Page 10 of A Lover for Lady Jane (The Welsh Rebels #5)

Chapter Six

I t was only when Jane was jolted awake that she realized she had fallen asleep in the saddle, held in place by Griffin’s arms. She immediately straightened back up, even if it was too late to pretend she had been awake all that time.

Dawn was not far; she could see the sky above the horizon becoming the lightest shade of pink.

Today would be a glorious winter day, there would be no mist to wrap them in shadows or drizzle to blur their pursuers’ vision.

Atop a gray horse, they would be visible from miles around.

“We have to find cover,” Griffin said, reading her mind.

She was grateful he had not commented on the fact that she had woken up because she felt rather ridiculous.

Hadn’t she protested that she did not need any sleep while they were discussing her family, only to collapse in his arms a moment later?

“Let’s try and see what we can find amongst those rocks,” she suggested.

Apparently agreeing with the idea, Griffin nudged Eryr into a trot and headed that way. After a while they found a crack between the rocks, not quite a cave, but ideally suited to their purpose. Only people actually entering the crack would see them.

“We will have to bring Eryr in with us. He’s too distinctive not to be recognized from a distance,” Griffin ruled, dismounting first. “It might get a bit cramped with him in the hole, but it will be safer. A horse tethered outside will signal the presence of its rider to everyone.”

“Of course,” she said, jumping down in turn. Did he really think she was so spoiled she would put her comfort above their safety?

The three of them made their way inside the opening.

It was covered in leaves, most of which were dry.

Jane smiled. It was the best they could have found at such short notice.

While she kicked the few wet and moldy leaves out of the way, Griffin removed the stallion’s saddle and bridle, whispering soothing words all the while.

He always did that when he was tending to his horse, which only endeared him to her further.

It was obvious the animal was more like a companion to him than a tool.

Not for the first time, though, she wondered how the son of a poor farmer could own such a horse. She made a note to ask him some time.

“Good boy. We’ll get you something to eat, never fear. I’ve seen a patch of grass not too far from the cave,” Griffin was saying. “I’ll get you some in a moment.”

Jane had seen the patch in question. Moved by gratefulness, she went outside to gather food for the animal who had whisked her and Griffin away from Geraint’s camp.

Eryr would be hungry after carrying them both all night long, and he deserved everything she could find for what he had done.

She soon reached the spot she wanted. There was not much growing in this season, but it was better than nothing.

Gathering the folds of her dress in front of her, she filled the pouch she had created with as much grass as she could.

Back at the cave, Griffin watched her deposit what she’d found in front of Eryr, who started munching straight away.

“So. You do understand what I say.” It wasn’t a question, and it was uttered in Welsh.

“I do,” she answered in the same language.

He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned a shoulder against the stone wall. “I’ve had my doubts for a while. Do you speak Welsh too?”

“Yes. Sian taught me as soon as I arrived at Castell Esgyrn all those years ago. Now I speak as well as a native, or so I’ve been told.”

“You do.” He nodded, looking both shocked and impressed at her fluency. “Why did you hide the fact?”

“Wouldn’t you have, in my place? I thought that keeping my knowledge of the language a secret could only be an advantage.

My abductors might let slip important information in front of me if they believed I couldn’t understand what they were saying.

” And indeed they had done just that. She had everything she needed to identify them.

Her father would be able to track the men down and make them pay for what they had done.

“I also thought it would reduce the time Geraint wanted to spend with me. It worked. The less time he spent with me, the better. You saw how irritated I made him.”

“I certainly did.” The gleam in Griffin’s eyes was appreciative. “That was clever of you, as was pretending you could not ride well.”

“Yes. If only I had actually managed to escape, it would have been even better.”

Or would it? Now she was not certain. Had she fled on Taran’s back yesterday she would now be alone on the road, vulnerable to other attacks.

She had not let the idea worry her, as this had been the only option at the time, but undoubtedly, being with Griffin was far safer.

With a man like him by her side, nothing would happen to her.

