The thrum of hoofbeats halted near the entrance.
Sword readied, Colyne tensed.
“She is not out here,” a rough English voice grumbled.
“Our orders are to find her,” another man snapped.
“We have searched for three bloody days now,” a man farther away stated. “She is long gone.”
A man close to the entry grunted. “If you want to keep your head, you best pray that we find her.”
A horse squealed, another snorted, and leather and mail clanked as the men rode off.
The rumble of horses faded.
Colyne exhaled a relieved sigh as he stepped from behind the boulder. Whoever the men were, they were nae searching for him. With the threat over, weariness swept him. He needed to rest. He sheathed his blade and turned toward Alesia.
And stopped.
Eyes widened with guilt watched him.
And he understood. “The men are after you.”
She stepped back.
Irritated that he’d nae suspected they sought Alesia at their mention of a woman, he stepped closer. When she made to move farther away, he caught her shoulder. “Tell me!” Sweat trickled down his face at the effort, but anger gave him strength.
“Ou—oui.”
He cursed beneath his breath. “Before you end up getting us both killed, tell me what in blazes is going on!”
At the Scot’s furious glare, Marie trembled. Though she believed he was a man of honor, what did she truly know about him? His Christian name? His belief that men were after him? However tempted to admit the truth, Scotland’s freedom was too big a risk for her to offer him her trust.
Colyne’s grip on her shoulder tightened.
She winced. “Please, you are hurting me.”
His hold gentled, but he didn’t release her. “Why do the men want you?”
The lie of gold or some other viable reason as to why the men pursued her came to mind. No, she couldn’t tell him another untruth.
She shook her head. “I cannot.”
“Canna or willna?”
She’d not believed it possible for him to appear more dangerous, but with his eyes darkening like an incoming storm and his body tensed as if prepared for battle and towering over her, he appeared every inch the warrior. “The reasons are mine alone.”
Blue eyes narrowed. “ ’Tis nae only your life that is at risk.”
“I know,” she quietly replied.
“Do you?” A muscle worked in his jaw as he studied her, and with an exasperated sigh, he let her go.
Marie didn’t move back but stood before him humbled. He was wounded. How could she have been so selfish as to have asked him to jeopardize his life further by escorting her to the coast? “Monsieur—”
“Colyne,” he said between gritted teeth. “I think we can agree to bypass the formalities.”
She nodded. “Colyne, I have decided to take my chances.”
