The Lady and the Knight (Highland Brides) (21 page)

A mismatched pair of geldings pulled the wagon.

Shaggy steeds they were and none too tall, but beneath their hirsute hides pumped blood as blue as royalty. They had run like the wind, swift and sure in the darkness, until Sir Boden was left far behind.

Twas good, of course. Twas as it had to be.

Sara stared into the fire, feeling as though her heart had been ripped from her chest.

"Nay, dear Liam, I have not changed my mind," Liam said, mimicking her higher tone. "And have I thanked ye for saving me from the dread warlord?

"Well, nay, wee lass, you have not.

' 'Then let me do so now, sweet Liam. Let me tell you how clever you are. Never have I known a man half so clever. You are surely the cleverest—"

"Were ye saying something?" Sara asked, drawing her attention from the flames with a start.

Overhead, thunder rumbled, threatening rain.

Liam's gaze was steady on her face, his expression soft. "You still plan to keep the child from Haldane?"

"I have no choice," Sara said. "I made a vow to keep him safe."

"And yer certain he would not be safe with his sire?"

She stood quickly. She'd fallen asleep in the wagon and now felt fidgety and restless. "I wish to God I knew, Liam. But I dunna and I dare not take a chance. Not when the nightmares plague me so."

She paced, wishing she could sleep again, wishing she could lie down and wake to find that it was all no more than a horrible dream. "What am I to do?"

Their gazes met. A slash of lightning scarred the sky and faded.

"About the babe?" he asked.

She closed her eyes. "I must take him to the Highlands. And there, somehow, I will find a way to keep him safe."

"And will his father not come after him?"

"He sent the mother away," she said, wringing her hands. "He did not want her. Does he, then, deserve the child?"

"Mayhap the question is not whether he deserves him, but whether he will take him, sweet Sara."

"He does not need the babe. He does not
want
him!" she said, her tone desperate.

"Not as much as you do?" he asked softly.

"Aye." She faced him in the darkness. "Not as much as I do."

"Will ya hide him away and raise him to manhood in secret then?" Liam asked. "Will ya deny him his birthright?"

She paused, letting the silence settle in. "I made a vow."

"And what of the warlord? He doesn't seem the kind to give up with a shrug and trot home."

Sara's heart pinched painfully. "Aye. What indeed shall I do about Boden?"

Liam's gaze was as steady as the sea. Without looking up he tossed a blade into the air. Fire flashed along its edge. Seemingly without thought, he caught it by the handle. "I could kill him for you."

"Nay!" Sara gasped, jerking toward Liam. "Nay! Ye would not!"

"That depends." He straightened, glaring into her eyes. "Did he harm ya, lass?"

"Nay!" she breathed, calming herself. "Never."

"Did he..." Liam paused and for a moment he gritted his teeth as though unable to go on. "Did he dishonor ya?"

"Nay, he did not." She turned toward the fire again. "But I nearly dishonored myself."

"So you love him," Liam said.

"No!" Tenor spurred through her heart.

"Then let me kill him."

"He's done naught to deserve death."

"He's a knight, lass, trained to kill, surely there's something in his past that deserves death."

"Liam!" She grabbed his arm, feeling panic wash her like a cold wave, feeling her hands shake as she took hold. "I beg of you! Please! Dunna harm him."

"He will follow ya, Sara. He will try to take ya back."

"Ye took his horse," she reminded.

"But he'll come. He will take the babe."

Her fingers tightened in his sleeve. "Promise me, Liam. Promise ye will not harm him."

"Even for the babe's sake?"

"Promise me!"

Liam was silent for a moment, then, "He's a lucky man," he said softly, "to
not
be loved by ya."

"Please promise," she whispered.

Liam shook his head and chuckled softly as he dropped his foot from the rock and grinned at her. "I'm flattered by your faith in me, lass. But think on it," he said, covering her hand with his own.

"How would I kill him? He's as big as a tree and solid as a rock. I'm a magician, not an executioner."

She relaxed her grip and tried to draw in a steady breath. "Then I have your word?"

"What have I ever done to make you think I would do ought against your wishes?"

Sara forced herself to relax and turn their attention from the knight that haunted her thoughts.

