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Sarah chuckled, allowing him to pull her closer, savoring his warmth as much as the steady arms that held her. “And you do not?” she challenged, suddenly loathe to be considered less. “After all, you’ve been up as long as I have.”
Keir chuckled. “Aye, in fact, I’m asleep on my feet.” He grinned down at her. “Can ye not tell I’m sleepwalking?”
Sarah shook her head at him, wishing she could remain in his embrace all night.
“Lock the door,” Keir urged suddenly, his gaze insistent as Sarah stood back and raised her eyes to his.
“Do you think we were followed?” She swallowed hard, hoping her sister could not hear their whispered words.
“If I did,” Keir murmured, leaning in until she could feel his breath upon her lips, “I wouldna be sleeping in another room.”
Sarah’s blush was instantaneous, and the wide grin that came to Keir’s face told her he had said those words so on purpose. Indeed, he loved teasing her, loved making her blush. He always had, and deep down, Sarah could not rightly say that she minded.
Still…
“You’re impossible!” she chided him with a laugh, giving him a shove while Keir allowed himself to be pushed out into the corridor. “Good night.”
His gaze held hers a moment longer. Then he nodded his head. “Good night, little wisp.”
As Sarah locked the door behind him, she wished that Keir could have stayed. Indeed, the room next door was too far away, and for a split second, Sarah considered slipping back out into the corridor and going after him.
“I’m glad,” came Kate’s strained voice from the bed behind her, “that he is out there.” Sarah turned to meet her sister’s eyes as she settled herself comfortably to nurse Frederica. “I feel… safer knowing he is watching over us.”
Seating herself beside her sister, Sarah nodded. “I do as well.” She sighed. “I can no longer imagine a life without him.”
It was a shocking truth, one that held great sway over her life. Sarah knew it, and a part of her feared it.
She could not help that.
Chapter Four
ROOTS & WINGS
Moments before dawn, Keir knocked on Sarah’s door. He had already been outside, seeing to the horses and the carriage with Mr. Garner before asking the innkeeper to have a large breakfast readied and packed up for the journey ahead.
Fortunately, the taproom was empty, and he could not detect any signs that someone had followed them here the night before. Still, Keir felt a nagging sense of unease settle in the back of his head. After all, he had overlooked signs of danger once before when Sarah’s former fiancé had sent men to find them in the woods. That night had almost ended badly, for Sarah had become too much of a distraction for him.
Whenever she was near, Keir struggled to remain focused. His thoughts strayed to her, and her alone. Keir chuckled as he climbed the stairs to the upper floor. What could he do? He was long past the point where he could have given her up.
As though on cue, Keir could all but hear his father’s voice. ‘Why are ye bringing her home, lad? There’s only one reason, is there not?’
Aye, there was only one reason. Keir had always known so. Yet now was not the time to dwell on such matters.
“Who is it?” came Sarah’s voice in answer to his knock upon her door.
“’Tis me, lass.”
The door opened, and Sarah’s face appeared in the gap. Her blond hair was disheveled, wild wisps billowing around her head. The blue of her eyes shone in a darker shade this morning, and her cheeks glowed in rosy red. She looked utterly fetching, and for a moment, words failed Keir.
“Is something wrong?” Sarah asked, a look of concern coming to her lovely face as she squeezed through the gap in the door, no doubt concerned her sister would overhear. “Keir!”
A part of Keir was utterly disappointed that Sarah had already changed out of her nightgown and into a thick woolen dress. As his gaze traced her yet untamed curls, he wondered if she always looked like this in the mornings.
“Keir!”
Keir started chiding himself for his inattention.Aye, the lass is a most awful distraction!“We need to be off, lass. Can ye rouse yer sister and yer nieces?”
Sarah frowned. “That is all? Nothing is wrong?” She exhaled deeply when Keir shrugged. “Then why would you frighten me so? You looked at me as though… as though…” Her voice broke off, and slowly her eyes grew larger as understanding dawned.
