The queen let out a little gasp.“Whattrickery is this?”
Jamie hauled the ragged figure close to thequeen’s horse, then caught a handful of her hair and forcedLindsey’s head up so that she was facing the queen.
“This is Lindsey Gordon, Majesty.Her clanaccompanied me to Edinburgh, to offer their services.”
“The daughter of Douglas Gordon?”
“Aye, Majesty,” Jamie said, still holdingLindsey in a death grip.
“Why are you dressed like that, girl?”
Lindsey swallowed, overcome with emotion.Thequeen.She was talking to the queen.Her tongue seemed all twisted.The words simply would not come out.Worse, she felt like weeping.And if she did, she would disgrace herself and her familyforever.
“Speak, woman.Lives are at stake.”
She swallowed.“Please, Majesty.I canexplain.”
“Quickly,” Jamie said through gritted teeth.“We have no time for silly prattle.”
“I—wanted to experience the freedom of a man,Majesty.And so I—dressed like one and followed my lord, JamieMacDonald, to a tavern.”
The queen’s eyes widened.“A tavern?Youentered a tavern dressed like this?”
“Aye.”Lindsey swallowed.“But when Jamieleft with a woman...”
The queen glanced from Lindsey to Jamie, thenback again.“I believe this will prove to be a longer story than wehave time for, my friend.”She drew her cloak around her and saiddryly, “She rides with you.”
“What?”Jamie released Lindsey so quickly shestumbled.
The queen wheeled her mount and called overher shoulder, “I said, the woman rides with you.”
“Surely you cannot mean to take her all theway to Lochleven, Majesty.”
“Would you leave her here with Lord Ruthvenand his cutthroats?They would have our destination pried from herwith a single, carefully placed thrust of their knives.”
Jamie heard the sounds of horses drawingnearer.He could see the wisdom of the queen’s words.Yet his mindand heart rebelled against such a move.He did not need thedistraction of this female during another dangerous journey.Still,the queen had commanded it.Pulling himself into the saddle, heoffered his arm to Lindsey.
She drew away as if to run and he leaneddown, catching her roughly by the shoulder.
“Give me your hand,” he ordered.
“Nay.I will not go with you to some distantplace.”
“The queen commands it.”
“Then to hell with the queen, JamieMacDonald.And to hell with you.”
As she tried to twist away he leaned down inthe saddle and caught her around the torso, lifting her easily offthe ground.
Through gritted teeth he said, “You had bestlearn two very important lessons this night, my lady.First of all,keep your foul curses to yourself.And second, when the queencommands, it is done.Now,” he rasped, wrapping his arms around herand clutching the reins, “hang on tightly, woman.If you fall off,I will not comeback for you.If you are bleeding, you will lie inyour own blood until you are drowned.”
“But my father and brothers...”
“You should have thought about them beforeyou leaped into this dangerous little adventure.”
Within seconds the three horses sailed overthe hedge and disappeared into the darkness.A moment later, amidshouting and swearing, more than a dozen horses and riders enteredthe empty courtyard and milled in confusion.
As their horses clattered along the desertedstreets of Edinburgh, Lindsey held herself stiffly in Jamie’sarms.