"Do I disremember or did ye not once fill my bed with toads?''

Liam grinned, lifting that smile that, once upon a time, had made two wee cousins swear each would be the one to marry him. Strangely enough, it had made the third swear to see him hanged.

"I thought twas
Rachel's
pallet," he said.

"Never will I understand your dislike for each other."

His expression sobered and he turned away. "I did not say I disliked her," he said softly.

"Nay. I believe
detest
was the word ye used."

"Well, aye,
detest,
but not dislike."

"I do not understand ye, Liam," she said.

He turned back, his green eyes steady. "Aye. And you don't love the warlord."

"What do ye mean by that?"

"Nothing."

"Do ye mean to say ye have feelings for Rachel?''

"Shh," Liam said, and suddenly he was crouching, staring into the shadows as if the very devil was there, watching from the darkness.

Sara froze. Fear streaked up her spine, freezing her muscles.

Liam turned, quick and quiet as a snake. She watched him. He turned again, listening for a long while. But finally he straightened slightly.

Sara dared a careful breath. "What?" She breathed the word.

He lifted the two knives to his lips in a signal for silence, then vanished into the woods.

Sara finally took a step toward Thomas. He was sound asleep. Bending, she tucked a blanket more closely about him, then pulled her small dagger from its sheath at her side. But never did her gaze leave the woods.

What had Liam heard? And where was he? Eternity passed on grinding wheels. How long had he been gone?

Lightning crashed behind her, and suddenly a man's shadow towered dark and high above her.

She pivoted with a scream in her throat.

"Don't scream," Liam warned, shrinking back to his normal size as the light abated. "Even with the thunder it might be heard."

She drew in breaths like a winded steed, trying to calm her heart. "By whom?"

Liam grinned. "Who knows? Mayhap your warlord be a hell of a runner."

"Is it Warwick ye fear?"

His hand covered her mouth in less than an instant. "Don't say that name."

She stared at him, her heart still pounding in her chest, her mind boggled. His hand slipped away.

"My apologies, lass," he murmured, and chuckled, but the tone was strained. "Tis a bit jumpy I am."

But Liam was never jumpy. Conniving, yes. Twas always true. But not jumpy.

"Who is he?" Sara whispered.

"Tis someone to be avoided."

"Liam, dunna treat me like a child. Who is he? Why did I feel..." She paused, searching for words.

"Terror?" he asked. "Despair?"

She nodded.

"Tis because he deals in terror," Liam whispered. "He
is
despair."

Prickly fingers of fear crept up Sara's spine. She turned her head slowly to peer into the shadows behind her, but there was no one there.

"Ye are making no sense, Liam. Surely he is naught but an old man. But what is he after?"

"In all honesty, I dunna know, lass." Thunder grumbled. "Mayhap ya would have been safer with the warlord." Lightning slashed overhead again. Liam lifted his hand, and suddenly, as if by magic, the amulet fell from her neck and into his palm. "Tell me, have you worn Dragonhead every day since I gave him to ya?"

"Why?" she asked, feeling the hair stand upright on the back of her neck. It prickled against her collar. "What has that to do with Warwick?"

"Hush," he breathed. "I warned you not to speak his name."

"Liam!"

"I'm sorry." He turned away, curling his fist about Dragonheart. "I don't mean to frighten ya, lass, but there are some things I must know."

She nodded.

"Have you been wearing the amulet faithfully?"

"Aye. Every day since ye gave it to me, just before I left for London."

"And have you been safe?"

"Liam, whatever are ye—"

"Please, lass!" His knives had disappeared and now he grasped her hand in his. "Answer me."

"Since leaving Scotland the world has gone insane, Liam."

He scowled. "But
you,
you have been safe?"

"Aye," she said slowly. "I have not been harmed. Why?"

"Even when the brigands attacked?"

"Nay."

"And
he..."
Liam said softly. "
He
has not appeared?"

"Ye mean—"

"Don't say his name. He is a sorcerer, Sara. Some call him the dark wizard. Don't let his age nor his seeming frailty fool ya. Tis said the king himself ordered him to be blinded and burned for his witchcraft. But somehow he escaped, and now he is more powerful and more evil than ever."

