Page 184 of Wicked Highland Heroes

“Surely, ye dinna’ expect your brother to follow us?”

“Nay, but that does not mean we will not encounter robbers.”

“Give me a dirk,” she said.

He snorted. “I have yet to recover from the last time you had a knife while sitting on my lap.”

“I do no’ intend to use it on ye.” She sounded genuinely affronted. “If we encounter brigands, I would like protection.”

“I am your protection,” he replied.

The words were barely out of his mouth when riders shot from the trees onto the road in front of them.

Talbot cursed, and drew his sword in unison with his men drawing their swords. “In Scotland less than a week and this is the third battle I have fought,” he muttered.

“Three?” Lady Rhoslyn said. “I will want to hear the other two tales. For now, give me a dirk.”

“Who goes there?” Baxter demanded as Talbot urged his horse toward the edge of the road and away from the newcomers.

“Prepare yourself,” Talbot told her in a low voice. “If I must push you from the saddle—”

“St. Claire,” someone called, and Talbot paused, “‘tis I, Ralf Wardwn.”

“Ralf?” Talbot nudged his horse past his men to the rider and saw that it was Ralf. “I should send you to your maker. What are you doing rushing onto the road like that?”

“I took a short cut to reach ye. Forgive me, Lady Rhoslyn. I hope we didna’ scare you. There was no other way. I did not want to shout and alert anyone along the way.”

“Including me,” Talbot said. “Who is that with you?” He nodded to the rider behind Ralf.

“This is Simon. Ingram and two other men are searching for ye on the road behind us. We broke up so that I could search ahead in case we had missed you.”

“You have news of my brother?” Talbot asked. He was sure he felt a tremble in Lady Rhoslyn’s body and tightened his arm around her.

“Nay,” Ralf said. “I wish it were so. I am here to tell you of a plot to accost ye on the road and kill you.”

“Friends of the men in the tavern?” Talbot asked.

“Aye, only meaner.”

“How fortunate,” Talbot muttered. “We are but an hour from Castle Glenbarr. Why wait so long?”

“The plot was hatched last minute, the result of ale and misguided passions.”

“Dayton?” he asked.

“‘Tis what we suspect, but we didna’ hear for ourselves. Once we got wind of the plan we set out after you.”

“You went to a lot of trouble to warn me.”

“Ye know how much I hate an unfair fight.”

“I believe this is a clue to one of the battles ye mentioned,” Lady Rhoslyn said.

“Too long a story for now,” Talbot said. “I wager Ingram is who Seward encountered behind us. Baxter,” he called, “send a man back to see what goes with Seward. I want to get to Castle Glenbarr as quickly as possible. If it is Ingram who caught up with them, invite him to Castle Glenbarr.” Talbot returned his attention to Ralf. “Will you ride with us as well? I can offer food and shelter, and we can talk.”

“Aye,” Ralf replied. “Glen will come, too.”

“Good.” Talbot started to turn his horse toward home.