The bastard. She clenched her fists. Fine. If denial was his strategy, with ease she could keepher distance.
She started after him, realized that in the mayhem of moments before she hadn’t sworn to keep away from Blar. She scoffed at his demand. Cailin might be the rightful earl of Dalkirk, but he didn’t dictate her life. Nor was she a fool. However much she wanted to trust Blar, now she held doubts.
The quiet scrape of wood had herglancing ahead.
At the tunnel entrance, Cailin shoved the disguised entry open a hand’s width, peered out.
The blare of a horn sounded, this time closer.
Fear smothered the ire of moments before. She hurried to his side. “What do you see?”
“’Tis several men from the castle on a hunt.”
“At least they are not searching for us.”
“I assure you, if they believed we were near, they would abandon their hunt and scour the area in a trice.” He grimaced. “Once they are gone, we will ride to the band of Romani hidden in the forest led by Taog MacCarron.”
“Why?”
“I believe that I can convince the Romani leader that ’tis to his and his people’s benefit to help me overthrow the earl.”
She arched a skeptical brow, knowing her friend’s ways too well. “He is a powerful man. Why do you think he will back you?”
“Because Taog and his people refused to swear fealty to my uncle.”
“The Romani are men who live by their own rules, and who give theirtrust to few.”
“And you knowthis because…?”
“Over the years, I often traveled with my stepfather to their encampment.” She glanced out, keeping an eye on the distant band of knights. “I have made many close friends within their encampment.”
Cailin drew his brows together. “Before you awoke this morning, Father Lamond explained that you would know their location.”
She nodded. “My stepfather told me a month before where they had moved their camp.”
“How did your stepfather know wherethey would be?”
“There is a tree stump he would go to. Inside, they would leave a rolled-up writ telling them their new location, or replies to questions he had left for them.” She paused. “Odd; I never thought how unusual thatwas until now.”
“If they passed missives to your stepfather, they sound far from an unorganized, disreputable band.” He frowned. “Do you think they worked in league with your stepfather?”
“I am unsure.” Elspet hesitated, remembering the close bond her stepfather had with Taog and his men. Never had she considered their familiarity could mean more, until now. “You think they support King Robert as well?”
“Mayhap. If so, ’twould make it easier to gain their support.” Cailin gazed through the opening, then back to her. “The men are gone.” He shoved the hidden door open the rest of the way. “Come.”
Once he’d sealed the entry and erased any sign of their presence, she followed him through the dense tangle of brush to where he’d secured his horse behind a shield of rocks.
A gust of wind rattled the branches overhead. She glanced at the gray clouds thick with snow. “As long as we arena seen and forced to make a detour, we should make it to the Romani camp before dark.”
He mounted, extended his arm toward her. “Then,” he said as he lifted her up behind him, “we will ensure that we arena seen.” Once she explained in what direction they were heading, he rode from the shielding brush and kicked his destrierinto a canter.
The soft thud of hooves upon snow merged with the whip of wind that thankfully covered their tracks. Elspet hung on tight, her body flush against his, a potent reminder of how he’d kissed her until reason had succumbed to desire.
Merciful saints, she didn’t need to think about his kiss. More so after he’d pushed her away. Refusing to linger on the hurt, she turned her thoughts to what she’d do onceBlar was free.
Her stepfather had close friends at Avalon Castle, on an island off the Western Highlands. She remembered meeting Stephan MacQuistan, Earl of Dunsmore, and his wife, Lady Katherine. Though nobility, regardless that she was untitled, they’d welcomed her with open arms. More, they’d encouraged her to visit in the future. An invitation she would accept. Regardless of Blar’s decision on whether to join her, the distance would allow her time to think, to decide what to do with her life, and a way to put Cailinfrom her mind.
“We are coming to a burn,” he called.
