Hannah Howell

by Highland Hearts

  “As ever.” She huddled closer to him to stave off the chill of the night air. “I hope all those treacherous dogs trying to hunt us down are getting as little sleep as we are.”

  “So do I.” He idly checked to be sure his sword was within reach. “When we get to my brother’s, we shall rest a while ere we set out for your kinsmen’s. We will be safe enough there.”

  “They must ken that ye might go there. Once they guessed who ye really were, they would easily find all your kinsmen.”

  “True enough, but they canna put too many men at each place or the Douglas willna have any left for his army. Dinna fret. We have eluded them so far. We will continue to do so.”

  Tess nodded and closed her eyes. She did not fully trust in their luck to continue, but she also believed it was foolish to worry over something that had not happened and might never happen. There was more than enough to be concerned about without adding a lot of what ifs. Rest was important now, and that would be elusive if she let her mind prey on the problems yet to come. She cleared her mind of all thought save of how good it felt to be warm and sated in Revan’s strong arms. It was not long before she felt the strong pull of sleep.

  Revan stroked her hair and stared up through the treetops at the clear night sky. He could feel her body grow limp and her breathing become soft and even as sleep crept over her. That peaceful haven eluded him.

  “Ah, Tessa, what am I going to do with you?” he whispered, knowing she could not hear him.

  She was proving to be an intricate problem. At every turn she tugged at his emotions. She had him breaking nearly every rule he had ever made concerning women. There also seemed to be no way for him to stop himself, to draw back and behave as he knew he should, as he knew would be best for both of them.

  He found himself wishing that she were poor. It would solve so many problems. He would not have the worry of possibly offending some powerful family’s honor by taking her as his lover. Right or wrong, bedding a poor virgin did not stir the outrage bedding a wealthy one did. And if he decided he did want her as his wife, he would not have to worry about compromising his honor. They would come to the marriage with equal dowries—nothing. Unfortunately, his association with Tess held nearly as many dangers as the tangled web of treasonous plots they were caught up in.

  Guilt pinched at him as well. He was not being fair to her. Tess loved him or was very close to doing so. He was certain of it. Yet he would not, could not, offer her any future with him. Fairness, even honor, demanded that he set her away from him, but he could not find the strength to do so. She would look at him with those beautiful brown eyes, and he could not hold himself at a distance. As he had done tonight, he would comfort or confide, hold her close and murmur sweet words, and do all that could give her hope that they would stay together. It was almost cruel, he thought with a wince of self-disgust. He prayed that she would not think that of him when he finally had to leave her.

  CHAPTER 12

  After two days of riding, Tess no longer paid much attention to the scenery. But the ruined priory caught her interest immediately. For the first time since they had fled the inn, there was a sign that they were not lost in the depths of some never-ending forest. She also recognized the place. Five years ago she had seen it when she was being taken to the Thurkettles. It had not been in complete ruin then. Some English raiding party had burned it a little. In the intervening years another had clearly finished the destruction. The borderlands were full of such ruins, but it still made her sad.

  What puzzled her was that it had taken her and Revan nearly twice as many days to reach it after leaving the cave near Thurkettle’s keep than it had taken her to go in the other direction all those years ago. She suddenly realized just how twisted a route they had been forced to take by their pursuers. If they were not being so assiduously hunted, they would probably have reached the king by now.

  “Your brother’s keep lies in the direction of my kinsmen’s.”

  “Ye have been this way before?” Revan asked.

  “Aye. Five years ago when my father’s kin took me to the Thurkettles. My father’s kinsmen are three days’ ride from here, but I canna be sure whether ’tis north or west or a bit of both.”

  “The latter I believe.” He glanced at her over his shoulder and grinned. “ ’Tis good that ye arena leading us.”

  “Rogue, but, aye, I fear ye are right in that. I was but thinking on how much longer it has taken us to get here. I see the need to travel a twisting route, but I hadna realized just how much time such machinations have cost us. Thurkettle could keep us from reaching the king simply by chasing us hither and yon.”

