His nostrils flared with annoyance. “Pray tell, lass, what does that mean?”
Marie shifted, uncomfortable beneath his all-too-seeing glare. “It means I will continue my journey alone. You need rest, time to heal. You are in no condition to travel, much less further endanger your life by escorting me to your friend’s home.”
“Is it a man?”
“What do you mean?” she asked with caution, barely controlling her rising panic.
He glanced toward the cave’s entry. “Is it a man who sent his knights in search of you?”
The tension in her body ebbed. “Oui.” Let him believe her reasons for running were personal. It would simplify everything. Neither was it a lie.
“Who is he?”
He far from understood the importance of the question he asked. “What does it matter who it is or the reason his men are searching for me?”
Colyne shot her a wry grin. “If I am going to risk my life escorting you, I need to know what I dangers I face.”
Hope stumbled through her. “You will escort me? But—”
The Scot held up his hand, any trace of humor gone. “To my friend’s home, as I offered before. Nay more. Once you are in safe hands, I must go. I have my own business to attend to.”
Colyne’s reaction to the knights who’d ridden by flickered through her mind. Uneasy, she cleared her throat. “You believed the men were after you?”
His expression grew shuttered.
Marie tensed. Was this Scot a threat? She didn’t want to believe she’d miscalculated to such a degree. But if she was wrong . . .
Long seconds passed as he stared at her, his deep gaze assessing. “Aye, they are.”
“Why?”
A grim smile touched his mouth. “Well now, lass, I have my own reasons. Ones I will nae be sharing. And,” he paused, “you will have to trust me as well.”
Marie disliked this turn of events. “It seems I will.”
Humor softened the stern angles of his face. “A fair trade, would you nae agree?”
At his teasing, she looked away, unable to find anything light-hearted about the situation. Though men pursued him with deadly intent, he didn’t hold a country’s fate in his hands.
If he was in better health, she would accept his offer. As a woman who enjoyed quick wit, ’twould be interesting to remain with Colyne for a while longer, for their discussions if naught else. Except his pallor betrayed his weakened state. Neither could she forget how the sword had trembled in his hands as the knights had ridden by. He was in no condition to protect her, much less travel.
“My thanks for your offer of escort, but I must decline.”
Colyne’s mouth tilted into a half smile that sent her pulse racing.
Flustered by her reaction, she dropped her gaze. At his soft chuckle, she looked up. “What?”
“Only you would debate this.”
“I am not—”
His smile widened. “You are.”
“I was,” she amended, finding herself hopelessly charmed. ’Twas foolish to entertain agreeing to his offer. He was too weak to travel. But if she didn’t agree, then she’d be alone, a stranger in a war-torn land. Though she far from trusted him, despite his cautious manner, he treated her with courtesy and respect without the knowledge of her royal ties. “Thank you. If you insist, I will accept your offer. But we must remain here another day to allow you time to heal before you travel.”
He nodded, but Colyne’s eyes scoured hers, his wariness easy to read. With his intelligence, she’d expected nothing less.
“They say when you share your worries, the choices you need to make become so much more clear.”