In the absence of anything that would serve as seats, they sat on the floor opposite one another, with their backs against the stone.

“So, if you understand Welsh, you know why the men abducted you and what their plan was.”

“Yes. I know they were taking me to a man called Hywel.” She paused, then decided she might as well tell him everything. After what he’d done for her, he had earned her trust. “And I think I know why. He must be the son of Gruffydd ap Hywel, the man who abducted my sister Sian fourteen years ago.”

Griffin recoiled in horror. “He abducted a child ?”

“Yes. He wanted to force my mother, who’d only just been married off to her English husband at the time, to hand him over to his group of rebels.

They threatened to hurt Sian if she didn’t open the castle one night.

She had no choice but to comply, even if she knew they intended to kill my father just for being English. ”

And they had gone full circle. Now she, just like Esyllt had been, was being used to get to Lord Sheridan But once again, the rebels’ plans would be thwarted. She had the man sitting opposite her to thank for it.

“Jesus.” Griffin paled. “This Gruffydd really was a bastard. And clearly his son is just as unhinged. What happened to Sian?” he asked after a while.

“Don’t worry about her. In the end she wasn’t hurt.

She barely even understood what was happening.

She is married to Christopher Harrison, an Englishman, and happier than I’ve ever seen her.

” Her chest squeezed in the now familiar feeling of envy.

Her sister had someone to care for her, someone who was more important to her than she was. A new era was dawning.

But…for the first time since Sian’s wedding, Jane didn’t feel despair.

She was currently sitting near a man who made her heart beat faster, a kind, intriguing man who had saved her from a dire fate and seemed determined to protect her with his life.

This was something no one else had ever done.

He also, even more importantly, saw past her supposed beauty, to the person she was underneath.

Instead of praising her alluring figure or the color of her eyes, as other men were wont to do, he remarked on her courage, valued her ideas and suggestions, made her feel like they were on an equal footing, behaved as if she were as brave and resourceful as he was himself.

And she, in turn, saw beyond his finely chiseled features to the generous, beautiful soul hidden underneath.

That had to prove the attraction was real. Sian had seen something in her husband no one had seen, and she had been right to trust her instinct because, despite what Jane thought of him, Christopher was obviously the man for her sister.

Jane turned to look at Griffin, who was leaning back against the wall, eyes closed, looking spent after his sleepless night. She ought to let him sleep, but there was something she needed to say before that.

“Thank you, Griffin. I owe you my freedom, my father’s life and my…dignity.”

She had sensed from the moment she had met him that he was a good man, and not like the others in Geraint’s band of rebels.

He’d been respectful, attentive from the start, done his best to make her comfortable, and alleviated her fears while they traveled.

Still, she had not expected him to go as far as to place himself in danger for her.

He had to be aware of what the men would do to him if they ever found them, and yet he had not hesitated.

This went beyond what she had the right to expect from him or anyone and she couldn’t prevent a sense of guilt.

He let out a long sigh before opening his eyes. “You don’t need to thank me. I wish I’d had the courage to act on the first day and spared you days of fear and discomfort. How do you feel after the night’s events?”

A glance at her stomach made his meaning clear.

Jane reddened. Even now, when he was in danger of facing the men’s wrath, he was thinking only of her and the babe.

The babe that didn’t exist. She had to tell him she was not with child; it was not fair to let him worry unduly now that she knew she could trust him.

“I’m fine. In fact I?—”

A rustling sound in the leaves outside their hiding place interrupted her. The horse started to stamp around and snort nervously. In the blink of an eye, Griffin had jumped to his feet and placed himself in front of her, shielding her from view.

“Who goes there?” he called out, his voice strong and assured, even though he was unarmed.

No one answered. A moment later, a flash of red crossed the opening in the rocks.

“A fox, nothing more,” Jane said, relieved beyond measure. The men had not found their hiding place, they were safe. For a dreadful moment she had feared seeing Geraint or even worse, Cynan, jump on them.