He walked through the forest leaves, his feet crunching against the ice. The moon was low in the sky, for it was early yet. They had come north, but now it was time to turn eastward.If they traveled by night, and slept during the early part of the day, Carice might not notice the direction of the sun. She would protest, but with any luck, this part of Ireland would be unfamiliar to her, since they had gone toward the north.
Raine paused when he reached the deepest part of the trees, resting his palms upon two narrow trees. God help him, he should have known better than to kiss her. Carice Faoilin was entirely too desirable. Her touch had been an ember, slowly burning through his common sense. He couldn’t grasp clear thoughts around her.
It was best to make a strong break, to keep himself apart. If he didn’t, he would never be able to go through with his plans. She was a means to an end, a way of getting close to the Ard-Righ.
A soft sound caught his attention, and he unsheathed his sword, turning sharply.
“You found the High King’s bride, I see.” Sir Darren lifted his palms to show he meant no harm, and Raine returned his weapon to its scabbard. His commander wore armor and a cloak lined with wolf’s fur. The man’s face held a slight smile, but there was an unspoken warning in his expression.
Raine had asked them to travel ahead to Tara, but it was clear that Sir Darren was unwilling to remain at a distance. “You cannot follow us this closely,” he warned the man. “Lady Carice will see our men and grow suspicious.”
“Then she came willingly with you?” The knight’s interest was kindled, and he gestured for them to walk farther through the woods.
Though Raine obeyed the silent command, he didn’t want to reveal too much. Sir Darren might try to interfere, and hecouldn’t allow that. “Lady Carice believes I am taking her to her relatives along the western coast, far away from Tara.”
A slow smile curved over the knight’s face. “Good. I am pleased that you have succeeded in capturing her. Without her knowledge, of course.” He slowed his pace when they neared the crannog. “My men are camped half a mile back from here. I will give them orders to keep their distance. But should you have need of us, we won’t be far.”
Raine had no need at all for soldiers, but he gave a nod. “I am leaving with her after midnight.” Before Sir Darren could speak, he continued. “Do not follow until dawn. She cannot see you, or all of this is for naught.”
The commander nodded. “So be it.” He eyed Raine a moment and said, “I hope you succeed in bringing down the Ard-Righ. King Henry will undoubtedly grant you whatever reward you seek.”
All he wanted was his sisters’ freedom. Raine said nothing at all, but kept his face impassive. “Hold your distance, Sir Darren.”
“So long as you keep to our plans, I see no reason to interfere.” But the subtle threat in his commander’s voice was unmistakable.Falter in this, and your family will suffer.Sir Darren would have no choice but to tell Henry if the outcome resulted in failure.
As the knight retreated, remaining in the shadow of the woods, Raine kept himself hidden. With any luck, Carice would be sleeping upon his return.
Carice knew exactly why Raine had fled. And while she understood that he was acting out of honor, she wasn’t at all interested in sleeping. Aye, she was tired, but more than weariness, she was tired of waiting to begin her life.
As an adolescent girl, she had waited to be betrothed. She had journeyed to Tara at her father’s command, and it was then that she had caught the eye of the High King. Rory was nearly as old as Brodie, and she had been appalled to realize that her father’s ambitions had led him to sacrifice his firstborn at the altar of matrimony, in order to raise his own status.
The idea of consummating a marriage with the High King made her stomach turn. But it would never happen. Not if she escaped with Raine.
Carice suspected he was already regretting his decision to escort her west. She had allowed her heart and body to steal all common sense from her. He was right to push her away before it went too far. Her body was too weak and unattractive anyway. He wouldn’t want to lie with her, simply because she wanted to be in his arms.
The brittle hurt encircled her with a truth she didn’t want to face. No man wanted a dying woman. She pushed back the rise of tears, and lay back against the furs, studying the herbs that hung in neat bundles from the ceiling.
Raine returned at last, but she didn’t look at him. Instead she behaved as if nothing at all had happened between them. “Did you have a nice walk?”
He didn’t respond to the question but said, “I thought you would be asleep by now.”
“No.” She couldn’t sleep at all, both from her body’s physical frustration and her own regrets. “I was waiting for you to come back.”
Raine didn’t acknowledge the remark and said, “I’ll awaken you before dawn, and we’ll continue our journey. Your father’s men will be sleeping by then, and we can stay far away from them. We should be able to see our way if we follow the river.”
He didn’t wait for an answer but moved to the opposite wall, making it quite clear that he had no intention of sleeping anywhere near her. Stubborn man. Carice tried not to let her feelings be hurt as she snuggled beneath the furs. But she didn’t want him so far away.
“I wonder about the people who live here,” she mused aloud, studying the interior of the hut. “They haven’t been married long, I’d wager.”
In answer, Raine closed his eyes, remaining silent. Carice didn’t let that deter her. She knew he was trying to avoid her, and she was feeling restless. She wanted to be with him, to feel the warmth of his body against hers while she slept. Even if it was only in friendship.
“I don’t think they have children,” she continued. “At least, not yet.” The dwelling was small, with only one sleeping place. An emptiness slid over her with the knowledge that she would likely never bear a child. She would never know the sensation of movement within her or what it was to bring life into the world. The dream was one she yearned for, but it would never be.
“You don’t have to avoid me, Raine,” she told him. “There is room for both of us here.” To lighten the mood, she added, “Besides that, my feet are cold.”
“I intend to sleep right now,” he countered. “Just as you should.” The tone of his voice brooked no argument, putting up an invisible barrier between them. He had made it clear that he wanted no part of her.
Her heart trembled, but Carice forced herself to ask, “Did I make you angry when I kissed you? I only did it because I felt badly for what happened to your family.”
