A Highlander's Gypsy by Aileen Adams

Author:Aileen Adams
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Highland
Publisher: 0
Published: 2018-08-31T16:00:00+00:00

15

It was not until well after the sun had made its descent and the sounds of night creatures—owls, bats and the like—had begun making themselves known that the scent of smoke caught William’s attention.

The lass’s, as well, since her head snapped up and almost connected with his nose. He moved out of the way just in time to avoid a bleed, or worse.

“A fire,” she whispered, unaware of their close call.

“Aye,” he replied, looking ahead. “I dinna see any light. Do ye?”

“Nay, though we are downwind of them, which means they must be in that direction.” She pointed ahead and slightly to the left, which indeed was the direction from which he’d estimated the smoke was coming. He reminded himself that she’d spent her life roaming to and fro, and had possibly learned even more than he about living out of doors.

“What do ye think?” he asked, and the fact that he thought to ask her opinion surprised him.

“I think we ought to avoid them,” she replied, in a voice heavy with disbelief. “Why do you even need to ask?”

“I thought perhaps we might stray nearer—not too near, mind ye, but enough to get a sense of who they are. They could be unaware of ye. As Drew was unaware.”

“Or they might be enemies who would murder you and take me to Jacob Stuart.”

“They might be enemies,” he admitted, “but we might learn something from them if we listen. Men’s tongues tend to loosen when seated around a fire. Have ye never noticed?”

“I’ve traveled with men all of my life,” she snorted. “I’ve heard more than my share over the years. Things I was far too young to hear.”

He could just imagine. “We’re downwind, as ye say, so the sound will carry.”

She groaned. “I do not much like the thought of this.”

“I didna think ye would.”

“Yet you’ll do it.”

“Aye. I’m not asking your permission.” He dismounted. “Ye might stay here. I can always steal closer to their camp and might be able to better do it alone.”

“Och, aye,” she muttered, shaking her head as she followed suit. “I shall stay here, alone, in the dark, while you wander away. Forgive me if the notion provides me little comfort. It was enough that I stayed alone while you went into Inverness. I cannot believe my nerves would manage it a second time.”

He chuckled, earning an icy glare he could still make out even in the dark. “All right, then.” He tied off the horse’s reins and prayed no one thought to wander by and steal it.

They crept along, him taking the lead while she followed close behind, both of them careful where they stepped lest they fall or give themselves away. It brought to mind his training, when his father had taught him just as he’d taught the other guards.

Difficult training from a difficult man, but it had been necessary in order to build a strong, efficient, fierce group of men. Including William himself.

And he’d learned to train others along the way, which he supposed now had been his father’s goal all along.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.