Slowly, she put one foot in front of the other, even though they felt very heavy, and headed down the road. She hoped the men were lying about Roderick being dead. She wasn’t sure she was worth his effort to save her a second time. Still, she hoped he had Agatha and would be looking for her.
* * *
Roderick couldn’t rememberwhen he’d felt such an urgency to find someone other than his family, and that had not turned out well. He would kill the men if they had hurt Siena. He kept reminding himself to be reasonable, but he wasn’t listening to himself. Siena was his. And he’d never cared for men taking what belonged to him.
Hercules cantered down the path until Roderick pulled the beast to a halt. He dismounted and checked the ground to see if the tracks were fresh. Rubbing his hand across the dirt, he felt the impressions. There appeared to be two riders, so overcoming them would be simple.Nothing like a good fight, he thought as he mounted.
He nudged Hercules with his heels and they were off down the wood covered road. He’d been traveling for a while and growing more irritated by the moment that he’d not caught up with the bandits. Then he spotted someone up ahead.
At last.
Roderick halted ten yards in front of the person. He sensed a trap. However, it appeared to be Siena standing in the middle of the road all by herself with no one around. He reached behind him and pulled out a long dagger and laid it on his leg, so no one could see the weapon.
“Are you alone, Siena?” Roderick shouted.
“Yes.”
“Saints above!” he swore to himself. “How had she escaped?” he asked his horse, not expecting a response, but dumbfounded at what he was seeing. She looked like she was taking a stroll down the road. Not very steady, as she was swaying from side to side, but she was on her feet. A great accomplishment, considering he’d last seen her lying on his plaid.
Roderick slipped his knife back in place. He dismounted and walked the short distance over to her. Hercules followed him. He took in her disheveled appearance before he asked, “Are ye hurt?”
“You came for me,” she said with a surprised expression. And then she smiled. It was the first time he had seen her do so, and his heart swelled with feelings he’d thought long dead.
“Aye, I came for ye,” Roderick replied. “You are my …” He started to say prisoner, but she wasn’t exactly that. “Ah, wull, ye are mine, and I always take care of what belongs to me.”
He saw surprise on her face as she said, “Thank you.”
There was something odd about this woman. He was glad to see both her eyes were open and clear. He knew the fever had passed. One eye still had a blue-colored bruise, but the swelling had gone down. “Where are the men who took ye?”
“Gone back the way they came.”
Something really wasn’t making any sense to him. Why would they go through the trouble of taking her, and then let her go? He would wait and ask her more questions on the ride home. “Here, let me help you in the saddle. I’m glad to see yer fever is gone.” He placed his hands on her small waist and lifted her up onto Hercules, and then mounted behind her.
“Yes, but I’m still as weak as a kitten.” She sighed. “However, I’m sure I’ll feel fine in a few days.”
Roderick saw the wild haunted look in her eyes and wondered if she was still afraid. He wrapped his plaid around her and settled her on his lap. Then he turned his mount and they started for home. “Tell me how ye got away, and who or why did they take you?”
When she failed to answer him, he glanced down and saw that again she slept soundly. Evidently, she trusted him to fall asleep so quickly. Since he’d found her, she’d been unconscious or asleep. What would she be like when she was fully awake?
“Perhaps later, I will find out.” Roderick chuckled then nudged his horse forward. His questions would have to wait for now.
Chapter 5
Siena felt herself swaying.
Slowly, she opened her eyes and found she had her arm wrapped around Roderick’s back. What must he think of her? Ladies should hold themselves erect and not slouch over a man like she was doing. However, there was something about Roderick that was so warm and comforting that she could stay like this forever. Her heart thumped rapidly as she raised her eyes to his chin.
“I’m so sorry I’ve dozed off again,” she said, feeling Roderick’s strength radiating around her. She pulled her arm from around his back. “I realize I have been a lot of trouble.” She glanced up at him to see if he was frowning before she rushed on, “I’m surprised you didn’t leave me behind.”
“I canna deny it has been interestin’,” Roderick said with a smile. “A hanging and a kidnapping in two days. Aye, ye do make life fascinating, lass.”
“Life hasn’t been normal lately, if it ever was.”
Siena sat straighter trying to stretch her back the best she could on a horse, bumping Roderick’s chin in the process. “Sorry.” She felt her cheeks warm with a blush. “Do we have much further to go?”
“Two hours, perhaps.” Roderick placed her head back under his chin, and then realized she hadn’t answered his question. “Tell me, lass did ye ken those men who kidnapped you?”
“Nay. They kept calling me the White Witch, but as far as I know, I’ve never seen the men before.” She tilted her head to the side like she was trying to figure out something. “How did they take me away from you?”