  “We have been forced south when we should have ridden north, and east when we needed to go west, but only a time or two. The need to hide from time to time also slows us down.” He patted his horse’s neck. “As does having but one mount between us. We are nearly halfway there. My brother can give us a second horse, and that will gain us some speed.”

  “I didna mean to sound complaining. ’Twas more surprise than anything else. It feels as if we should be nearer our goal.” She grimaced faintly and shifted in the saddle.

  Revan chuckled as he felt her movement. “Aye, I ken that feeling well. We will rest for a while at my brother’s keep. There is time for that.”

  Tess prayed it did not occur to him to leave her at his brother’s keep and continue on by himself. Thus far, he gave no hint of even considering that possibility. She hoped nothing occurred at his brother’s to change his mind about keeping her with him. It was vital that she stay by his side. Although she sensed a softening in him, he still gave her no promises of a future, not even vague ones. She needed more time to try and capture his heart.

  “We will reach your brother soon?”

  “Aye. His keep lies about five miles west of here. We must keep a close watch now, closer than we have done. There is certain to be someone watching for us. I plan to draw within a mile, mayhaps half a mile, of Nairn’s, then wait until dark. We can use the shadows of night to slip inside his keep. There is a bolt-hole we can go through.”

  “Where do ye mean to leave the horse?”

  “There is an old couple in a cottage near the keep. They will hold the animal until the morning, when one of Nairn’s men can fetch it in.”

  “If we see any of Douglas’s or Uncle Fergus’s men, would it not be best to, well, catch them and hold them?”

  “ ’Twould be best to kill the swine, but I have never been one for executions. Nairn is also dangerously close to the Douglas’s lands, bordered by them on three sides. Killing or capturing a Douglas man on his land could bring the wrath of the earl upon his head. Since most of Nairn’s fighting men are surely with the king, ’tis best if we creep in and creep out and bring as little attention upon my brother as is possible.”

  She nodded and felt relieved. Revan would not leave her behind here. That would bring Nairn the very attention Revan spoke of trying to avoid. It would also be dangerous for her to remain so close to the Douglases and, by rescuing her from Uncle Fergus’s men as he had, Revan had shown that he would not leave her to her fate. She relaxed, more at ease about the visit they were about to make.

  There was still several hours of light remaining when Revan halted. Signaling her to be as quiet as possible, he dismounted and helped her down. He then left her with the horse in a thick copse of pines while he crept toward a small thatched-roof stone cottage. Tess remained tense for several moments after he disappeared inside. The people he sought aid from could easily be startled into giving a warning to whomever might be watching. Tess had seen none of their enemy yet, but shared Revan’s certainty that the earl or Uncle Fergus would have set someone to watch Nairn Halyard’s keep.

  Still holding on to the horse’s reins, she sat down on the ground to wait for Revan. It was not very long before he darted back to join her, carrying a small sack she hoped was full of something to eat. It was evident that Nairn and his people had been ready and wai
ting for Revan’s possible appearance.

  “Old Colin says three of Douglas’s men have been lurking about for nearly a fortnight,” Revan said as he sat down beside her. “We should see them very soon after leaving here. They are camped just on the Douglas side of the border.” He shook his head. “They just squat there, and no one can drive them away, for they are on Douglas land.”

  “So what are we to do, then?”

  “We will slip by and get as close as we can to the bolt-hole, then wait until dark. I thought we might wait inside Old Colin’s cottage, but he says those men come around too often. The old man canna stop them, and my brother’s men canna just set here waiting for them. They wouldna come round then, would they?” He gave her a faint smile and held up the small sack. “Some bread, cheese, and apples. At least we willna go hungry while we wait for the sun to set.”

  “Can the old man care for your horse?”

  “Aye. We will leave him here. Old Colin says he has a place to hide it and care for it until morning.” He stood up, took her by the hand, and helped her to her feet. “Let us see just how close we can get.”

