Page 19 of Love Me Forever (Highland Duo #2)

To her own surprise she agreed with him. “Aye, we will.”

His head shot up, and he was suddenly alert to all that surrounded him. His hand instantly went to the sword that hung at his side, and with a firm hand he pushed Brianna behind him.

She grew alarmed, for she knew he sensed danger. She wisely moved as he directed, remained silent, and kept herself close to his back. He was a warrior; she would leave him to do what he did best.

She suddenly heard what his sharp warrior instincts had alerted him to. Horses and men approached, though at no great speed, and she sensed then that their time together was at an end.

Brianna recognized Blair in the distance. He always sat his horse with ease and confidence as though he had not a care in the world. He fooled many an opponent that way, making them think him an easy target. They found out soon enough he was a formidable adversary.

She also watched Royce. He was a warrior who remained alert and prepared and ready to fight in an instant.

His muscles were taut, his stance firm, and his attention focused. He would strike like a snake and does damage before anyone realized what had happened.

She understood this and did not wish to wait until it was too late to prevent an altercation. She stepped around Royce, keeping out of his reach, and ran toward the approaching men, waving.

“Blair!”

Brianna could see the relief in Blair’s eyes when he spotted her, and he urged his horse toward her. Royce was at her side before Blair could dismount, and to Brianna’s surprise Blair hesitated, glaring at Royce, before he carefully dismounted his horse, all the time keeping his eyes on Royce.

She ran up to Blair and threw her arms around him. He hugged her to him, but she sensed that he kept his focus on Royce.

“It is good to see you,” she said, stepping back, though keeping hold of his arms.

“It is a relief to know you are well. Ian has been going crazy searching for you. He would let none rest, though none wanted to, until you were found.” Blair gave her another hug, needing to feel that she was real and the ordeal was over.

When Brianna stepped back away from him, she noticed that the men with Blair kept a steady eye on Royce almost as if they feared he would assault them—though it was probably his scars that caught such an intense interest. Still, it unnerved her the blatant way they all stared at him.

She thought it best to introduce the two men, for Blair looked extremely uneasy with Royce. She could not say the same of Royce. He stood with an arrogant confidence that could intimidate the bravest of men.

“Blair,” Brianna said with a smile that she hoped would be contagious, “I want you to meet the man who helped heal me after the accident.” She held her hand out to Royce and he took it. “Blair, this is Royce. And, Royce, this is Blair, a good friend to me and my brother.”

Both men understood the significance of her introduction.

She was telling both men how much each of them meant to her and without words she was expressing the hope that the two would be friends.

Blair extended his hand at the same moment Royce did, and they shook.

“Ian Cameron will be pleased to know that you gave his sister shelter and aid in her time of need. We had come across the battered carriage and the remains of the two men. We worried over Brianna’s fate.”

“I am sorry that I had no time to see to a proper burial. Brianna needed immediate attention,” Royce said, slowly drawing Brianna back into his arms.

Blair watched his every move and noted the fact that his one hand remained on the hilt of his sword. “The Camerons are grateful.”

Royce acknowledged his remark with a curt nod.

Brianna attempted to understand both men’s reactions, though she puzzled over the tension in the air and the way the men on the horses whispered and watched the exchange.

She was surprised at Blair’s next remark and the way he stared at Royce as he spoke. “Gather what things you have, Brianna, and we will be on our way.”

Royce’s arm went around her waist and pulled her tight against his side. “I leave with Brianna and we will leave in the morning. I wish to speak with Ian Cameron concerning his sister.”

Blair attempted to stand his ground. “You are welcome to speak with him, but he has directed me to return his sister home safely and as soon as possible. She leaves with us now.”

Royce responded before Brianna could voice her own objections. “Brianna continues to heal, and it would be best that she rest one more night in a soft bed instead of the hard ground. And I will see that Ian Cameron’s sister is returned safely to him.”

Brianna looked from one man to another. What was this contest of wills?

Why did each feel the need to decide what she would do and when?

And why did Blair seem prepared to fight?

He had strength in numbers, ten men in all flanking him, and yet Blair himself, not to mention the men, seemed prepared to battle this one man.

She grew annoyed at such nonsense, broke loose from Royce, and stepped between them.

“I will take my leave when I am ready, and presently I intend to go into the woods and collect the makings for my basket. You both can battle if you wish, but spill a drop of blood, and I will not return with either of you.”

She stomped off without a glance to either. She wanted neither of them to follow. She was much too annoyed at their ridiculous behavior. Each wanted his own way, each wanted to be in command of the situation, each wanted to protect.

She could not very well fault them for caring, but their behavior was simply not acceptable. Blair could very well see that Royce had treated her well, and Royce could very well see that Blair was a good friend relieved at finding her.

Why, then, the strange looks, the hushed whispers, and the on-guard stance each man took? None of it made sense to her. Royce was one lone man against many. He could cause them little harm, and yet they acted as if he could harm them all.

Royce was large and his scarred features probably made him appear all the more dangerous, but it was preposterous to think that one man could put fear in many men.

She marched forward into the woods, a recently fallen slim branch catching her eye.

Both men watched her walk away, and both kept a steady eye on her until she stooped down to examine the fallen branch.

Blair then looked to Royce. “You care for her?”

“I care for her, but that is for me to discuss with her brother.” Royce was firm in his response.

“Aye, it is for you to discuss with Ian, but answer me this.” Blair glared at him. “Brianna does not know who you are, does she?”