Page 59 of An Earl for the Archeress

She splashed her boots in the edge of the stream, hoping it would sound unnatural and Robert would find it curious enough to investigate.

“Wheesht. I’ll nay hurt you,” Teàrlach said, his eyes boring into hers. “If I remove my hand, do you agree to keep quiet?”

She shook her head violently no.

“You’ve an arrow trained at your back,” said Robert.

Teàrlach whipped around so that he now stood in the shallow water, the clear sky allowing enough light to illuminate Robert and his men.

“And at your side…both sides,” said John.

Mariel’s eyes darted around until she saw all of the men in their group, hoods donned, and bows and arrows drawn taut.

“Let her go, man, and no one needs be shot,” Robert said. “I found the woman fair and square in the forest. She’s my spoil and I take her back to our lair.”

Mariel furrowed her brow at Robert’s lie, until it dawned on her that he was protecting their identities. Yet little did Robert know, Teàrlach already knew who she was and dressed as a peasant, Robert didn’t know Teàrlach to be her father’s man.

Teàrlach took a moment to respond. “Do you know the woman you claim for your own is actually the daughter of His Lairdship, Harold Crawford of Ayrshire?” replied Teàrlach, easing his hands away from her mouth and body.

Mariel sprang away from him and dashed up the bank to stand behind Robert, his bow still drawn, his eyes through his hood narrowed into cold squints.

“I didn’t know,” Robert lied. “Woman?” he asked her. “Do you wish to return to your father? Or would you rather remain with me—”

“Remain with you,” Mariel said.

“Your faither thinks you’re nearby, Lady,” Teàrlach said, his eyes assessing the arrows around him. “Sooner or later, he’ll realize where to find you. ’Tis only a matter of time. You caused him great embarrassment running away and eluding him for so long. He does nay plan to be merciful.”

Clearly Teàrlach had not witnessed Robert’s band attack Nottingham for his coin and watched her shoot her father. Because punishing her for running away would now be the last thing on Harold Crawford’s mind. He would punish her for shooting him.

“If you know her father’s ill will, then why would you return her to him?” Robert asked.

Teàrlach’s mouth curled up into a slow smile, and Mariel couldn’t help but feel it was a shame he was connected to her father. He was an attractive man, one she could never recall being forceful with any woman. He remained unwed, a sword for hire. Rumors were that he was the fourth son of a highland chief and stood to inherit nothing, neither title nor land, and had therefore taken to his own means of employ—training soldiers. Born and raised the son of a chief, his manners had been better than many of the others in Ayr, and his education had been cultivated as a lad. He wore the surcoat and trousers of a more “civilized” lowlander instead of the great kilt, but the times she had seen him train his men, taking them to the ground in a feral way, he seemed to still be a highlander deep down.

“I never said I wanted to take her back,” Teàrlach answered. “That’s an assumption you made. I wanted to give her a warning, but I knew she’d scream and bolt away from me.”

“What’s your warning, man?” Robert asked. “So we may all hear it.”

Teàrlach’s smile didn’t fade. “I’ve been tasked by Laird Crawford to spy on Huntington. He sensed you lied about Mariel’s whereabouts and bid me remain behind to observe.”

Robert bristled as Mariel withheld a gasp. Teàrlach knew who Robert really was?

“Get to your point, man,” Robert ordered, keeping his arrow trained.

“I watched Mariel leave yer very gates, Robert—”

“Can we end him now?” John interrupted. “He’s as good as dead, in my opinion.”

Robert didn’t say anything.

“But do nay fret, man,” Teàrlach said. “I’ve no plan to rat on you. I planned to tell Lady Mariel of my task so she could get away.”

“You lie,” Robert said evenly. “If you send her fleeing, you’ll have Crawford waiting to catch her.”

“No. I wish nay to see the heartbroken Madeline’s older sister returned to Ayr.”

Madeline? What a curious person for Teàrlach to reference. Just mention of her sister’s name made Mariel’s throat thicken. Madeline was heartbroken? Had she done that, running away as she had? Perhaps she should have taken Madeline with her, but her sister was much safer in Ayrshire than Mariel had been. Their father had saved the full force of his wrath for Mariel. Her meek sister who clung to the shadows would never have been able to run away and keep up. A morning on the hills surrounding their castle on the firth was enough to wind her, being the cloistered and uneducated lady of breeding that she was. They never would have made it beyond the Scottish midlands, let alone all the way to southern England, and would have been captured and punished together. And there was no doubt in Mariel’s mind that her sister could never withstand the full force of their father’s wrath.

The expression on Teàrlach’s face was difficult to read in the dark, but the one obvious sentiment he wore was that he was serious. And he was scrutinizing her.