her, lad,” Ala

e and realized she was unconscious. There was a bruis

e hurt?” he

nd he wiped hastily at them wi

ack. It hurts her fierc

her abdomen and back came into view, he sucked in his breath. Around hi

what happened to

ises marred her smooth back. He could swear

ked out. “Take us home, Un

Alan nodded and patted him on the arm. There would be plenty of time

y for Crispen’s, and yet she wore the colors of Duncan Cameron. Edward would

last, war wou

for Crispen, intending that the boy ride with him. There

n. She has to ride with you. I promised her that Papa would kee

he was so glad he was alive, he’d cede to his ridiculous demands

o,” Crispen said, his gaze n

f he couldn’t stand the idea

taken a firm enough hand with the

s the saddle in front of him, her body shielded in the crook of one arm

d to relinquish his sword for the duty of carrying the two extra pe

decide what was to be done with the woman just

p that echoed through the hills, and in the distance, Mary heard the cr

her fingers as Crispen all but boun

lass, you and the horse are going

d come out as a tease, but God’s truth, the man scared her. He looked savage with

r haste to escape. He’d been forced to pry both her and Crispen from their perch again

dly on her side, and having extracted a promise from Crispen to tell

both of them, and in the end he’d muttered blasphemies against wom

in no uncertain terms, the likelihood of her sitting a horse by herself in her

Alan’s consideration of her condition and their stopping frequently to

n to wipe the smugness from his expression. He obviously had no patience for women, and, she suspecte

r, only that Crispen championed her, he had treated

her throat. She would no longer be able to keep silent. The lai

to Crispen’s ear. “Do you remem

back. “I’m not to te

no importance, just someone who happened upon Crispen and saw him safely back to his father, perh

ur father,"

mnly. “I’ll only te

free hand. “Thank you. I cou

o grin broadly at her, hi

ou whispering about?”

warrior watching her, his

ow, I’d have spoken lo

she was sure were more blasp

weary with the length of y

brow. “Who says I

t his path to heaven was already assured, and that h

Crispen shouted as he

down at the stone keep nestled

en working steadily, replacing the stones at the wall. What she could

t of the keep, providing a natural barrier to the front gate. The bridge across it, however, sagged precariously in the middle.

f the keep, sheep grazed, herded by an older man flanked by two dogs. Occasionally one of the dogs raced out to herd

pulled to a stop beside

ck. She gripped the reins a little tighter and shivered under the intensity of hi