“The lands to the north are Royce’s former holding,” she said with care. “And it must be nigh two days ride to a town.” She shrugged. “They must have thought you mad to have believed you could reach Carlisle in a day. It takes at least three to arrive there.”
Fergus swore. “Never did I think I would curse the wilderness so! We have need of a town.”
“A cave,” Yvan suggested.
“We are doomed!” moaned Enguerrand.
“Nay, I think not,” Bartholomew said, glancing back at Anna. “You have a suggestion, I would wager. Perhaps we might share the sanctuary used by the priest.”
“He is not there yet. Just ahead, there is an old crooked elm off the right of the path. He awaits us there.”
“We cannot all hide in an elm, no matter how old or crooked!” protested Yvan.
“Anna knows of a haven,” Bartholomew reminded them quietly.
“Will you take themthere?” Percy asked and all the men looked at him.
Anna sat straighter behind Bartholomew, knowing the men would protest her one condition. “There is a haven, but it is not my right to reveal it, for others take sanctuary there.” She saw Bartholomew’s disappointment. “I cannot take you there.”
“What madness is this?” Enguerrand demanded. “We saved your thief of a brother!” He was as outraged as if he had made the plan and taken the risk, though Anna knew he had been a reluctant participant.
“We imperiled our companion in that quest,” Fergus reminded her gently.
“And lost the relic,” Leila said, her tone more scathing. It was clear she thought little of Anna’s choice.
“I cannot do it,” Anna said. “And the horses cannot be hidden. They will bring dogs and all will be lost.”
“But…” Fergus began.
Bartholomew held up a hand for silence. “Anna speaks with sense. If her refuge offers no hiding for the horses, we will be found, along with those she would defend. Remember the burned forest we saw yesterday and the tale of it.”
“But still,” Enguerrand protested.
Bartholomew rounded the curve and slowed his destrier. “Of course, we will let you return to the forest and ride on to draw Royce’s men away.” To her surprise, he leapt from the saddle then lifted her down.
“You have no time,” she argued, fearful for his survival.
He granted her a sparkling glance and seized her crossbow from where it hung on the back of his saddle. “You will give me refuge, or never see this again.”
“Curse you!” Anna said.
“Ride on,” Bartholomew said to Fergus. “Meet me where the forest is burned at the next new moon.” He seized Percy from behind Hamish and put him on the ground. “I will find a way for us to retrieve the reliquary by then, and Duncan, too.”
“Can you trust her?” Enguerrand demanded.
“So long as I hold her prize, aye, I can,” Bartholomew said, then spared Anna a glance. “And she knows more of these lands than we do. Alliance may offer our sole chance.”
It was a compromise that Anna did not like—though truly, she was glad that this would not be the day she saw the last of this knight.
And she admired that he would finish what he had begun.
“Fair enough,” Fergus agreed and reached for the reins of Bartholomew’s destrier.
“But my lord!” Timothy protested.
“Ride with them,” Bartholomew instructed. “You will be safer.”
“But your hauberk!”
