A door creaked open. Lantern light appeared from beyond the tack room. “Douglas?” a man’s voice called sleepily. “I thought I heard someone in the tack.”
“Quick!” Lyssa urged.
Ian brought the stallion out into the aisle. In a blink, he swung up into the saddle. “Give me your hand.”
The groom and his lantern appeared in the door of the tack room. “Hey there! What are you doing?” he shouted when he saw Ian up on the horse.
Ian took the pistol from her and aimed it at the groom. “Back off.”
Immediately the man did exactly that.
Holding his other hand out to Lyssa, Ian ordered, “Give me your hand.”
She reached for him. He lifted her as if she weighed no more than a feather, but as he was setting her in front of him, the guard fully came to his senses and started shouting. The groom dropped the lantern and raced to shut the stable doors.
“Hold on,” Ian ordered as he put heels to horse. The stallion snorted and gave a prancing step before taking off, knocking over the groom in the process—and they were off even as a cry went up to stop them.
Chapter Sixteen
IANleaned low over the horse, sheltering Lyssa with his body, his legs wrapped around hers, as they headed out of the stable yard toward freedom.
He paid no attention to the cries of alarm being shouted. He was off to London and no one was going to stop him. His arm around Lyssa’s waist and his other hand holding reins and mane, he sent the animal flying like the wind.
Ramsey hadn’t been making false claims about the stallion. He was true to his breeding, a mighty animal with the heart to run forever. His legs were strong, his lungs healthy, and he loved to race.
All Ian had to do was hold on and keep Lyssa safe.
His poor, brave Cailín. She was shaking but she needn’t be afraid. He’d let no one harm her now. When he’d been tied up in the stables, he’d known she would come. He’dwilledit—and she’d answered his call as clearly as if he had reached out andtouched her. Something lay between them, something rare. And he would protect her with his life.
They came to a fork in the road and he guided the stallion east, but he didn’t stay on the road long. Instead, he turned off, slowing the pace, and rode over newly plowed fields and across hedge fences, guided by the stars and his own dogged sense of self preservation.
His hand holding the pistol rested beneath Lyssa’s breast. He could feel the pounding of her heart and knew she was frightened. He eased up so she could sit upright, resting back against his chest.
“That was faster than I ever traveled before in my life,” she admitted. Her skirts were all the way up to the top of her thighs. He let his hand slip down to rest there. He couldn’t help himself. Her garters and hose were bunched around her ankles and the tips of his fingers touched bare skin. Her red curls covered his shoulder and if he turned his head, he could kiss her ear—and Ian felt powerful.
Having this woman and this horse made all right with the world.
He was like the great Finn mac Cumhail, the legendary Irish warrior who fought against the forces of darkness and won. Like Finn, he’d taken what he’d wanted—and no one would wrest them from him. He was invincible. He was brave, courageous. At long last, a whole man. He had won.
And he was in love.
Ian kicked the stallion into a trot.
“Are they behind us?” she whispered.
His lips close to her ear, he soothed, “Don’t worry, Cailín. I’ll let no harm come to you.”
“Ramsey was going to marry me for my money and then kill both of us. He was going to tell everyone we were runaway lovers. Ian, I was so afraid.”
He slowed the horse, dropping the reins, and put both of his arms around her, wanting to hold her forever.
Her body went still. Slowly she turned to face him. Feeling the change in their body position, the stallion came to a stop in the middle of the plowed field.
The moon high in the sky was reflected in Lyssa’s eyes. “You kissed me,” she said, “when I cut your ropes.”
Ian smiled, his heart fuller than he had ever anticipated. “I was so proud of you, Cailín.”
“My mother sent me to you. I was in her room. I—I could feel her presence.”
