Page 72 of The Swindler’s Daughter

He turned to face me, taking both my hands in his. “I was asking you to join my cause without fully considering how it would affect you. I’ve been kicking myself over and over ever since Reeve grabbed us at the festival.”

“I made my own decision,” I reminded him.

“With a fair amount of pushing from me.” He lifted one hand to kiss my fingers. “I’m sorry for that.”

“It’s not as though I followed you blindly. I’m old enough to know my own mind.”

“You’re only seventeen.”

I closed my eyes in frustration. “Please don’t act as though you are older and wiser than me. I get plenty of that from my brother. And might I remind you that I argued with you plenty before I made my decision.”

“I am older.”

It was to his credit that he didn’t say wiser. It also made me smile.

“I’m serious,” he argued.

“I know. You are an old man. I can see the gray hairs shimmering in the moonlight.”

He pushed a hand into my hair, his thumb running along my jaw. “Miri…”

“What?”

“It was you who said just a moment ago that the intensity of the last few days was catching up with you. It’s taken its toll on you.”

“On all of us,” I corrected.

“Yes,” he said, his eyes caressing my face. “It’s also taught me a great deal about you.”

I swallowed. “Like what?” I asked as the sound of rushing waves filled my ears along with the hammering of my own heart.

“I love you,” he said, though I had to read the words on his lips since the declaration was so quiet and reverent.

He leaned down, his breathing shallow as his lips moved to brush against mine.

A shout shattered the moment and my eyes flew open. Harsh hands seized my arms, pulling at me. Rowan and I reflexively clung to one another, but Reeve and another constable held on to Rowan’s shoulders and arms, dragging him inexorably away from me. I could see my terror and turmoil reflected in Rowan’s eyes as the grip we had on one another stretched and finally broke. Rowan was immediately forced to the ground, the two men pinning him firmly on his back as he fought and struggled.

The constable who held me merely dragged me a few paces from the altercation, enough to be out of the way but close enough to see exactly what was happening and not help as I fought to twist out of his grasp. Both Rowan and I had our bows and arrows slung over our shoulders, but they were useless because we hadn’t been paying attention. How had I let myself believe that being outside and vulnerable was preferable to something as benign as bad feelings?? Rowan’s weapon lay trapped beneath his back as the magistrate loomed over him. Reeve’s cane lay abandoned at his side and he was clearly favoring one leg, but his efforts combined with the constable’s had Rowan at a clear disadvantage.

“That’s right, you worthless little rat, try to get away this time,” Reeve taunted, each word dripping with hate. He was kneeling on Rowan’s right arm with his good leg while his hand wrapped around Rowan’s throat.

“I knew when we didn’t find them at Sutton Manor that they’d be here,” the constable who held me said as he stuck his nose into the hair behind my ear. “Rats always return to their nests.”

I jerked my head away and tried to elbow him, but his grip was iron.

“What do you think, men?” Reeve asked his constables, though his blazing eyes remained on Rowan. “Now that we’ve caught ourselves a thieving outlaw, what should we do with him?” His fingers convulsed and Rowan struggled for air until Reeve’s fingers relaxed again.

“Tomorrow seems like a good day for a hanging,” the one who knelt at Rowan’s other side sneered, pinning his arm to the ground.

“No,” I breathed, but no one heard me.

“I don’t know,” Reeve said, sounding thoughtful and yet rigid. “As much as I’d like the entire village to see this boy hang, I hardly want to give him the chance to escape.” He removed his hand from Rowan’s throat only long enough to pull a blade from his boot and rest the tip under Rowan’s chin.

The way Rowan’s jaw lifted, his neck stretched taut, made it clear that the knife was a very real threat.

I strained against the hands that held me, chest full of fire, hope leaking out of me.

Reeve leaned in closer to Rowan, his teeth bared. “Perhaps we should deliver justice right now.”