Page 40 of A Rogue and a Noble Lass

“I suppose… if ye must,” Caroline said, stepping forward to take Beitris’ hand.

When Beitris looked into her mother’s eyes she didn’t see only her mother but the girl that Caroline had once been. She saw the same thing in her aunts as well. They had been young women once, just like her. They had all made sacrifices for love. Caroline had been forced to run away from home, doing anything she could to keep her sisters safe. Tara had risked everything to heal a boy. Nessa had returned to the clan and proven herself worthy of being a leader.

“Beitris, life hae nae been easy for any of us. I hae always tried tae keep ye safe, but more than that, I wanted ye tae be able tae meet the world head-on. When we left home for the first time none of us were prepared for what awaited us. We all hae tae find our own way as we went along, but ye hae been wise from a young age. I trust ye, and I ken that if ye love this man then he is worthy. But dinnae let that love lead ye tae ruin. Ye can dae many things in this world, but ye cannae control a man’s heart. If he keeps running away, it might be wise tae let him gae and see if he will come back tae ye.”

“I need tae ken why he’s running, Ma. He is hiding something from me,” Beitris said.

“Then I hae nae doubt that ye will find him and the truth. Just promise me ye will stay safe and that ye will come back tae me,” Caroline said, drawing Beitris into a tight hug.

Beitris closed her eyes. Although she considered herself an adult, there was something about the comfort of her mother’s embrace that soothed her. Then, Nessa and Tara hugged her in turn, wishing her good luck.

Those women had all lived their adventures.

It was time to let Beitris embark on her own.

Beitris ran through the Keep, trying to make up for lost time. Everything blurred before her and she leaped upon the first horse she could find. She asked them in what direction Logan had left, then she geeed the horse, galloping away as swiftly as she could.

Logan was going to learn the hard way that he couldn’t simply run away from her, and if there was something more to his soul then she would learn the truth, and she would lay him bare before her.

16

Logan must have been in a rush, Beitris thought, because he had been careless with his tracks. Hoofprints were visible in the mud. Trampled plants showed where he had gone off the well-trodden path. Beitris even felt that she could catch the scent of him in the air, although she thought this might have been a product of her imagination, forged from the closeness of them the previous night. When she closed her eyes she could still feel him, his fingers pressing into her supple skin, the rhythmic movements of his body, the undulating waves that pulsed and crashed and left her reeling.

She bit the inside of her lip, trying to focus her attention because last night was last night, and until she found Logan she didn’t know what to make of it. Would it eventually be something to regret, or would it be a cherished memory? Would it truly be the last time they met? It could have been so many things, but all the possibilities hovered in the air like leaves caught by the wind, and they were yet to fall to the ground.

Beitris slowed her pace, not wanting Logan to detect her presence. He might have been in a hurry, but she was never going to underestimate him. She bent low and searched the horizon for any movement. She lost the tracks for a moment before she noticed them continuing on the other side of a river.

She guided the horse back, then drove it forward, leaping over the crystal water, kicking up mud as the horse landed on the other side. The impact almost threw her from the horse’s back. She kept hold of the reins, being lifted into the air for a moment. The horse whinnied.

“Good lad,” Beitris whispered, patting the horse’s neck.

She slowed the pace again. The tracks were fresher here, and she suspected that she was closing in on her quarry. Her fingers twitched, ready to grab an arrow and her bow. She didn’t like the thought of shooting Logan, but it might be the only way to get him to talk.

Amid the trees she could see shadows moving. Beitris slipped off her horse and crept low, using the plants and trees to hide her advance. Her boots sank into the mud and as she grew closer the voices became audible.

One of them was unmistakably Logan.

“I ken what he wants, and he can hae it,” Logan said.

“Why now? Why after all this time? Ye fight under the enemy banner. How can he trust ye?” the other man said.

Logan scoffed. “He never trusted me before, why start now? I just need a guarantee. I will return tae him as long as he agrees tae keep Beitris Knox safe. Nae harm must come tae her. Those are my terms.”

“Ye are nae in a position tae hae terms. Yer place is with him, and why should he care about that lass?”

“He should care about haeing me, because if ye cannae give me what I want then I’ll send ye back with one less hand.”

“There’s nae need tae take yer anger out on a simple envoy.”

“I will add something tae sweeten the deal. Ryan Knox’s life. My return. Both of these things in return for Beitris’ safety. That should be more than enough,” Logan said,

Beitris couldn’t believe what she was hearing. The contents of her stomach turned to liquid and she shuddered all over. Her face paled and a scream started to form in her throat, but she was so stunned it was not given life.

Logan wasn’t a hero. He wasn’t devoting himself to the cause, nor did he want to avenge his family. He just wanted to kill. Why? Why her father? Of all people… and he dared claim that he did this to protect her?

No… no, she was not going to stand by and allow him to plot the demise of her father. She and Ryan had their disagreements, but she loved him and she would never want him dead.

Hatred burned like fire, both towards Logan for betraying her and towards herself for allowing it. She should have known better. All the warning signs were there, but had she listened? No, she had let her feelings get the better of her.