“And a dozen more Fletchers would be more useful still,” Will replied with a stubborn set to his mouth. “Two dozen. We canna risk Lady Fletcher with so few men to protect her.”
“She’ll be best protected by traveling quietly andno’proclaiming her presence across the countryside.” Jamie dropped the leather cinch and held his hands out by his side. “Ye have a choice, Uilleam Fletcher. Get on yer horse and ride with us, or stay here and send one other Fletcher fighting man with us. One. The Lady Fletcher values ye and yer guidance, but in this case, if we must make our way without ye, I’ll accept that, and we’ll manage without ye. ’Tis yer decision.”
“Will…” Caitrin held out a hand to him.
“If anything happens to her, and the attackers dinna kill ye, I’ll finish ye myself,” Will blustered.
“If anything happens to her, ye’ll no’ get the chance. We’ll all be dead defending her. Now are ye going to ride or stand there making idle threats?”
“Will!” Caitrin’s shout rang out as Will’s hand hovered near his dirk. “If ye are foolish enough to try that,” she warned, “I’ll order ye to stay behind right now. I need ye to keep me safe, no’ to brawl because ye dinna agree with yer orders.”
“’Tis what I’m trying to do,” Will growled. “Keep ye safe. Yer Lathan friends are too few to do the job.”
“And what ye propose will bring half the brigands in the Highlands down upon us, ye fool,” Jamie hissed, his patience at an end. “All the Fletchers here willna be enough if that happens.” He kept his gaze on Will. “Caitrin, we’re going to have to leave him behind.”
“Nay!” Will barked the objection. “I’ll come. Just remember what I said.”
“Ye’ll kill me, aye,” Jamie answered, exasperated beyond all reason. His control was slipping. Normally, he could handle anything with calm reason and a touch of humor. But Caitrin hadmatteredto him, as no other lass ever had. Apparently, she still did. Is this what being around her did to him? If so, Will had better watch his step. “Good luck to ye. Better men have tried.”
“Jamie, Will, stop it. I’ve heard more than enough of this. We’re leaving. Quietly. This argument is over.”
Jamie took a breath and nodded, determined not to let his sudden lapse make things worse.
Will locked gazes with his mistress and narrowed his eyes, then he, too, nodded.
Jamie admired the air of authority she exhibited, but he dared not let his pleasure at her display of backbone show on his face. Will would surely misinterpret a grin as a challenge, or as a taunt that Jamie thought he won the argument. With Will’s temper, they might wind up in a brawl after all. Jamie didn’t care about besting Will in an argument or a fair fight. He cared about keeping Caitrin safe, and as head of the Lathan scouts, a fact Will was not aware of, he knew his business. Jamie would get Caitrin safely through any danger that might befall them. The rest might die defending her, but Jamie would get her away. A chill ran down his back.
Even if that meant getting her away from MacGregor.
Chapter Four
Caitrin stared at Jamie Lathan’s broad back. Since she’d been sent home from Lathan, his long, lanky frame had filled out most attractively with muscle, and he carried himself with more confidence than he had displayed as a lad. She admired this new Jamie still, like the lad she’d spent the last six years longing for, yet in many ways, more. Much more. Her grip tightened on the reins as she shifted uncomfortably in the saddle. She wasn’t sure what to think. On her way to meet the man her father intended her to marry, she had no business letting her adolescent longings overcome her good sense.
Jamie rode at the head of their small group, a dozen paces in front of her, into the coppery glow of the sun setting behind the mountains. One of his men rode beside her, watchful and silent except for the creak of his leather saddle. Will, who knew the way, having made the trip with her father before being sent to the Aerie, followed her at the moment, but often rode at the front with Jamie. Two more Lathans trailed behind. Another rode scout, ranging half a mile or more ahead of their group, beyond the crest of the small hill they were ascending.
She knew Jamie preferred to be out front. He’d always taken point when they were children, roaming the woods in search of adventure. Toran had flanked him, a step or two behind, then ahead, until they were racing each other, both vying to stay in the lead. Both determined to be the first to reach their objective, or to discover something new. Caitrin had chased after them in the hopes she could take part in their discoveries without irritating Toran into sending her home. Not that she would have gone. More than once, she’d taunted him that he was not the heir and could not order her to do anything. She stifled a snort at the irony, thankful he’d not known how things would turn out. He’d have been insufferable.
Now Toran’s men accompaniedher, men she didn’t recognize. No matter, as long as Jamie trusted them to handle any trouble that might come their way, so must she. So far, trouble had not found them, but they had yet to make camp for the night.
Finally, Jamie called a halt and turned his mount in a tight circle to face the riders following him. Will pulled up alongside Caitrin.
“We’ll bide here,” Jamie ordered, catching Will’s eye.
Will nodded and Caitrin breathed a sigh of relief that they’d managed to reach some sort of accord on the trail. She was unused to so many hours in the saddle. Her backside had ceased complaining, finally becoming numb hours ago, yet now restlessness made her eager to walk.
They were just below the crest of a hill, deep in woodlands fragrant with the tang of pitch from the evergreens and with loam cut by their horses’ hooves, deep and earthy. They’d crossed a stream, just down hill. With a few men posted on the higher ground, they’d be safe from surprise and able to defend against attack from below. It pleased Caitrin that she remembered enough from her time tagging along with Jamie and Toran to understand Jamie’s choice of this spot.
Will approached, but Caitrin dismounted before he could reach her. He acknowledged her independence with a wave of his hand and went about his own business. While she watched Jamie post the guard and dispatch two of his men to hunt, she stamped her feet, trying to force out the tingles in her legs from sitting too long in the saddle. She’d help by gathering deadfall for the fire, but first she needed to find some privacy away from the camp.
“Dinna think to wander away.”
Jamie was suddenly beside her the moment she took two steps downhill. Without slowing, she told him, “I’ll no’ go far, but I wish to refresh myself in the stream we crossed.”
“Then I’ll go with ye.”
She stiffened, acutely aware of every sensation in her body as the numbness in her lower half wore off. “Jamie Lathan, hear me well. I’m no’ a fainting lass to be guarded night and day. I can find a clump of bushes and be back before ye ken I’ve gone. Besides, from here ye can be at the stream in moments, should I scream.”
Jamie appeared to be counting under his breath. Caitrin hid her delight at having aggravated him. She figured she owed him six years worth.
