“Why have you done this to me—why?” She barely recognized her voice for its hoarseness, but all he did was leave her standing there as he led the lathered horse to the stream.
Clearly, Roger wasn’t concerned at all that she might bolt into the woods, as if he knew her legs were cramped from so hard a ride. Another sigh escaped her as she walked stiffly to the mossy bank where she sank to her knees to dip her hand into the clear, cold water.
Roger proceeded to kneel and drink, too, though his gaze never left her, even when he splashed his face and then tunneled his fingers through his hair. In the late morning sunlight, Julianna could see a trace of red in what she had thought was only dark brown, the stubble on his jaw growing heavier.
She didn’t like at all that she would even think him handsome after so cruelly abducting her, and she lowered her gaze to cup her hand again into the water.
“If you need tae relieve yourself, you can go behind those trees—but dinna tarry.”
Julianna stiffened at his harsh tone, and glanced up to see him grimacing as he rose to his feet.
Their breakneck pace had cost him, though he was regaining his strength, which amazed her after the physical battering he had suffered. Looking at him now, standing so tall and powerfully built beside the stream, she doubted anyone else would have guessed at his badly bruised ribs…
“We’ll look for a farm after we cross the border and try tae find some food—”
“No, I won’t be going any further with you.”
Julianna might have slapped him for how startled he looked until his scowl returned and he shook his head.
“You’ve no choice, lass. I’m grateful for what you did tae help me—aye, tae warn me this morning as well, but you’ll be riding with me tae Dumbarton tae tell King Robert himself about the treachery that befell his delegation.”
Julianna shook her head now and rose to her feet with her back straightened and her chin lifted. “No, I won’t. You know everything I know about what happened, so there is nothing else I could tell your king. Take the horse and leave me to return to my home to bury my grandfather. He died this morning, and still I rode out to warn you of danger.”
Julianna could see that Roger’s scowl had eased at this news—a flicker of compassion in his deep brown eyes that surprised her—though his commanding stance hadn’t altered.
“I’m sorry tae hear of his death, lass, but it doesna change my plan. By now De Montfort and his men have come upon your hut and he has realized your treachery as well—”
“It was no treachery!” Julianna blurted out, her cheeks flushing with anger. “Charles knows I’m a healer and only did what I would for any injured soul!”
Her heated words echoing around them, she could see from his grim expression that Roger wasn’t convinced—and in truth, neither was she.
Charles would be enraged to learn how she had ridden out from the manor, ignoring his orders to bolt the doors and wait to hear from him. She could explain that transgression easily enough by saying she had wanted so desperately to tell him about her grandfather, but what about the hut? He had been there only once and knew Hubert allowed her to care for animals there—oh, no.
The blood draining from her face, Julianna looked wildly at the ground around them and back to Roger. “W-where is your breacan?”
“In the hut…mayhap on the mattress or on the floor. A pity, too. The night will be cold unless we find some shelter. I imagine your betrothed is cursing you even now—”
“Devil!” Julianna ran toward him to slap his face, but Roger caught her wrist before she could strike him and held her fast in spite of her struggling.
His eyes darkened to near black in the sunlight, his expression grown as hard as his iron grip.
“No devil, lass…just a man determined tae make it back alive tae Scotland. How can you claim yourself a healer when you would wed so cold-blooded a murderer?”
“It wasn’t my choice, but my grandfather’s! He knew he was dying and he was all the family left to me, so he arranged the marriage with Charles to protect me and join our lands together. I don’t love the man, but what else could I do than to agree? My grandfather was so worried about me…”
An anguished sob broke from Julianna’s throat and she couldn’t say anything more even as Roger eased his grip, though he didn’t release her.
“I can see how much you cared for your grandfather, but he’s in God’s hands now…while you must come with me.”
“No, please…let me go…”
“I canna, lass. I had planned tae go on tae York on the king’s mission, though it would be madness now with De Montfort searching for me—aye, searching for you. He must know I’ve taken you with me. I’m certain he’ll follow us into Scotland tae try and have you back for the wealth your marriage will bring him—och, God, woman! If I let you go, what kind of life would that bring you tae wed a man who will despise you for aiding his enemy?”
Julianna couldn’t answer, her sobs making her cough and double over, her tear-dampened hair falling over her face.
She heard a low curse and then she was lifted bodily once again and set upon the horse, Roger hoisting himself up with a groan behind her.
Her head lolling back against his shoulder as they set out again at a gallop, Julianna closed her burning eyes at the brilliant sunlight that seemed to mock her.
