“And you will know.” He shot me a sideways grin. “Tonight.”
For the rest of the day, I couldn’t stop myself from looking over toward where the large bundle was placed and guessing about what could be inside, and coming up with nothing.
Even before we were ready to bed down for the night, I dragged Baron into the tent. “Bedtime,” I announced.
“It’s still light outside,” he pointed out, his good-natured grin still firmly in place. “It can’t be time to sleep yet. Why are you so eager?”
“You know why, and my curiosity is about to kill me.”
“Fine, fine,” he said. Bending low, he picked up the package and threw it at me. “Merry Christmas.”
I froze. “Christmas?”
“I know I’m a few weeks early. Open it.”
My fingers shook slightly as I tore off the brown paper and pulled out a thick cloak. It was enormous—large enough to fit even Baron. “For me?” I asked in shock.
“That’s usually what it means when someone tells you ‘Merry Christmas’ and gives you a present,” he chortled. “I thought you’d like it now. You seem to be cold all the time.”
I held it up. “Well, it’s a beautiful tent! Thank you.”
He laughed easily. “Extra warmth. I told them to get one my size so they wouldn’t be suspicious. There should be something else, too.”
Rolled up tight at the bottom of the package was a padded bedroll.
“I figured the sheriff wouldn’t be eager to issue you one of your own, and I wouldn’t be a good caretaker if my captive kept sleeping on the ground every night.”
I stared in amazement, warmth blossoming in my chest. “How did you get it without me knowing?”
Baron grinned, pleased with my incredulity. “I told Bilius to get them. You stopped reading all my reports so I included it when you weren’t looking. Just don’t tell the sheriff. I don’t think he would appreciate it.”
I ran my fingers over the cloak then beamed at Baron. “You’re the best enemy I’ve ever had.”
The cloak was so big that it was more like a blanket, and I immediately fastened it around my shoulders, despite the factthat it trailed on the ground behind me when I walked, so that glorious heat began to seep in.
“Do you like it?” Baron asked, already rolling out the padded mat for me.
“Iloveit. I love it all.”
That night, I had the best sleep I ever had at the camp.
CHAPTER 20
The next morning, I was barely awake when I heard shouts and cries arise from the other side of camp. I rubbed my eyes and propped myself up, wondering what all the commotion was about. There was the clang of metal on metal, and the unmistakable twang of Father’s powerful longbow.
“I’m here!” I screamed, scrambling to my feet and trying to drag Baron out of the tent by our chain.
Baron stood, pulling on the chain so I was held back. “Laurel, stop!”
I ignored him and tried fruitlessly to heave him along, then screamed again. Father would hear me and rescue me. Baron reeled me in by the chain and restrained me, one hand over my mouth and the other around my middle. “Laurel, listen to me!”
I flung my head backward and cracked the back of my skull against his chin, then shoved my way out of his slackened grip. My cloak tore as I tumbled to the ground, and I flung it off. I didn’t care about the cold. I wanted to be free. I grabbed a pot near the fire pit and brandished it threateningly at Baron, who stood massaging his chin. “My father’s here for me and I’m leaving,” I told him firmly.
Baron held up his hands in surrender. “Justwait.”
“No! I’ve waited here for weeks. I’m not waiting any longer. I’m leavingnow.”
“Laurel,” Baron said slowly. “If you jump around and scream like that, you’ll get hurt. There are plenty of men here who would love to gut you in front of your father, the sheriff foremost amongst them. So don’t call attention to yourself. If your father really is here, the sheriff is going to trade you for him and you can go free.”
