curled around her nose as they stepped within, and

woman whispered

voice until she felt the chil

oman said as she ushered Mary an

er hand in a quick thank-you, and then she

ary. She feared her ribs were broken, but ther

darkness, Mary all but dr

goes

but remembered that the woman

led softly. “ ’Ti

Lady,”

tact with rough pebbles. She gazed at their surroundings and saw that the bolt-hole exited the ba

p to him. They moved along the bottom of the hillside and headed for

, and Fergus quickly freed him, gath

lad.” He pointed into the distance.

sing her into the saddle. Tears crushed her eyes

e plea

. She was glad he wasn’t riding behind her because

?” she whispered to Crisp

fiercely. “Hold on to me, Mary.

ermination in his voi

. Mary bit her lip against the scream of pain that b

****

ofprints to no avail. All were dead ends. He slid from the saddle and strode forward to view the disturbance in the soil. Kneeling,

feet away, then lifted his gaze toward the area the person had headed. Slowly he

He saw the horse first, grazing a short distance away, the reins hanging, the s

all woman, her back wedged against a huge tree. Her skirts jumped like she had a li

t, and it was then he noticed the colors of her

, and he advanced, his sword

between her and the tree. Her skirts wriggled again, an

ind me,”

t M

ime in his life his hand unsteady around the hilt. Hell would be a

e shoulder, and hurled her aside. Crispen stood against the tree,

in of neglect—but in that moment Alan

hoarsely, as he hug

by a flying bundle of woman. So surprised was he, tha

He doubled over, cursing as agony washed over him. He fell to one knee an

happened at once. Two of his men stepped in front of her. She halted, causing Crispen to slam

rabbed Crispen, and fell to the ground,

ked to Alan just as the rest of

nally wiggled out from underneath her and threw himself on

hit her!” h

blinked in surprise a

g to prevent her from fleeing. With you. God’s teeth, we’ve been

e huddled woman. When he reached down to haul her

his nephew with

ispen said. “She’s ba

rld like the lad was going to break down and cry. Whoev