A Knight of Honor (20 page)

She had looked with distaste at the berries he offered her to break her fast and turned her back to him.
 
Now she saddled her horse, readying the animal to continue the trip to Castle Donovan.
 
Why was she even going there?

She should end this farce and bid Slane farewell.
 
But what would she do then?
 
Look for another job?
 
Perhaps she could find work at Castle Donovan.
 
It was as good a chance as any.

Taylor put her hand on the saddle, preparing to ease herself up.
 
That was when she heard the silence of the forest around her.
 
The eerie quiet where there should have been dozens of different sounds filling the air.
 
She froze, remembering the attack by the black-clad knights when Jared was with her.

Taylor eased her sword from its sheath, her eyes scanning the surrounding woods carefully, looking for any signs of attackers.
 
The wind blew softly through the trees, rustling the leaves and branches.

As she turned, she saw Slane bent over, pulling a belt tight on his horse.
 
He stood to inspect the bridle and caught her gaze.
 
She saw the tension coil around his body as his hand flew to his sword, his eyes wide with alarm.

Taylor heard her horse whinny behind her... and knew it was too late.
 
She whirled -- only to find the tip of a sword pressed against her throat.

S
lane’s body exploded with motion as he bolted forward, moving to Taylor’s aid.
 
The sharp edge of the attacker’s blade pushed dangerously close to the soft hollow of her throat.
 
He was going to be too late.
 
She was going to die.
 
The thoughts came unbidden, igniting a powerful fear in his body.

But suddenly, surprisingly, Taylor launched herself forward into her attacker’s arms, flinging her hands around his body, laughing with true delight.

Slane stumbled and almost fell as the man swept his arms around Taylor in a cloak of joy.
 
Slane immediately straightened up, holding his body as rigid and tense as a board.
 
A fierce wave of resentment shot through him, and he wanted to run the man through.

Why didn’t she smile at him the same way?
 
But the thought was preposterous!
 
Why should she?
 
And why should he even want her to?

“I can’t believe it!” Taylor exclaimed.
 
“What are you doing here?”

Slane’s gaze slid to the man.
 
His deep blue eyes gazed at Taylor with such delight that Slane wanted to hit that square jaw of his and knock the smile from his lips.
 
He hated the man instantly.
 
He hated the man for being able to make Taylor so happy.
 
Slane’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrowed.

“I heard about Jared,” the man answered.

Sadness crept into Taylor’s eyes as her brows met in a scowl of pain.
 
And suddenly, Slane felt guilt enfolding him in a shroud of shame.
 
What was he thinking?
 
Why was he being so selfish?

“Yes,” she said softly, disengaging herself from the man.

“I wanted to know you were all right,” the man said.

Slane stepped forward.
 
“She’s all right,” he snapped.
 
Taylor turned her gaze to him, and Slane felt her look of pain spear him like an arrow.

The man shifted his gaze to Slane.
 
“Who are you?” he asked evenly.

“I was going to inquire the same of you,” Slane replied.

“This is Slane Donovan,” Taylor said.
 
“Slane, this is Alexander Hawksmoor.”

Alexander!
 
The word sent tremors of trepidation through Slane’s body.
 
Was this the same Alexander of whom she had been so enamored years ago?

“You can put your sword away,” Taylor advised.

Slane looked down and frowned, surprised that he still held the weapon so tightly in his fist.
 
He sheathed his blade as she returned her gaze to her friend.

“I’m fine,” Taylor told Alexander.

“Are you sure?”

“Why wouldn’t she be?” Slane demanded.
 
“She is in my care.”

Again, Alexander’s and Taylor’s gazes swiveled to him.
 
Slane suddenly felt like an outsider listening in on a private conversation.
 
His fists clenched tight and his teeth ground together hard.

Alexander ignored him.
 
“Sully, you’re all right?”
 
His voice lowered and he went on.
 
“He’s not forcing you to travel with him?”

Every muscle in Slane’s body stiffened.

“No,” she said.

Alexander cocked his head and gave her a suspicious look.

She smiled.
 
“He’s paying for food and lodging.”

Alexander looked around at the forest.
 
“Pretty cheap lodging.”

“Last night was better,” Taylor said.
 
“Unfortunately, you know how I attract trouble at inns.”

Alexander nodded.
 
