Wed to a Highland Warrior (4 page)

Chapter 4

T
rey didn’t give Bliss a chance to object to his plan. “Coming home with me is what is best for you, and that is what we will do.”

He continued talking as they walked. Bliss kept a tight lip, and he wondered what she was thinking. She didn’t look happy with his suggestion though it was more a command. And he could understand her objecting though eventually she would see the wisdom in his decision and agree—or so he hoped.

When words finally failed him, he said, “Your thoughts?”

“I’m allowed them?” she asked with a tinkle of laughter.

He was relieved that she responded with humor rather than anger. Not that it would change his decision; that would stand no matter how she felt. It was, after all, for her protection. It was just that he didn’t wish to anger her. He liked the way she wore a smile, never forced, always so natural and lovely. And he much preferred seeing her that way rather than with a frown he had caused.

“I want you safe,” he said.

“I have looked after myself many years, and my people protect me. You need not be alarmed.”

“But you have a husband now”—he shook his head when she went to speak—“No, I know what you will say, but we will not end this marriage of ours until I am sure you are safe.”

“It is honorable of you to feel this way, but fate guides and guards me well and has for some time.”

“What of your parents? Siblings?” he asked, curious about this woman who had suddenly become his wife.

“My da died in battle when I was five years old. My mum died of fever two years later though I think her heart had broken when my da died, and she just did not want to go on without him. My grandmum raised me.”

Bliss smiled, and Trey smiled along with her, glad that she had loving memories to recall.

“Grandmum’s skills were so much stronger than mine, but she encouraged me, insisting that one day my skills would far surpass hers. She was ever so patient with me and my hundreds of questions.”

“She answered them for you?”

“Some, but she had insisted, it was the question that mattered more and not to worry if an answer wasn’t found.”

“She sounded like a wise woman,” Trey said. “I wish I could have met her.”

“She is near and watches over me and will be on her way when she feels it is time.” Bliss glanced at him, her smile fading.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, giving her hand a comforting squeeze and wanting her to know there was nothing to fear.

“I have not felt safe sharing that information with anyone, for fear of the consequences such unacceptable knowledge could bring.”

“I am glad you trusted me,” he said with a wide smile, and briefly raised their joined hands. “Besides, we are one—husband and wife—and we can share anything without fear of repercussions.”

Her smile bloomed once again.

God, but he loved when she smiled. It was as if light were cast on darkness, and joy drove away despair. He almost shook his head. Whatever was the matter with him? He was sounding like a fool in the throes of love. He and Bliss barely knew each other, or did they?

She had healed him with tenderness and caring, and such a deep, abiding love that he longed to feel again. He had felt a distinct emptiness when she had left, that he had wondered over it. Had that been the way of it, or had something happened between them that neither had realized?

“Tell me more of your grandmum,” he said eagerly.

And she did, regaling him with stories that allowed him a peek into her past and a peek more deeply inside her.

After a time, Bliss said, “I have talked enough about myself. What of you?”

He grinned. “Your tales are entertaining, mine would not be so.”

“I would rather determine that,” she encouraged. “Besides, I did hear some stories while at the keep.”

Trey winced as if wounded. “You must not believe all you hear, especially if it comes from my brothers.”

Bliss laughed. “I often wished for siblings. You are lucky to have them.”

“You will think differently when I tell the tales,” he said, and soon had her laughing with stories of his childhood.

“So no matter how many times you hid in the trees to escape your brothers, they did not find you?”

“I climbed higher and higher each time, so they could not see me amongst the leaves and branches.” He grinned proudly. “And from my perch, I delivered deadly dirt bombs I had skillfully armed myself with, and won many battles.”

When he finished detailing various victories and her laughter subsided, she said, “I hope to have many children so that they will have the chance to tell funny and endearing tales like yours.”

“Aye, I wish the same,” Trey said. “Seeing my brothers and their growing brood, I long for a family of my own.”

Silence settled over them after that, he lost in his thoughts and she in hers, both thinking of the future and what it might bring.

With dusk not far off, they needed to find shelter. There was a glen not far ahead, and it they decided that it would be best to climb the rise and settle in the valley below for the night. Bliss was sure that a stream with cool, clear water waited there.

It was an easy climb, especially with each having the other to rely upon, and they stopped for a brief rest once they reached the top. Trey didn’t wish to rush her. They had walked a good distance and kept a good pace today, and she had not complained once. But dusk was fast fading to night, and he wanted to get a fire started to chase away the chill, which grew ever colder with the fading light.

“We should go,” he said, and she agreed with a nod.

The arrow came out of nowhere, slicing past Bliss’s arm and causing her to stumble and lose her footing, sending her tumbling down the hill so suddenly that her hand was ripped out of his. Trey knew it would be a waste of time to look back and try to spy the culprit. He was more concerned with trying to reach Bliss. He charged after her, but her tumbling body gained momentum as she continued to roll rapidly down the hill. Try as he might, he could not catch her and stop her plummet.

His heart hammered in his chest as he raced down the hillside. Fear prickled along his skin, and worry gripped him like never before. She lay in a heap when the tumble finally was over, and he fell to his knees beside her when he reached the bottom.

He wasn’t sure what to do. She was the healer, but instinct took over, and he gently eased her on her back. He pushed the strands of blond hair out of her face, which looked to have suffered no more than some dirt and scratches. A quick glance over her found no signs of blood, but there were broken bones to consider.

There was also the worry about those on their trail. He grew angry with himself. He had been so engrossed in conversation with her that he hadn’t paid heed to his surroundings. He knew better than that. He had allowed his interest in her to interfere with common sense. And now she had suffered the consequences.

He had to get her somewhere she would be safe. Night being near upon them would help. Those who followed would not be able to track in the dark and would likely wait until dawn. It would be wise to put as much distance between them before that if possible.

