Page 27 of The Guardian's Bride

“Not from Edward. Home is Kincraig? It is a good distance from here, to be sure. Ah, they are gone.”

They left the shelter of the hawthorn to walk toward the village and river. She understood why he had to reach Fife, yet she needed to go the opposite direction to Kincraig to be with her family should soldiers arrive to fulfill Edward’s demands.

“Sir, I can go my way while you go yours. They may forget about us at Yester.”

“They will not risk Edward’s wrath. Nor should you head out on your own. Stay with me and stay safe. You poisoned a king and I helped the Scottish king. We will rank high on Edward’s list of enemies.”

“But I did not poison the king.”

“I believe you. But someone out there thinks differently.” As his long steps swallowed the distance, she hurried to keep pace. When they neared the village, she saw a dirt track that split in two directions. Aedan MacDuff took the branch toward the water, a mile or more away.

“The village—can we stop there? I do not want to go to the river. I can hire a horse in the village and ride home.”

“Soldiers would be on your tail soon, and then what?”

“They might take the river instead and follow you to Fife.”

He huffed. “The river does not go to Fife. Have you no map in your head?”

“I have never been to Fife.”

“You will like it. Hurry. We may not find a boat if it is too dark.”

She dug in her heels. “Why take the river if it does not go to Fife?”

“The river goes to the sea. The sea takes us to Fife.”

“Sail on the sea?” she squeaked.

“If we value our heads, we cannot linger here or ride to Kincraig.”

She fared poorly on the water and avoided water travel, but did not want to admit that weakness to this very determined man. He barreled along toward the river. When she stumbled keeping up, he braced her and continued in grim silence.

“I do not like boats,” she finally said.

“That may be, but boats will take us to freedom. Hurry.”

She could not go any faster. Breathless, thirsty, tired, she stopped short. “You want what you want,” she said. “And I want what I want.”

“I see that,” he said. “And I promise to take you to Kincraig. Later.”

She felt frustrated and confused. “With all your clever tongue, how do I know your promise is good?” The words were out before she knew it.

He whirled. “Lady, I am a man who keeps his word unto death,” he said low, fierce. “And I am the man keeping your bonny wee neck safe. Trust my promises or not, that is the truth of it.”

His gaze was intense, far deeper than his clever tongue would imply. His promise was surely as strong as his will, sherealized as remorse washed through her. “I spoke too quickly. I apologize.”

“Ah,” he said, as if at a loss for words.

She sighed. “It might be unwise to go on my own. I only know Kincraig is well west of here.”

“Just so.” He sounded gruff.

She needed his help to get to Kincraig, but he needed to go to Fife first. She knew that, aware of Edward’s orders. “Fine,” she said. “We will go to Fife first. Then Kincraig.”

“So be it. I see a boatman on the quay. Come on.”

They walked down a slope toward the river bank. MacDuff headed toward a stone quay, Rowena in tow. She glanced over her shoulder toward the village.