She ran with the recklessness of a young boy despite her scraped limbs and previous fatigue. When the galgo stopped without warning, Isabella tumbled over it and laughed with abandon. Fernando smiled, admiring her spirit and cursing it, too. She and the dog were going to be so exhausted he’d have to carry both of them once their journey continued. Yawning at the prospect, he allowed their play. In a few minutes, he’d order them to rest. As she and the dog did, he’d catch and cook some fish.
“Good Diego.” Squealing, Isabella wreathed her arms about the creature’s neck and showered him with noisy kisses. “Brave Diego.”
As Isabella vowed her eternal devotion to the galgo, Fernando closed his eyes. Lucky for the dog it wasn’t a man. Fernando would have run it through because Isabella belonged to him, no other.
She’d said she wanted no one else.
At the time of her declaration, he’d searched her face to see if she’d lied. She hadn’t. Isabella wanted him deeply, yet she’d also said if he’d only allow it.
When had he tried to stop their union? Repeatedly, her words made him question her motives while her kisses and caresses revealed her desire. Would he ever know what was in her heart? Would she ever trust him enough to reveal who ordered her abduction, and why she kept protecting the man’s identity?
He frowned and awoke with a start, unaware he’d fallen asleep.
“Fernando, no.” She grabbed his hand, so he couldn’t draw his sword. Before he could stand, she pushed on his shoulder, urging him to remain where he was. “Return to your slumber, my lord.”
He shook his head. “I was not asleep.”
“You were and should be. You remained awake most of last night.”
“I was not fatigued.”
“You were, yet you sought to protect me as I slept. You have yet to rest or eat, though I intend to change things shortly.”
He was prepared to protest when a heavy, warm, and wet object fell on his leg.
“Oh, Diego.” Isabella made a face heavy with disapproval. “What have you done?”
Dead rabbits rested on Fernando’s left thigh, their blood flowing freely over his hose. The creature panted.
“Will two be enough for you, my lord?”
His heart turned over at Isabella’s expectant expression. She seemed genuinely concerned to see him pleased. “Two are far more than I expected.”
“See, Diego.” She beamed at the dog, “You did well in discovering the burrow. Papá forgives you for eating the third rabbit that should have also gone to him.” She turned to Fernando. “Praise Diego for his accomplishments. His next hunt will have you covered in rabbits.”
“And their blood.”
“Remove your hose so I can wash them.”
“What of me?”
Color tinted her throat and cheeks. “I can also wash you.”
Fernando smiled then turned to the galgo. “Well done, beast.”
“Not beast. Diego.”
“Dog.” The galgo was licking blood off Fernando’s hose.
Isabella pulled the creature away. “I should cook the rabbits before I wash you.”