Traveling in the thick of night was not new to him. He and his brothers had been trained well, and night travel had been part of that. However, carrying Bliss would slow him some, but it couldn’t be helped. At least he could gain some distance before morning.

Bliss moaned, her eyes fluttering open. She moved to sit up.

“Slowly,” he said, slipping his arm around her to help her. He felt the sticky wetness through her cloak and fear twisted his gut. He moved his hand as soon as he was certain she could sit up on her own. He was surprised and upset to see that blood covered his hand. “You’re bleeding.”

“A minor wound,” she said, trying to stand.

“That much blood is not a minor wound,” he said, his arm going around her waist and lifting her to her feet though he didn’t release her.

“Trust me when I tell you it is minor. Right now we need to leave. They follow.”

She saw and knew, so he asked, “How many?”

“Two,” she said. “They were sent—”

“To find and return you and kill me,” he finished. “That young soldier realized his mistake fast enough and, no doubt, is one of the two who follow. He wants to impress the king by capturing you.”

“Aye, he does,” she said, nudging him away to allow her stand on her own. “But we must hurry.”

“You’re injured; I’ll carry you, and we’ll put distance between us and them.” He reached out to scoop her up, but she brushed his effort aside.

“No,” she insisted. “I am fine for now. It is the two soldiers we must worry about. They follow. We cannot outrun them. We must—”

“End this now,” he said, knowing it was the wisest choice. Otherwise, they would continue to be chased by the pair. “You are certain there are only two? There isn’t one who has been sent back to report our location?”

“The young soldier isn’t the only one who wishes to impress the king. The one who joined him wants the same, and neither is considering anything but his own glory.”

Trey gave a quick perusal of the area, and Bliss did the same though she was faster to decide and hurried forward. He went along with her, not liking the way she held her arm close to her body. She was in pain and trying to hide it.

She stopped suddenly and pointed at a towering pine. “The tree. You can get me up there to hide the way you did as a child.”

“What?”

“We have no time to discuss this. It will provide cover for me and ease your concern for my safety.”

If she could sense his concern for her, what else could she sense? He had no time to consider it. She was right. If he could stow her away—

“Hurry,” she urged. “They are not far off.”

“Get behind me, lock your arms around my neck and your legs around my waist, and hold tight.”

She nodded as she did so, and when he was certain she had a firm hold on him, he reached up for the lowest branch. It took him no time to climb into the densest part of the tree branches even though the pine needles jabbed at him as if annoyed at the intrusion. He found a spot where two branches formed a nook and settled her safely there with the extra blankets and food sack.

He then slipped a dirk from his boot and handed it to her.

She shook her head. “It won’t be necessary.”

He slipped it back in his boot and leaned in close. “I will be back for you; then I’ll see to that wound of yours.” He kissed her lightly on the lips, as though it were the most natural thing for him to do. “Rest and stay as still as you can.”

He disappeared through the tree branches and was soon out of sight.

B
liss rested her head back against the tree trunk. His gentle kiss had comforted and left her with a sense of calm that all would be well and she need not worry. She liked that he took a moment to kiss her, and though it was a mere tender, friendly kiss, it had tickled her senses and sent a rush of gooseflesh over her.

Here she was perched high in a tree, her arm paining her considerably, and where were her thoughts?

Kisses.

She settled for a smile though she would have preferred to laugh aloud. It felt so wonderful to be kissed, even a light, friendly kiss. And to know that he cared and worried over her safety and well-being and—that he had held her hand.

The simple act of holding hands stirred something in the soul, and it had been stirring hers since Trey had walked out of the mist and into her life.

She winced, a pain suddenly shooting through her arm. The wound needed cleansing and bandaging and a touch of healing, though healing herself was not always easy. For some reason, her touch worked better on others than on herself.

Voices interrupted her thoughts, and she listened as they drew closer. The quiet woods carried the voices along on the cold night air, making them sound closer than they actually were.

“They couldn’t have gotten far,” said one, who no doubt thought he whispered.

“They would never expect us to follow in the dark,” said the other.

Bliss recognized his voice. It was the young soldier, and she grew sad that he had not paid heed to her warning that it would not be her husband who died this day. Perhaps Trey was right about man deciding his own fate. The soldier had been warned and chose to ignore it, thus choosing his fate.

Their voices drifted away as they went to meet their destiny.

Bliss closed her eyes and rested her hand beneath the arm that pained her. She would need to tend it as soon as Trey returned. And then she would sleep. It had been a long and tiring day, and she longed to curl up on a blanket before a nice warm fire and drift into a pleasant sleep.

I
t had been a brief scuffle, Trey having surprised the two soldiers and neither having been as experienced with swords as he should have been. He left their bodies for Mother Nature to dispose of as She saw fit. He was eager to return to Bliss, see to her wound, and settle them for the night.

He worried when she didn’t stir upon his arrival. When he reached out to gently rouse her, she winced, and he hadn’t even touched her arm.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she gave him a weak smile. “I’m so glad you’re back.”

“Your arm?” he asked anxiously.

“Too much pain, something is wrong.”

The pain had increased, and she had weakened since he had left her. She would not be strong enough to hold on to him as she did when he had climbed the tree. He didn’t waste time. He needed to get her settled and see to her wound.

He tossed the rolled blankets and food sack to the ground and moved to the side opposite her wound.

“I’m going to help you stand,” he said. “Slow and easy we’ll go.” He wrapped her arm around his neck, and, with his arm strong around her waist, he eased her up.

She gasped, and he stopped. “What’s wrong?”

“The pain. There has to be a reason for so much pain.”

“Can you keep one arm around my neck and curl your one leg around mine?”

“I believe so.”

“I can get us down if you feel strong enough to do that,” he said.