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No matter how much care and concern he showed her. How handsome he was. How strong.

Lord above, Gunn could snap Victor like a twig with one hand. But that didn’t matter.

She may have escaped him, but she was still bound to him.

And she loathed that fact. Mayhap luck would be on her side for once and he would just let her go. It would be nice if he would not bother looking for her.

But that was wishful thinking on her part, and she knew it.

No, she knew Victor. Too well.

He would never stop looking for her until he found her. His ego wouldn’t allow him to lose her. He’d never be able to explain it away to his friends and he damn sure wouldn’t tell them that she left of her own accord.

Because, really, with his ego he couldn’t fathom how she would want to leave.

The bastard.

She was quite certain that he would rather see her dead than allow her the freedom she so longed for.

For the umpteenth time she hoped she’d run far enough north for him not to find her.

Mayhap he was still running around southeast England questioning her old acquaintances to find out if they’d seen her.

None had. Nor had they heard from her. Knowing it would be the first place he’d look, she made sure not to contact any of them.

“Hey,” Lizzie called, drawing Jocelyn away from thoughts of Victor. “Are ye well? Ye look pale.”

Jocelyn smiled. “I am fine. Thank you.”

Lizzie didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t push any further. “Gunn told me I could find ye down here.” She looked around the room and frowned. “Gads. Ye’d think he would have put ye someplace cheerier. This may as well be a dungeon.”

Jocelyn laughed. “He came down earlier and alluded to the same. Just not as colorfully as you. But he said he was going to move my desk to someplace sunnier.”

“That’s good. I would go mad being stuck down here.”

Shrugging, she tucked a placeholder into the ledger she was reviewing and closed the cover. “I am just thankful for the job. It doesn’t matter where I perform it.”

Lizzie shook her head and clucked her tongue. “It does and ye should be honest with him.”

“I am being honest. This room is fine. I wasn’t expecting my own space.” That was the truth. The room was fine. But she didn’t want her own space and had hoped she would be working wherever Gunn was working. “Is there something that you needed?”

Lizzie looked confused. “Och, nay. I just wanted to see what ye were doing.” She sat on a stack of boxes. “Malcolm left this morn, so I’m left to my own devices.”

Her husband left? And left her here alone? That struck Jocelyn as odd. Why would he do such a thing?

Sensing her question, Lizzie waved her hand in the air in dismissal. “’Tis no’ as bad as it sounds. Malcolm is an expert at information gathering. A skill he perfected in the war. He had an assignment, so he left to complete it. He should be back for the big gathering.”

“What gathering?” Jocelyn wasn’t aware of any meeting going on. Though why would she be?

Smiling slyly, Lizzie hopped off the boxes and approached the desk, leaning her palms on the edge. “The one I mentioned to ye yesterday. At Gunn’s castle?”

Jocelyn closed her eyes and inwardly scolded herself. Of course. The get-together where all the friends and their wives and children would be in attendance. How could she have forgotten? Lizzie must think she was weak in the mind.

“Ah, yes,” Jocelyn laughed to cover her embarrassment. “I remember now. I apologize, things have been hectic.”

Lizzie furrowed her brows. “I hope Gunn is no’ working ye too hard. Ye had a long journey to get here. Ye should be resting instead of working.”

“Gunn has been most kind. I cannot complain about his treatment.”

Lizzie straightened, seeming to accept Jocelyn’s answer. “Ye are coming, arena ye?” she asked, focusing her attention back to the gathering.

She laughed nervously. “Oh, no, I don’t think so. I wouldn’t want to intrude, and besides, Gunn still hasn’t asked me to go.”

“Nonsense.” She tucked a strand of dark hair behind her ear.

“He just hasna gotten around to it yet. He will. He spoke of it last eve.” Lizzie looked around the room and shuddered.

“This room is making me feel enclosed.” She came around the desk and pulled on Jocelyn’s arm.

“Let us go outside and get some fresh air.”

Jocelyn bit her lip, indecisive. Gunn already said he would collect her for a walk. “I don’t think I should. I’ve got lots left to do.”

“Och, come on. I am sure it can wait.”

“Gunn also said he would come get me this afternoon and we would go for a walk. I don’t think he would be happy me taking a break before then.”

Lizzie smiled. “Nonsense. I will let him ken I forced ye to join me outside.”

Jocelyn wasn’t convinced. She needed this position. It was the only way she could survive. She nibbled at her thumbnail as she pondered how to turn down Lizzie’s offer and not offend her.

“Ye needna fash about Gunn. I promise.” She clasped Jocelyn’s hand and pulled her from the chair. “Besides, ye will find yourself ill if ye spend too much time in this space with these old musty crates. It canna be good for your health.”

Laughing, Jocelyn shook her head. When she saw Gunn she would tell him that she would work late this eve to make up for the lost time.