“That’s how I tracked you.
 
And I saw you leaving town last night.”
 
He motioned to the woods.
 
“I followed you here.”

“That easy, eh?” Slane asked.

Taylor turned to him with her hands on her hips.
 
“Alexander is an even better tracker than Jared is.”
 
Taylor paused, then softly added, “Was.”

Alexander locked gazes with Slane.
 
“It wasn’t difficult.”

Unable to stand another moment in this man’s presence, Slane turned away from them and moved to his horse.
 
Their voices floated to him on a breeze.

“You can’t keep still,” Alexander said.
 
“Not for a moment.
 
There are too many people looking for you.”

Slane grabbed the reins of his horse a little too roughly and the steed whinnied and took a step back.
 
Leading his horse, he returned to Taylor’s side.
 
“Are you ready?”

Taylor looked at Alexander with something akin to longing in her eyes.

Slane’s hand tightened around the reins.

“Will you travel with us?” she asked.

Slane opened his mouth to object, but slammed it shut into a tight-lipped sneer.

Alexander cast a glance at Slane.
 
“I’d love to.
 
For a while.”

Slane knew he should be grateful for another sword to help protect Taylor.
 
But he wasn’t.
 
Tension, distrust, and dislike coiled his body as tightly as a spring.
 
He didn’t want this Alexander with him... or rather, with Taylor.
 
He swung himself up onto the horse.

What was wrong with him?
 
It would do Taylor good to have an old friend with her.
 
Especially after Jared’s recent death.
 
But why did it have to be Alexander?

***

Alexander dismounted, tethering his horse to a tree near the stream.
 
He turned in time to see Taylor glance at a brooding Slane.
 
Donovan had ridden a good two horse paces in front of them the entire trip, his back ramrod straight, his hands clutching the reins of the horse so tightly that they turned white.

Taylor was pensive the entire ride.
 
She glanced repeatedly at Slane with that troubled furrow etched in her brow and the thoughtful look in her eyes.
 
Something had happened between them, Alexander was sure.

Taylor swung herself from her horse and bent at the stream, rinsing her face with a handful of water.
 
She stood and faced him.

There had been a time when he had seen infatuation shining from those eyes.
 
Now there was only friendship.
 
And it was as it should be.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked softly.

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t play that game with me,” Alexander warned.
 
“I know all about those wide-eyed looks of yours.”
 
Taylor laughed gently, but Alexander continued.
 
“This Corydon is no fool.”
 
He watched the laughter drain from her face and caught just a glimpse of anger narrowing her eyes before she turned away.
 
“He’s not far behind you.”

Taylor moved to her horse and opened her pack, busying herself with fumbling through the items inside.

Alexander stepped up behind her.
 
“He means to capture you or kill you.
 
Either way it’s crazy to leave such an obvious trail for him.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” she snapped.

Alexander grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him.
 
“I know what you’ve been doing.”

“You don’t know anything.
 
We weren’t important enough for you six years ago, so don’t pretend I am now.”

“I have a job,” Alexander said, his spine straightening.

“You did then, too,” she said quietly and turned back to her horse.
 
“You left us when we could have used your help.”

Alexander stared at her back.
 
“Jared had his way of doing things.
 
I had mine.
 
There was no way to reconcile them.”
 
After a long moment, he asked, “Why are you going to Castle Donovan?”

She shrugged.
 
“Maybe Slane’s brother will be looking to hire mercenaries.”

Alexander scowled at her.
 
“You’re impetuous.
 
You’re reckless.
 
You can’t work under a noble without Jared here to smooth things over.”

“Then why don’t you take Jared’s place?” she said sarcastically.

Alexander sighed.
 
“I still have gypsies to hunt.”

Taylor shook her head.
 
“Still on that campaign, huh?”

Ridding the land of the gypsy scourge was a quest he had begun long ago.
 
He was not going to give it up to be her companion.
 
Still, he couldn’t help but feel the old guilt raise its head.
 
She had no one now.
 
She was as alone as he felt.
 
Alexander placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.
 
Taylor shrugged his hand off her shoulder, turning away from him.
 
Alexander stood for a long moment, staring at her tense back.
 
They had been the best of friends long ago.
 
And he knew she was hurting.
 
He reached around her and pulled her against his chest, wrapping his arms around her stiff body.