She could snatch the blade from its scabbard. She could press it to his neck in a flash. She could kill him, or try to take him prisoner; either way, she could perhaps secure her own freedom. It would take no skill, no fortitude, no particular cunning.
Just desperation, and the will to act at that moment.
He continued to gaze into her eyes, searching for that intention, that will to do whatever it took to get away. Searching for the ruthlessness it would require. Not out of fear of his own life, but from the need to have been right about her innocence in all of this, her lack of ill intent.
Katherine took a deep breath, and withdrew her hands to a safe distance.
Bryan pulled himself to his feet, then offered a hand so that he could help Katherine rise. She took it, brushing the dust from her garments and trying to act as though nothing unseemly had occurred, but the high blush of her cheeks betrayed her.
“Ye saved us both,” she breathed.
He inclined his head down toward the dagger. “I suppose ye just did as well.”
“What shall we do wi’ two of our horses mortally pierced?” Barclay demanded.
“Ride double,” Rory snorted.
“He’s right,” Bryan agreed. “It will take us longer, but so be it. Those without horses, choose men to ride with.”
“Seems our riding company will nae be nearly so pleasant as yer own,” Barclay murmured. Some of the other Oliphant soldiers snickered.
Bryan raised his eyebrows, not allowing himself to rise to the bait. “Perhaps if some among ye bathed more regularly, that mightn’t be the case. Now be about it, for we are already late in our return, and Laird Alex is bound tae worry.”
They were mounted and ready in under a minute, and so they continued down the road.
“Why should I believe that ye are nae privy tae the evil schemes of yer father and sister?” Bryan asked suddenly.
The question caught her off guard. “Well, if I were ye and my position involved distrust in the name of my laird, I suppose I would nae have any good reason tae believe it.”
“Then provide me with one,” he countered insistently. “Convince me.”
She let out a surprised laugh. “Do ye wish tae find some reason tae believe me, or ye wish tae see how well I lie?”
“Let us say it is the first.” His tone was indifferent, but she could sense a curious urgency beneath it. “What sets ye apart from them?”
She shrugged, deciding that the truth would be her best ally in this situation. “‘Twas our father who set us apart. When he became certain that he would never have a male heir, he chose tae spend all of his time teaching my sister how tae seize power. Training her tae fight and kill, teaching her how tae use diplomacy and friendship as poisoned blades in the name of expanding our territories and riches. He never had any use for me, for he always deemed me worthless and beneath his notice. After a while, so did she.”
“And what if they had invited ye tae join in their plots against us?” Bryan asked slowly. “Would ye have helped them destroy us, to gain their favor?”
“I cannae say,” she answered simply. “Can any daughter, deprived her whole life of her father’s love, truly say what she might have been willing tae do tae win it from him? I can only tell ye that whenever I heard them speak their malice with regard tae yer clan, it appalled and sickened me. I wanted no part in their bloody strategies.”
“Not that ye would be willing tae share any of those overheard strategies with us, perchance?” His playful tone had an edge to it that Katherine could not ignore.
“I cannae,” she told him, “for I have none tae share. Only their hatred, which ye already know of, and Romilly’s involvement, which ye clearly exposed some while ago.”
Bryan grunted, sounding unsatisfied. They rode the next several miles in silence before he spoke again, “Why did ye not reach for my dagger?”
“‘Reach for it?’” She laughed. “I believe we both know I’d have done far more than ‘reach’ for it. I’d have had it tae yer throat before ye could have moved a finger!”
“Very well, let us say ye are right,” he agreed irritably. “Why did ye not seize it?”
“Because establishing trust means more than one party making the opening gesture, as ye did by cutting my bonds,” she replied quietly. “It requires the second gesture, the one from the other party, or it can go nowhere.”
He considered this for a while, then nodded. “Fair enough, my lady. Now, coming over the hill, ye shall see our destination in view at last!”
As the horses reached the crest of the hill, a strange thought took hold of her mind; so suddenly and ferociously that she felt as though she was being shaken back and forth in the jaws of a wild cat.
If only things had been different between our two clans, I might have enjoyed having him for a suitor and groom. Perhaps that might have been enough to ensure peace between the Oliphants and the McGregors.
