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They hurried off, Trey wanting to reach Emma and the children by nightfall. He felt uneasy though he couldn’t say why.
A little after nightfall, they arrived, and Rona dropped down beside Emma, Darren clinging to her, and the two women cried in sadness and relief.
Trey pulled Bliss aside away from the others. “Something troubles me.”
Bliss nodded. “I’ve felt it myself though I don’t know what it is.”
He pulled her into his arms. “I will be glad when we are home, where I know you will be safe.” He could feel the sudden change in her, a quick almost undetectable bristle that vanished as soon as it had appeared. “What’s wrong?”
She had no chance to respond, Peter calling out to them both. He was worried that soldiers would or had already gone to his farm in search of him. Would they be able to track them here?
They discussed all the possibilities, and though Trey knew what had to be done, he said nothing about it. He would wait for the right time though he knew there would be no keeping his plan from Bliss. No doubt she already knew.
Peter took the first watch, leaving Trey to curl around his wife beside the campfire and keep them both warm. The others had already fallen asleep from sheer exhaustion and relief from the day’s sadness.
“Our return to your home will be delayed yet again,” she whispered, “but it cannot be helped.”
“It won’t be a long delay, just a slight detour.” He nuzzled at her warm neck, his hand beneath the blanket playfully creeping up to gently squeeze her breast. He truly should have thought better of his actions since the simple touch began to grow him hard.
“That is not fair, husband,” she murmured, and he heard passion stir in her voice.
She stirred his even further simply by calling him husband. He liked when she did that, acknowledged the importance of who he was to her.
“To neither of us,” he whispered against her ear, and felt her shudder. Damn but he wished they were alone.
“Please stop, Trey,” she whispered so softly that he barely heard her. “It does not take much for me to want you and for that want to grow ... and to pain me if left unsatisfied.”
He moved his hand away from her breast reluctantly. “I didn’t mean to—”
“Love me so much?”
Her teasing tone brought a smile to his face. “You know me too well,wife,and that pleases me.”
“Since I have pleased you, it is only fair that you owe me one.”
He laughed softly in her ear. “And I will see that you get a good, hard, and long pleasing.”
She chuckled. “See that you do, husband.”
“You have my word.”
They woke the next morning to snow just beginning to fall. It could prove a blessing or a problem. If the snow continued, it would hide their tracks, but if it stopped, their tracks would be visible, and they could be found easily. If the snow worsened, that would present a bigger problem, especially with a new babe to worry about. They hurried and gathered their things and were on their way, hoping to cover as much ground as possible before the snow stopped or worsened.
It was only midmorning when the snow began to slow, and Trey brought them to a stop. He saw the worried look on Peter’s face and knew what he was thinking.
“Snow or not, I knew this time would come though the snow has made it even more of a necessity,” Trey said. “Peter, you need to travel on to MacAlpin keep with everyone while Bliss and I make tracks that the soldiers will follow.”
“They will look for more than two sets of tracks,” Peter protested nervously.
“Not so,” Trey said. “The soldiers don’t know if your son or you made it home, and since you were not seen at Rona’s place, they do not know you travel with her. They will assume she left with me, who no doubt would carry her son, leaving two sets of tracks. The snow covered your farm, so the multiple tracks cannot be seen. With the place empty, the soldiers will assume that you or your son made it home and left, thus looking for two sets of tracks.
“The snow still falls, but not for long. Bliss and I will wait here to see that the snow covers your tracks. And then we will go in a different direction. Once the soldiers find our tracks, they will assume it is either Rona and the warrior or your son, or you and your wife, and follow us.”
Peter looked ready to protest.
Trey didn’t allow it. “You take yours and Corwin’s family and see that they get safely to my home. Leave the rest to me and Bliss.”
“Bliss should come with us,” Peter said.
