"Quite.
"Very well, then. If you're stiff and soretomorrow morning, you've only yourself to blame."
She did not deign to reply as the wagon rumbled intomotion. Instead she lowered her head and closed her eyes to the myriadperplexing sights her mind could no longer absorb. She could feel Guy watchingher for a moment, but soon he rode ahead, leaving her to her silent misery.
***
When Leila awoke, she had no idea where she was. Shetried to rise but fell back onto something quite soft, which was a great reliefto her sore muscles and aching lower back. Then she felt the rocking motion; itwas not as severe as what she had suffered during the sea voyage, but a rollingsensation just the same.
"Good afternoon, my lady."
Her eyes widened at the sound of Guy's voice and sheturned to the side. He was sitting in a narrow wooden berth directly acrossfrom her, dressed in a tunic, hose, and his black knee boots. An oil lampsputtered on the rough-hewn table between them.
"Afternoon?" she queried, confused. "Ithought it was night." She remembered being jostled along in that accursedwagon long past nightfall, unable to sleep for the constant bumping. Thenovercome at last by sheer exhaustion, she had lain down in that smelly straw . ..
"You've been asleep since before we reachedAvignon, well over thirteen hours ago by now. We're on the boat to Lyons. Atthe rate these oarsmen are rowing, we'll be there by sunrise tomorrow."
Still dazed, she merely sighed and stared up at thelow-beamed ceiling.
She wasn't surprised she had slept so long after thatgrueling wagon ride. What did surprise her was that she wasn't seasick,considering they were on another boat. Perhaps because this vessel wassmaller—her gaze darted about the cramped cabin—much smaller, its motion wasn'taffecting her as much. Or maybe it was because they were on a river instead ofthe open sea. In any case, she was grateful.
She noted the shadows filling the comers and realizedshe would have had no idea it was afternoon if Guy hadn't told her. There wasno oriel window in this tiny cabin, in fact, no luxuries at all but theincredibly soft mattress on which she was lying. Covered with clean linen, itlooked brand new. She hadn't slept on anything so comfortable since leavingRefaiyeh'shouse.
"I bought the mattress for you in Avignon,"Guy said with a half smile, reading her thoughts. "You should have heardthe bedding merchant's curses when I woke him early this morning." Heshrugged. "It was the least I could do to make up for the miserable rideto Lyons."
Leila smiled back, touched by his thoughtfulness. "Thankyou," she murmured, quickly looking away when she saw a strange warmthflare in his eyes.
Instantly some of her good will vanished, and sheresolved not to smile at him again if she could help it. She didn't want togive him the impression her attitude toward him was softening. It wasn't. Notin the least.
"How well do you ride horses, Leila?"
She glanced sharply at him. "Well enough. Myfather taught me. He owned some of the fastest Arabians in the empire—"
"Good. After we reach Lyons, we'll ride postrather than continue on in wagons. They're too slow."
"Post?"
"It means we'll ride hard, changing horses at innsalong the way and resting only when necessary."
"But what of our chests, our clothes . . . andthis new mattress?"
"We'll pack what we can in saddlebags and leaveeverything else behind. I'm determined to make it to London in time for Edward'scoronation. It will be a great day for England, and I don't want to miss it."
"So you'll kill me to do so?" she queried,her temper rising. "You may be accustomed to spending long hours in asaddle, Lord deWarenne, but I am not. My riding waslimited to short races across the desert."
"Then you can ride with me," he said with anengaging grin. "We accomplished our journey from Damascus to Acre likethat, and I could do so again. Gladly. You fit quite snugly in my arms. Youradded weight was no trouble at all."
Exhaling in frustration, Leila rolled onto her sidewith her back to him, refusing to reply. Nor did she want him to see how hissuggestion, and his handsome smile, had affected her. When he looked at herwith that roguish glint in his eyes, she melted inside and she knew she wasblushing foolishly. His smile aroused heated memories she had no wish toremember. Damn him!
"Either way, riding separately or together, weshould be in Calais within six days," he continued in a rakish tone thatmade her certain he had sensed her discomfort. "From there we'll take abarge to Dover,thenwe're only a day's ride fromWestminster."
Leila's thoughts spun at this news. They were less thana week's journey from London! She would never have thought she would have solittle time toeffectan escape. And Guy seemedequally determined not to let her out of his sight. What was she to do?
A new thought struck her, an idea she hadn't yetconsidered.
Maybe it might be better to wait until she was in herbrother's care. Surely Roger would listen to reason and allow her to return toSyria if he knew where her heart truly lay, no matter their mother's misguidedplans for her. Probably the last thing he would want was a sister he had neverknown to exist as an added responsibility. From what Guy had told her, itsounded as if Roger already had enough problems. He would be more than eager tobe rid of her.
She pressed her lips stubbornly together. No, that ideahad merit, but it would have to serve as her very last resort. She just wasn'tready to give up yet. If the right situation arose and she could secure theremainder of the jewels her mother had given to Guy, she would be gone beforehe could blink.