  A moment later the keep was in view. It was a tall, square tower house with a high thick wall around it. As she and Revan crept along, trying to stay within the shelter of the thinning trees, Tess could see a few men upon the wall. A moment later she saw the three Douglas men. They made no effort to hide themselves, had even built rough shelters for themselves and their horses. Although they were too distant to be a real threat to the tower house itself, they could see all who came and went from the place. Tess did not envy Nairn Halyard. It could not be easy living cheek to jowl with a man as powerful and treacherous as the Douglas.

  It was not until they were actually in it that Tess realized she and Revan had entered a brush-clogged trench. On their hands and knees they crawled along until they reached a somewhat clear spot. The brush around them and growing on the sides and edges of the trench hid them from view. Revan sat down, and with a sigh of relief, Tess sat next to him.

  “Does this go all the way round your brother’s keep?” she asked as he handed her some bread and cheese.

  “Aye. My brother has let it become clogged with brambles and brush so that it might be set alight if the need arose. Ye can see it from where those Douglas men squat, so ’tis no great secret but ’tis still a good defense.” He looked up at the sky, now growing clouded with the approaching sunset. “In an hour or two we can make our way to the bolt-hole. ’Tis on the western side, so I fear we have a distance to crawl yet.”

  Tess grimaced and started to eat her food. “Are ye certain those men canna see us in here?”

  “Not with all this brush and debris, and if we sit very still, keep low and all.”

  She nodded and silently continued to eat. When she was finished with her light meal, she leaned against Revan and closed her eyes. She huddled closer to him when he put his arm about her shoulders. She felt weary to the bone, weak, and chilled. It seemed only minutes had passed before Revan shook her awake and they began to crawl along the trench in the dark.

  As she was poked and scratched by sticks and brambles, she struggled not to make any sound. It had rained recently, and the bottom of the trench was increasingly damp and muddy. She was soon wet through to the skin and began to shiver. When Revan crawled out and helped her up after him, she almost wept with relief only to find herself being nudged into a musty-smelling, black hole hidden inside a huge tree stump. She prayed it was not a long tunnel as she inched her way along, fighting to ignore the occasional slimy wriggle of life beneath her hand or the distinct squeak of a rat. A grunt of pain finally escaped her when, just as her muscles began to cramp and she feared she could go no farther, she crawled headfirst into a very hard and solid wall of wood.

  “Push, Tessa,” hissed Revan. “ ’Tis the end and that is the door into my brother’s bedchambers.”

  The thought that her ordeal was over gave her the strength to push open the small door. No light entered as the doorway widened. Once sure it was wide enough for her to get through, she edged forward only to stop short as something cold and sharp pricked the end of her nose. She tensed and felt Revan bump her from behind.

  “Tessa, ye do have the sweetest tail I have ever seen, but I have no wish to kiss it now. So move.” Revan gave her a light nudge only to meet stiff, strong resistance.

  “If I move another inch, I shall have three nose-holes.”

  Tess knew her eyes were crossed as she stared at the dimly visible sword point touching her nose. They were starting to sting from the strain. She nearly collapsed with relief when it was pulled back slightly.

  “Come on out, woman. Very slowly.”

  She did not hesitate. The man’s voice was like ice. Tess had no doubt at all that that sword point would be buried deep within her flesh if she did not immediately obey. As she crawled out, she prayed the tense confrontation would soon pass, that the man would realize no enemy threatened him. The brief, horrifying thought that somehow the enemy had taken possession of the tower house was one she tried to force away.

  The instant she was clear of the tunnel and started to stand up, the man grabbed her. She gave a soft squeak of alarm as he wrapped his strong arm around her and yanked her up against him with her face toward the tunnel. When the cold steel of his short sword was lightly pressed to her throat, she went very still.

  “Now you, my good man, will come out of there slowly as well.”

  Revan did as he was told even as he grumbled, “Dinna ye recognize a kinsman, fool?”

