She scoffed. “You must think me a fool. The earl wants me dead, you ride with my enemy, dare call me a whore, and now I am to listen to you?” Her finger wrapped around an arrow, and she wished he was within range. “’Twould seem there is little to explain.”
“Always stubborn.” He spoke to her as if she were a child. “There is much you dinna understand.”
“Like what?” At this moment, she doubted she’d believe anything he ever said again.
Blar scowled at Cailin before turning to her. “This isna the place to talk. What is important is that I have spoken with the earl and he has agreed to forgive you.”
She gave a cold laugh, her anger spiking up another notch. “After Dalkirk ordered his men to murder my mother and your father and burn our home, he should be begging us for forgiveness.”
Face taut, Blar rubbed his bleeding arm. “You should be thankful that I convinced the earl to spare your life.”
“For what, to sleep in his bed?” She narrowed her haze. “I would die first.”
“You will rue the day you disobeyed me.” Blar started to turn his horse, then glanced toward Sir James with shrewd eyes. “And yet… I am thinking that mayhap ’tis not the coin offered for their capture that draws your interest but that you plot against the earl.”
The lead knight’s face darkened further. “You dare much.”
“Do I?” Blar challenged. “Admit it; you are in league with Sir Petrus.”
Fear slid through her. “Merciful saints, why is he speaking of the master-at-arms?”she whispered.
“There can only be one reason,” Cailin hissed under his breath. “Someone Sir Petrus spoke with hasbetrayed him.”
Her heart pounded. God, nay!
Blar’s sly gaze shifted to the three other knights. “I think the earl will pay us handsomely forthis traitor.”
Faces hard, the other men nodded.
“Seize him!” Blar shouted.
Sir James unsheathed his sword.
“Bloody hell!” Cailin ran to the edge of the boulder, released his arrow. It sank into the chest of the knight reachingfor Sir James.
The attacker tumbledoff his horse.
A second knight tried to sneak up behind Sir James.
Heart pounding, Elspet raced to Cailin’s side, aimed, and fired.
The second knight clutched the arrow embedded in his chest, collapsedto the ground.
“You will pay for your treachery!” Blar whirled his steed and kicked him into a gallop, the remaining knighton his heels.
As they disappeared around the large stones, throat tight with emotion, Elspet lowered her bow. “Blar is in league with the earl,” she whispered, unsure if she was more furious or heartbroken. “I prayed that Blar’s reason for joining the earl’s guard was to save me.” She scoffed, “I was a fool.”
“Nay a fool but a woman of deep compassion,” Cailin said.
She swallowed hard. “All he ever cared about was himself,” she forced out, needing to say the words despite how much they hurt. “The master-at-arms was right; Blar isna a good man.” She gasped. “Now that they have discovered that Sir Petrus is loyal to you, wemust save him!”
Fury burned in Cailin’s eyes. “Aye.”
She secured her bow. “As well, Blar’s behavior leads me to believe that he was involved with the plot to kill our parents.” Sickened, she shook her head. “To be a part of such a vile act… Why? As if it matters now. The important thing is, now we know, and any loyalty I ever had to him is dead.”
* * * *
It mattered, but at the moment there was naught Cailin could do about the bastard, though the time to confront Blar would come. He gently squeezed her hand, then focused on the rider below, a sense of familiarity tugging at him. “Sir James, you have made a dangerous enemy this day. When the earl learns that you tried to shield Elspet and me from being found, he willwant you dead.”
