Those thoughts fled as a hand rounded her waist and pulled her closer to him. Her face burned as she felt something hard prod her back. “Ye’re sliding sideways,” he said, then released her.
Grace was speechless. She cleared her throat, sighed and lowered her eyes. All she could think, could feel, was the man towering over her. The heat escalating around her body and pooling between her legs. She was like a possessed woman. Ithad to be. Somewhere in the woods, a demon spirit had invaded her body and now craved the body of a man she barely knew.
“Are ye tired?” he asked in that deep voice.
Grace shook her head violently.
“’Tis nae crime tae admit weakness. Ye dinnae have tae always be strong.”
His words struck her. No one had ever spoken to her in that manner, except her father. She was either aloof, or she acted like a man. Whenever she had let down her guard growing up, her mother’s absence had been blamed. So she had learned to be strong.
“I dinnae ken what ye’re talkin’ about,” Grace said, unconsciously straightening her back. They rode for several miles, alternating between bickering and falling silent. Despite her protest, Duncan protected her from the cold. Once, he adjusted the cloth under the rope on her wrist.
A voice ahead hollered, “we will rest here!”
Duncan pulled his horse to a stop. They went through the ritual of untying and retying her wrists again, in order to alight.
“I am starting tae feel like a prisoner,” she grumbled. Duncan’s lips twitched but he neither removed the rope nor responded.Bryce walked over and looked from one to the other. Under the pale moon, Grace could not miss the concern on the man’s face.
“How will ye sleep tonight?”
“As we did before,” Duncan replied. He moved them forward to grab his bags and food. Grace reluctantly raised her hands with him.
“’Tis uncomfortable. Fer the both of ye.” He jerked his head toward the narrow tree behind. Grace grew uncomfortable before he finished. “Ye could tie her up there, jus’ fer the night. So ye can rest.”
Something crossed Duncan’s expression, then he shook his head, filling Grace with relief. “We will manage.”
Grace’s head turned to look at him, but he wore a careful blank mask now. Still, a senseless happiness caused her traitorous lips to lift.
CHAPTER FIVE
“Are ye sure?” Bryce pressed. “Ye need yer sleep. Dinnae stretch yerself. I dinnae want ye tae collapse.”
Duncan leveled a look at him, “I am fine.”
Bryce raised his hands, “ye ken I always look out fer ye.”
“Aye,” Duncan concurred throwing a sac at the man. “Help set up the tents.”
Bryce looked extremely slighted by this chore. But he went. Duncan chanced a glance at the woman by his side. She stared at the ground like she’d not been a part of the conversation. She was tired from the ride, he’d felt her shift and slide half the night. Her words had carried less and less zest as they progressed. There was no way he’d let her sit under a tree.
He concluded that Bryce had an ulterior motive. He’d seen the look Bryce gave both of them at their arrival. As though Duncanhad betrayed him. He was tired of explaining his stance with Bryce’s sister. And he wouldn’t apologize for how this woman easily drew a laugh from him.
In fact, he had a sneaking suspicion that the reason for Bryce joining him on this trip, was for that purpose. It was ludicrous, certainly. But he knew Bryce was a family man. Nothing much would deter him from running home after a battle. Darkly, Duncan prayed Bryce’s meeting was about the war, rather than his marriage to the man’s sister.
Before he left, Bryce tapped Grace’s arm, “I’m sorry if that offended ye. Duncan has a frail health, despite that big body.”
Duncan threw the closest item at his head. With that interaction, Duncan’s assumptions changed. Maybe Bryce fancied the lass for himself. The taste of sour vinegar filled his mouth.
He did not like that at all. Further irritated, he yanked at her hand, leading her toward Craig and the men sharing food. Bryce was back a few minutes later.
“Jus’ so ye ken, I sleep fine,” Duncan told Jo.
“Untie the rope an’ see if that doesnae change.”
He laughed, tickled by the idea of a lass besting him and told her as much. The men overheard and turned to them, just as her stubborn lips tightened.
“I take offense at that. I guarantee that ye will fall on yer face, should ye face me in a duel.”
