Remy ignored the tightness in his chest. “Eat quickly. I want tae be on the road before the sun sets today, lass.”
She looked up at him, gratitude shining in her eyes. “Remy, I, thank ye.”
Remy felt the heat rise in his cheeks, but he gave her a curt nod and strode away before she could see it. He was doing thisbecause his laird had asked him to watch out for her, to ensure her comfort for the journey and her safety when they reach the McCellan lands.
That was why he was doing this.
Later that afternoon, Remy halted his horse just over the rise in the road. The small village of Hensha stood before him, a pitiful village with rundown buildings and not much else. He had hoped that they would get past it before night fell, but their journey had been plagued by a broken axle on the carriage and while Remy would have abandoned it, he couldn’t very well have the potential future lady of the McCellan clan showing up on horseback.
He and his men had repaired the axle, but Remy had remained far removed from Gretna as they had done so. He didn’t like the way she made him feel when she bestowed a smile, a true smile, or a thank you to him.
It was, well, unnerving, so he distanced himself from the opportunity, hoping that they could get to the keep today and end this torturous journey.
Now it looked as if they would be spending the night in Hensha and his stomach curdled at the thought.
“Wot do ye want tae do?” one of his warriors, Mandel, asked as he paused beside him. “We can camp in the woods a few miles down the road.”
“Nay,” Remy said with a shake of his head. “She canna be forced tae camp in the woods.” If it was just them, then Remy would be turning his horse around, but Gretna deserved more than a hard earth floor for a bed. “The carriage will be guarded all night. I will take care of the lass.”
Mandel rode off to tell the others and Remy forced his horse forward, down the remaining distance into the village. Hensha was known for outcasts of clans to frequent, along with some of the most dangerous Scots he had ever encountered in his lifetime. The inn would be nothing short of a hovel and Gretna’s presence could pose issues as many lasses didn’t stick around these parts for long unless they were working on their backs.
Not only was night approaching, but darker clouds were gathering, a sign of a storm on the horizon. He couldn’t risk Gretna’s safety.
If something happened to her… Remy shook off the thought and halted his horse in front of the inn, climbing down his saddle. His men moved the carriage quickly toward the stables, but there were enough Scots milling about the rutted roads that their eyes lingered as it rolled past. Before long, the entire inn and anyone within earshot would know of its arrival.
There would be very little sleep for any of his men tonight.
Remy walked over to the carriage and opened the door, finding Gretna already ready to depart. “Ye will heed all mah requests,” he told her quickly, offering his hand. “Do wot I tell ye when I tell ye.”
She arched a brow, sliding her hand in his. “Are we in danger?”
Remy attempted to ignore how small her hand was in his, the way her skin slid over his calloused one and helped her down. “Aye, lass, we are in danger.”
Instead of cowering, she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Then ye willna have any trouble from mah.”
Remy prayed to the gods that she was telling the truth. He was already going to have a time keeping her safe. He directed her toward the door, placing his hand on her lower back as he opened it. The moment his hand touched her, she stiffened but didn’t pull away and Remy didn’t relinquish his touch from her.It would be best for the entire inn to know that she belonged to him.
The great room was just as he had remembered it to be, packed with Scots from various clans and some from no clan, all looking their way as he ushered Gretna forward. The air stank with unwashed bodies and stale ale, but Gretna kept moving forward. “Wot do ye want?” a young lass stated from behind the counter, a dirtied rag in her hand. She couldn’t have been more than twelve summers, but Remy already saw the hardness in her eyes, a fighting spirit that would serve her well in this sort of place. “I need a room for tonight,” he said firmly.
The girl gave Gretna a once over, her lips curling in disgust. “Tis no place for ye or yer fancy carriage.”
So word had already gotten around. “She’s with mah,” Remy stated, pulling Gretna to his side and wrapping his arm around her slim waist. He felt her jump, but she remained firm at his side. Bestowing a smile to the young girl, he reached in his pouch with his other hand and gathered a few coins. “A room.”
The girl’s eyes lit up at the sight and the coins disappeared quicker than he could place them on the counter. “First door at the top of the stairs.”
“Supper too,” Remy told her, moving them to the stairs. “And there could be more for ye.”
Gretna said nothing as they walked up the stairs, Remy at her back in case anyone decided to try and take him out sooner than he expected. The moment they reached the second landing, Gretna stepped away from him. “Wot are ye doing?”
“Keep yer voice down, lass,” he hissed, pushing open the door. “I will explain it all in due time.”
She huffed but her attention moved to the room and Remy saw the rejection on her face. “Nay,” she started immediately. “We canna stay here.”
Remy shut the door behind them, frowning when he saw that the lock was broken on the door. “We have tae.”
She turned to him, her hands on her hips. “Nay, we donna. I would rather sleep in the carriage than sleep here.” She gestured with her hands at the stained blanket on the single bed. “I canna, nay, I willna sleep on that!”
Remy closed the distance between them. “There is a storm coming,” he firmly told her. “That we will never make it through with the carriage. Besides, the roads aren’t safe from here tae McCellan. This is our only choice.”