She laughed nervously, wondering if he was merely telling her another story to frighten her as he was wont to do when they were children.

"There's much we do not know, Sara. Much we take for granted. He is a sorcerer. Take that to mean what you will. But don't doubt that he is dangerous."

"Liam, ye canna be serious."

"I am as serious as death, lass. More serious. For he can do more than take your life."

"Was it he who sent the first brigands?"

"I dunna know."

"What did they want? Why me?"

Liam shook his head in uncertainty. "He hungers for power as a starving man hungers for bread.

He will do anything, work for anyone so long as it feeds his appetite." He opened his palm to gaze into the dragon's ruby eye. "Tis said the old man has made kingdoms fall and princes rise from nothingness."

"But I have no kingdom," she whispered. "No power. What is he after?"

"Has anyone asked you about Dragonheart, Sara?"

"Nay. None but Boden."

Liam's gaze snapped to her. "And the warlord," he said softly, "did he try to take it?"

"Nay. Of course not. Liam, what are ye talking about? Why these questions?"

"Will you do me a favor, Sara?" he asked. "For me, for the past we have shared?''

She caught her breath. "Liam, if ye want the amulet, just take it. Tis yours."

"Nay!" He pressed it quickly toward her. "Nay, I don't want it. I would ask that you wear it always. But keep it hidden, perhaps against your back."

"Hidden?" she asked, taking it from him.

"Don't tell anyone about it. Wear it against the heat of your skin."

"Ye make no sense. Please. Tell me what this has to do with Warwick!"

But the last word was lost in a crash of thunder. Lightning scoured the sky to white-hot intensity.

Something screamed! And there against the white sky stood a black-cloaked man.

"Nay!" Liam shrieked. His knives sang toward the monster.

There was a roar of pain from their attacker, and suddenly he swept toward them.

Lightning flashed, illuminating everything.

There was a bang, a puff of smoke, and then Liam was gone.

The monster careened to a halt.

Sara was too terrified to move, too shocked to think. But suddenly the lightning retreated, reducing the villain to his normal size and shape as Boden's cape settled back around him.

"Boden?"

He held his sword ready as he turned in a crouched position. "Where is he?" he growled.

"How did you find me?"

"Where is he?" he snarled.

"Liam? He is gone!" she said. But where? She shifted her gaze toward the woods, seeing the blood lust in the knight's eyes and hoping the Irishman would stay gone.

"He abandoned you?" Boden's voice was very low, little more than a growl. "He left you again?"

It sure looked like it. She glanced about, making certain they were alone.

"Liam wounded ye by accident. He thought ye were the wizard. Please, let me tend ye," she said, touching his arm.

He pressed her hand to his flesh. ' 'Do you love him?'' he whispered.

"How did ye find me? We took Mettle."

His eyes blazed in the light of the fire. "Do you love him?"

Her heart ached. The world stopped turning. There was nothing to see but his eyes. Nothing to think about but that he had come for her. But she could not tell him that, for if the truth were spoken what chance would she have to fight it? She lowered her gaze, trying to hide the truth.

"Get the babe and get on the horse," he said, his voice very low.

"Nay." She whispered the word. "I canna. I must stay with Liam."

"He abandoned you. Left you to me, not knowing..." His words careened to a halt. His eyes blazed in the firelight. "I am not a noble man, lady. You will come with me, or I swear I will kill him."

Sara felt the air press from her lungs. There was nothing to do, nothing, but go with him.

The rain came down in curtains of hard, cold gray. Night gave way to grim daybreak, and still they rode on, stopping for nothing.

Under Sara's cape, inside his pouch, Thomas slept on. Tilly followed along behind. Sara sat miserably crouched atop Mettle who flinched with each crack of lightning. Boden was silent, saying nothing, barely moving.

He would have killed Liam. Killed him! she reminded herself. She didn't know this man. And yet she was bound to him, as was Thomas. What was she to do? She must escape before they reached Lord Haldane, but what chance did she have against this warrior? Even without his steed he had found her. Something swelled in her heart, but she refused to acknowledge it. He had not followed out of love, but out of duty, she reminded herself. Yet even now she could feel the well-honed muscles of his chest as he pressed into her, the indomitable strength of his arms as they surrounded her.