Were the rumors of his falling-out with his brother true? “But why did you leave?”
He shrugged. “It was time for me to get out on my own for a while. There were things I needed to do. I suppose I was restless.”
Meg was beginning to understand. A man like Alex would not be content to live under another man’s shadow. A leader in his own right, Alex needed to make his own way. But she felt there was more that he wasn’t telling her. Something that was calamitous enough to drive him away from his home and family. And to keep him from her.
“And have you found what you were looking for?” she asked quietly.
He gave her a long, meaningful look. “No,” he said. “Not yet.”
Her heart fell to the floor. It was a warning. A not too subtle way of telling her to keep her distance, that there was no future for them. But from the dull ache in her chest, Meg suspected that it was a warning that may have come too late.
They entered the shadow of the trees, and the temperature dropped considerably. The heavy wool fabric of her gown, which had been too warm a few minutes ago, now felt quite comfortable. Although there were still a few hours of daylight, it was eerily dark; the soft orange rays of the sun had not the strength to penetrate the thick canopy of trees.
Meg sighed, disheartened by Alex’s comments. She sank deeper into her saddle, tired and anxious to return to her rooms, both to rest and to consider what she’d learned. One thing was for certain, Alex was not simply the mercenary soldier he wanted her to think he was.
And with the way her heart skipped every time she looked at him, discovering the truth had become imperative.
Alex didn’t like being put on the spot, being scrutinized so carefully. He could sense her disappointment, but she wanted answers he just could not give her. “What about you, Meg? Haveyoufound what you were looking for?’
She collected herself and said matter-of-factly, “Perhaps, but I have to be sure. The future of our clan is at stake; there is no room for mistakes.”
He looked at her thoughtfully. “Your father seems to expect much from you.”
“He trusts me.” She sighed. “I always make the right decisions.”
It was not said as a boast but was simply stated as fact. And it bothered him. “It seems like an inordinate amount of pressure to put on a young woman. From what I have heard, you practically run the clan lands already.”
“There is no one else that my father trusts; most of the chieftains are old men. Those that aren’t have not demonstrated any propensity to lead.” She hesitated for a moment. “You know of my brother?”
He nodded.
“Of course you do,” she said bitterly. “It is a small island, and people like to gossip. My brother will be chief, and I will be there to support him. As will my husband.”
“What about foryou,Meg? Have you found the right man for you?”
“It’s all the same,” she said tersely. “The right man for Dunakin is the right man for me.”
He could sense her increasing anxiety, as if his questions dug deeper than she would like. But Alex realized that he was close to the truth, to the core of what drove Meg. “Are you so sure of that? What of your own happiness?”
He could see the color climb in her cheeks. Her eyes sparked with anger. “You don’t understand.”
He could see her resistance in the stiffness of her back and the tightness around her mouth. The façade of control had slipped. “Don’t understand what, Meg?” he prodded gently.
She gazed at him with wide, glassy eyes. “I can’t let them down,” she said fervently. “They are all counting on me.”
Alex hadn’t meant to upset her. But he could see from the intensity of her response how important it was to her to do what was right. What was expected. And for some reason, that had become a struggle. He suspected he knew why.
A sound drew his attention to the bank of trees on their right.
His senses flared. He didn’t like the feel of this at all. Something wasn’t right. He held up his hand for them to stop.
“What’s wrong?” Meg asked.
“I heard something.” He paused, stone still, all of his senses honed to his surroundings. He moved his horse in front of hers, putting himself in the line of fire, and with a gesture of his hand ordered her guardsmen to surround her.
It was almost too still. The light had faded to near dark. They’d moved into the densest part of the forest, where the path narrowed to accommodate the enormous birch trees. It was the perfect place for an—
Suddenly, he detected the unmistakable whiz of arrows in flight.
