He just had to be patient and trust that Malcolm could find her.
13
Malcolm watched as the sun started to set in the distance, feeling the weariness settle in his bones. Before him, Edna slumped into his chest, her eyes fluttered closed, and her breathing evened out. She hadn’t said so much as one word since she had seen the parchment wanting her for the murder of Declan Belshes, and while he knew that she was concerned that they were looking for her, she hadn’t been the one to kill him.
He had, and he was more than willing to take her place with the punishment—that was, if they couldn’t find anyone to help them out of the situation.
Malcolm could also understand why she didn’t want to go back to McGregor land. He had met her sister, heavy with child, and her parents—and while they had been great warriors in their day, they wouldn’t stand much of a chance in protecting her.
So the McPearson clan it was. Malcolm knew that there were more warriors, seasoned warriors that had trained under the greatest warriors in all of Scotland, that could help protect her. And if he could do it right, the clan wouldn’t even know that she was there, only Irvine.
And he imagined Irvine would be more than happy to help his cousin in her time of need.
Edna shifted in his arms, and he tightened his arm around her waist, feeling a surge of protectiveness with her despite what he had said about them unable to wed. The last thing he would want to do would be to make her a widow or to have her do something unconventional if he did end up in a dungeon on Belshes land. Malcolm would not put it past Edna to attempt and rescue him, and when he could procure her safety, he would go to Neacal Belshes himself and ask for him to take her place. After all, he had deceived the laird just as much as Edna had.
Sighing, he realized that he would have to stop soon. It wasn’t safe to travel at night any longer, and he wasn’t about to take a chance with Edna now that they had learned of her being wanted. He needed to protect her the best that he could, and that was proving to be difficult.
As the shadows lengthened, Malcolm guided the horse off the road and into the wood, using the canopy of trees to hide their presence until he was certain that one, they weren’t being followed, and two, they could light a fire without being found out.
It wasn’t until he had halted the horse that Edna stirred in his arms. “Careful now,” he told her softly, wishing he could hold her close just a little bit longer. “Dinnae fall, lass.”
She came awake slowly, and for a moment, they stared at each other, Malcolm feeling the dull roar in his ears as he fought the urge to kiss her.
“I-I’m sorry I fell asleep,” she finally said, clearing her throat.
“It was a horrid ride,” he jested as she straightened, and he removed his arms from around her. “Ye didnae miss anything.”
She looked around. “Are we here?”
“Nay,” he said, slowly dismounting so he could help her down. “We are losing daylight, and ’tis not safe tae travel at night.”
“Oh,” she answered as he helped her down off the horse. “Well then, I guess we will arrive on the morrow.”
“Aye,” Malcolm offered, tying the horse to the nearest tree. “I am going tae hunt for something fresh for our supper. Can ye start a fire, lass?”
“Aye,” she responded.
Malcolm reached into his belt and handed her a dagger. “In case there is trouble,” he told her softly. “Scream. I will come.”
Her eyes widened, but Malcolm walked off before he could change his mind, wasting no time snaring two rabbits. When he arrived back at the camp, Edna had started a fire, even finding some small logs for them to sit upon.
After skinning and skewering the rabbits, he set them upon the fire and took out his sword, settling it across his lap.
“If ye wasn’t a warrior,” she asked as the rabbit meat sizzled and popped in the fire, “wot would ye do?”
Malcolm smirked. “I wouldn’t be a good farmer. Perhaps a blacksmith, something I work with mah hands.”
She sighed, her eyes focused on the fire. “I always wished tae be a healer. I tried, ye know, tae train, but I kept mixing up the herbs and potions. When I gave a lass one meant tae aid in digestion, the healer asked me tae not come back.”
“Wot did ye mean tae give?” he asked, curious.
Edna met his gaze, her cheeks flushed. “Aid in preventing a bairn.”
Malcolm burst into laughter. “I imagine it was a surprise indeed.”
Edna nodded, her lips pursed. “She told me that she nearly scared her intended tae death when her stomach erupted during, well, their time together.”
Malcolm laughed once more as he pulled the rabbit out of the fire, handing her one of the sticks that he had used as a skewer. “Here, lass. ’Tis hot.”
