She frowned, wondering if his leg was bothering him. But after watching him for a while, she didn’t detect any sign of the injury or pain and concluded that the ointment must have worked.
He was right about the mist. It did not linger, lifting by mid-morning, about the same time they reached the burn of which he’d spoken. The stream was about three feet wide, flowing through a deep ravine. It was beautiful, set in the landscape of moss, rock, and a light dusting of snow—patches of snow, more accurately, as the warm sun was already melting winter’s icy breath.
She took her time, washing her face and hands and enjoying the moment of peace. She should have known it wouldn’t last.
Ewen gritted his teeth for the battle ahead. He should have known she wasn’t going to like his plan. God, did all women have so manyopinions? Thinking of his fellow Guardsmen’s wives, he suspected they did.
Bloody hell, what was happening to him? It had been so much easier when he didn’t think about what a lass thought or wanted.
Her gaze slid over him in a silent scoff that sure as hell shouldn’t make him hot, but his cock didn’t seem to notice her flashing eyes.
“A change of clothes does not hide what you are, Ewen. Anyone who looks at you will see that you are a warrior.” The observation pleased him far more than it should. As did the way her eyes lingered appreciatively on his shoulders and arms. “Let me go with you—I can help. You will be less obvious with a wife by your side.”
Remembering how well that had gone the first time, he declined. “I’m buying a horse, Janet. I’ve done this hundreds of times before. There is nothing to worry about. I will be back before you even realize I’m gone.”
She shook her head. “But what if there are soldiers about?”
“There won’t be. As you can see,” he pointed down into the valley at the dozen or so holdings and small church nestled into the hillside, “it’s a small village. No castle means no English.”
“I can help you. Remember what happened in the inn? I’m good at talking with people.”
And he wasn’t. But he could bloody well bargain for a horse. Knowing that they’d be standing here forever if he didn’t do something, Ewen tried a different tack. One that held more truth than he wanted to admit. “That’s not why I don’t want you to go. I know you could help, but having you with me would put us both in danger.”
“Why?”
“I’d be worrying about you. Focusing on you. You make me…”
He didn’t know how to explain. Weak. Vulnerable. Words he’d never used to describe himself before.
Christ!
If she noticed his discomfort, it didn’t stop her from asking, “Make you what?”
He settled on, “Distracted.”
His answer didn’t appear to satisfy her. She wrinkled her delicately turned nose. “I’ll stay out of the way; you won’t even know I’m there.”
As if that were bloody possible. “Ialwaysknow you’re there.”
“Why?”
“Why?” he repeated, not having anticipated the question.
“Aye, why do you always know I’m there? Why am I so different?”
His jaw hardened. “You know why.”
She lifted her chin in a manner that told him that she intended to be difficult about this. “No, I’m afraid I don’t.”
He knew what she was trying to do, damn it. But if it meant keeping her safe, he’d say whatever the hell she wanted him to. “Because I care about you. Because the thought of something happening to you makes me lose my damned mind. That’s why I don’t want you going with me.”
She smiled, and he swore it was as if the sun had just come out. “All right.”
The acquiescence had come so easily, he didn’t think he’d heard her right. “All right?”
She nodded. “And just so you know, you distract me, too.” She gave him a small smile. “I had no idea you were so romantic.”
Romantic? Him?Bloody hell!She was reading too much into this. “Janet, you don’t understand—”
