She had encountered no difficulties thus far. Game was plentiful in the wooded areas, and she had found a few flowing springs where she could replenish her water supply. The only discomfort she suffered was the icy north wind that whisked through her camp. Even next to the fire she could not get thoroughly warm. At least no snow had fallen to add to that still on the ground from the last storm. Here in the forest, there were many areas free of snow like the place where she was camped.
Four days had passed since she left Garrick. After three days of riding, she had come upon another fjord which blocked her way. So she was forced to turn east after all, but she didn’t think it would matter now. She had covered Willow’s tracks for two days. Garrick would never find her.
Another two days’ distance should be enough. Then Brenna would look for a comparatively sheltered area—dense woods perhaps, or a deep glen. There she would build a hut where she could wait out the winter.
It all seems so easy, Brenna thought, as sleep drew near. She should have left Garrick months sooner.
Garrick came upon the camp in the middle of night, but he was too exhausted to feel anything but mild satisfaction that his search was over. His stallion was near collapse, for Garrick had rested only twice since starting out, and had wasted a day searching through the eastern hills.
He had expected to find Brenna near death; starving and frozen. He was relieved to find her well enough, but that she glowed with contentment while she slept did not sit well with him.
Garrick dismounted and secured his horse beside the gray mare, then moved over to the fire. He lay down beside Brenna without waking her. Tomorrow would be soon enough to have it out with her. He slept.
Brenna stirred when the weight on her chest hampered her movements. As consciousness came she realized that the heavy weight she felt was not a dream, and her eyes flew open to see an arm slung across her chest, pinning her to the ground.
She fought the urge to cry out and slowly, fearfully, turned to see the rest of the long body beside her. She nearly screamed with exasperation. This was too much, too much to bear!
“You!” she stormed, throwing his arm off her and scrambling to her feet.
Garrick woke in surprise, and reached instinctively for the hilt of his sword. Upon taking in his surroundings he relaxed, then frowned when his eyes fell on Brenna, standing with legs astride, hands on her hips, her dark eyes smoldering with rage and fury.
“So you are awake?”
“How did you find me?” she demanded, her body nearly shaking with outrage. “How?”
He ignored her for a moment as he threw off his heavy cloak and dusted his clothing. Then he did not answer her question, but said contemptuously, “You have effectively confirmed my opinion of the female sex. There is not one of you who can be trusted.”
“You form judgments too soon. I did not say I would stay with you. If I had, I would not have run away. Now how did you find me?”
“You forget that I am a hunter, Brenna,” he said in a surprisingly even-tempered voice. “I am good at what I do. Neither beast,” he paused, his eyes darkening, “nor runaway slave can escape me.”
“But I covered my trail! You should be south of here. What brought you north?”
“I admit I lost a day riding towards the mountains, but with no sign of you there, I turned around.” He shot a murderous glance at Dog, who hung his head guiltily. “Since I could not find that traitorous mongrel anywhere, I knew he had gone with you. You covered the mare’s trail well enough, but you forgot about the dog.”
It was too late to cry over her mistake. Brenna could see that Garrick was furious with Dog, however, and she did not want the animal to suffer because of her.
“Do not blame him for coming with me. I coaxed him to come,” she lied, “so you could not use him to find me.”
Garrick laughed shortly. “Yet ’twas Dog who led me to you after all.”
She faced him squarely, her bearing defiant. “And now, Viking?”
“Now I will take you home.”
“To be punished?”
“You were warned what would happen if you chose this course. Did you think that because you warmed my bed on occasion, I would be lenient with you?”
She felt that painful lump in her throat again. “Nay, I did not expect that of you,” she said softly, her lower lip nearly trembling. “I thought you would not find me. Are all your neighbors out searching too?”
“I came alone,” he replied in a gentler tone, almost a whisper.
“Well, I will not return to face your punishment, Viking,” she replied, her voice deceptively quiet.
He shrugged and picked up his cloak, ready to leave. “You have little choice.”
“You are wrong.”