  “Ye do sound like one, but ’tis too dark to see. In these troubled times a man canna afford to take any risks. There is a lamp and a flint on a table just to your right,” he continued when Revan was out of the cramped space and standing up. “Light it so that I may make sure the face mates with the voice. ’Ware now, I hold a sword to your companion’s throat. One false move, and your wee friend shall be wearing a new smile.”

  The moment the lamp was lit, Revan turned to glare at his brother Nairn. “Well, Brother?”

  Releasing Tess, Nairn shrugged as he sheathed his sword. “Troubled times, lad. What’s a man to do?”

  Lightly rubbing her throat, Tess scowled at the two men. “It appears this love of holding a blade to a lass’s throat fair runs rampant in your family, Revan.”

  “Now, Tessa—” Revan began.

  “And your threats carry a tedious similarity.”

  Nairn gave her a small bow, his dark blue eyes briefly but intently fixed upon her. “My apologies, lass. Danger is all about. One must act accordingly.”

  She did not have a chance to respond. Nairn immediately turned back to Revan. The brothers embraced and clapped each other on the back. Tess rolled her eyes in a silent expression of disgust as they traded insults as well as assured each other of their mutual good health. Yet again she had been forgotten.

  Glancing around, she spotted the large bed and was drawn to it by the sweet tempting thought of sleep. She eyed the bed, noting its clean, lightly scented linens. She was not clean but wet and smeared with mud. It would be ill-mannered to lie down as she so ached to do. A moment later she decided such a breach of good manners was well-earned. Not only had yet another Halyard threatened her life, but she was being thoroughly ignored. No one had yet inquired after her well-being, and, she frowned, she was feeling increasingly poorly.

  After flipping one of the light blankets over the clean linen, she collapsed on the bed. It felt to her as if her whole body sighed with relief. She had not had the time to notice how weary she was. That utter exhaustion was why she felt a little unwell, she decided. A long sleep in a warm, dry, comfortable place was all she needed. Closing her eyes, she wondered a little crossly how long it would take Revan to remember her.

  “So, the lass dressed as a lad is Thurkettle’s niece,” Nairn murmured when he and Revan finished their lengthy welcome.

  “Aye.” Revan turned to look at Tess and gaped when he saw her
sprawled on Nairn’s bed. “Tessa,” he snapped as he hurried over there. “Ye need to clean up first.” He grasped her by the arm.

  She forced open one eye and tried to glare at him. “Move me from here and it willna be your throat I set a blade against.”

  “Tessa I ken that ye are weary, but this is Nairn’s bed and ye are a wee bit dirty.”

  “I am filthy and ’tis the least he deserves for threatening my miserable life. Now, leave me be,” she muttered, turning on her side so that her back was to him. “I can bathe later,” she managed to say before she fell asleep.

  “Tessa.” Revan started to gently shake her only to have Nairn grasp him by the arm and stop him.

  “Leave the poor wee lass be. I suspect ye have dragged her over moor and mountain with little pause to rest. And no doubt Douglas and Thurkettle have been driving ye hard.”

  “Well—aye—but she shall make a fair mess of your fine bed. She is dusty, muddy, and wet.”

  “None of which shall ruin my bed. Ye and I can bed down in another chamber.”

  “Ye can. I shall stay with her.”

  “Is that wise?”

  “It matters little now if it is wise or not. ’Tis beyond mending.” He started to undress her, tugging off her boots.

  Moving to unlace her doublet, Nairn asked, “Are ye to be wed soon, then?”

  “Nay. Ye ken well how I look upon wedding an heiress when I have but a few coins and a fine sword.”

  “Then ye never should have seduced the lass.”

  “I didna seduce her,” Revan snapped, briefly nettled at the accusation, then he grimaced. “S’truth, we seduced each other.”

  “Ah, then she wasna a virgin lass.”

  “She was.”

  “Virgins rarely seduce a man, leastwise not knowingly.”

  “ ’Tis a long story.”

  “I see. So be it. Ye will be lingering here a while. I am certain we can find the time for you to relate this grand tale.” Nairn crossed his arms over his chest and watched as Revan unlaced Tess’s chemise.