Traitor's Kiss/Lover's Kiss by Mary Blayney

Author:Mary Blayney
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, Fiction, Historical, General
ISBN: 9780553592122
Publisher: Bantam
Published: 2008-10-27T22:00:00+00:00

2

THE GIRL SHUDDERED at his question, shook her head and stretched away from him so she could see down the path. “No.” Then, “I hope not.”

“Was it one man or more?” he asked. If they were on her trail he would be prepared.

She held up her hand with two fingers extended.

“There were only two? Good. Two I can handle.”

She gave a nod that was more of a shiver.

“We need warmth more than we need to hide. I am going to add more wood to the fire.”

“My shift?” she asked in that rusty hard-used voice.

“I’m sorry. I had to take it off.”

Tears began trickling down her cheeks. “Why?”

“I don’t know why they took your clothes, miss, but your shift was filthy and soaked through. Ruined. You can have my coat while I start the fire.” He wiped her tears with his finger. “I have an extra shirt I can give you as well, but there is no way around what must happen next.”

She nodded with more resignation than embarrassment.

Michael moved quickly so that neither one of them had time to think about it. He stood up. The coat fell around them. She turned her body into his and shut her eyes as if what she did not see could not embarrass her.

Keeping her pressed close, he grabbed his coat from the ground and wrapped it around her naked body. Not a prostitute, he decided. Too modest. That left about a dozen other unsavory possibilities. He lowered her back into the hollowed tree, and began to stand.

The sound of a branch cracking caught both their attention. With a gesture for her to stay hidden he stood up, but saw no sign of life other than his horse, grazing on what little the ground had to offer. Troy would not be so disinterested if there were strangers nearby.

When he stepped away, the girl grabbed his boot.

“Stay.” The word held fear and command at once. “Do not leave me.”

“I will not leave.” He crouched down so that she could see his face. “I am staying. Right now I am only going to find more wood to add to the fire.” He took both her hands and pressed them together, his hands covering hers easily. “I promise. I will see you to safety.”

She nodded and leaned back against the fallen tree, never taking her eyes from him.

“There are plenty of small branches from the winter,” he said as he stood up and began to collect them. “And an endless supply of twigs.” He looked back to where she sat.

She had her eyes closed now, so he stopped talking, but the moment the silence stretched out longer than one would need to take a breath, she opened her eyes and looked for him. That was just as well. If she went to sleep now, she would probably never wake up. It was not his usual style, but he would keep on talking if that’s what it took to keep her awake and alive.

“I’m on my way to Manchester.

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