Страница 20 из 96
"He was the most beautiful animal I've ever seen," she added hoarsely. "If I'd known that taking him this morning might have led to his death, I'd have stayed here until I could-could find some other way."
Staring up into the earl's hooded eyes, Je
Turning onto her side she buried her face in the furs. "I didn't fall," she whispered brokenly, "he threw me. I'd ridden him over higher obstacles all day. I knew we could clear that tree with ease, but when he jumped, he reared up at the same time, for no reason at all, and I fell backward. He shook me off before he jumped.
"Thor sired two sons, Je
His captive drew a shattered breath, and in the darkness, she said simply, "Thank you."
A biting wind howled through the moonlit valley, taking sleeping soldiers in its frigid embrace until their teeth chattered convulsively, as fall made an ungraceful and early debut, masquerading as winter. In his tent, Royce rolled over beneath the warm furs and felt the unfamiliar brush of an icy hand against his arm.
He opened an eye and saw Je
He lay back again and closed his eyes without remorse. After all, his men were conditioned to hardship and the elements. Je
She moved, snuggling deeper into the furs, and somehow her bottom came to rest against Royce's updrawn knee. Despite the insulating barrier of furs, his mind instantly began reminding him of all the delectable female attributes that lay just within his easy reach. And just as persistently, Royce shoved the thoughts aside. She had the peculiar ability to be at one and the same moment an i
The earl of Merrick paced before the fire in the center of the hall, his face contorted with wrath as he listened to suggestions from his two sons and the four men whom he counted as his closest friends and kinsmen.
"There's naught to be done," Garrick Carmichael put in wearily, "until King James sends us the reinforcements you asked for when you told him the Wolf has the girls."
"Then we can attack the bastard and demolish him," his youngest son, Malcolm, spat. "He's close to our borders now-there's no long march to Cornwall to weary us before we go to battle this time."
"I don't see what difference it makes how close he is or how many men we have," William, the eldest son, quietly said. " 'Twould be folly to attack him unless we've freed Bre
"And how in God's name are we supposed to do that?" Malcolm snapped. "The girls are as good as dead as it is," he said flatly. "There's naught to do now but seek revenge."
Far smaller in stature than his brother and his stepfather-and far calmer of temperament-William brushed his auburn hair off his forehead and leaned forward in his chair, looking about him. "Even if King James sends us enough men to trample the Wolf, we'll not get the girls free. They'd be killed in the fighting-or murdered as soon as it began."
"Stop arguing with every plan unless you have a better one!" the earl snapped.
"I think I do," William quietly replied and all heads turned to him. "We can't get the girls out by force, but stealth might do the trick. Instead of sending an army out to challenge him, let me take a few men with me. We'll dress as merchants, or friars, or something, and we'll follow the Wolf's army until we can get close to the girls. Je
"I say we attack!" Malcolm burst out, his desire to pit himself against the Wolf again overwhelming his reason, as well as what little concern he had for his sisters.
Both young men turned to their father for an opinion. "Malcolm," the earl said fondly, " 'tis like you to want to take a man's approach-to exact revenge and damn the consequences. You'll have your chance to attack when Jamie sends us reinforcements. For now"-he glanced at William with a glimmer of new respect-"your brother's plan is the best we have."
Chapter Six
During the next five days, Je
Sitting just inside Royce's tent, her fingers busily sewing at the blankets, Je
She hadn't had more than a brief glimpse of her sister since the night of their ill-fated escape. Stefan, the earl's younger brother, was evidently responsible for keeping Bre
Putting her sewing aside, Je