No, that was ridiculous.
He growled again, and although he was angry with her, that low, throaty sound stirred her heart. He meant it as a warning, but to her it was a mating call.
He tugged on the reins to slow Valor down as they began their climb into the mountains. "Do you see me laughing?"
"I understand the seriousness of our situation. I'm not suggesting that I will do anything reckless." She doubted he would believe her since he thought her stealing Somersby's book of accounts was the height of folly, and now he was stuck having to keep her alive while getting that book to the proper authorities.
"Then do as I say. I mean it, Nicola." There was something in the way he now held her, as though wanting to take her into his heart and keep her tucked in there forever. Was this how he felt whenever he was on assignment? Did his need to protect run as deep with everyone he was charged to watch over? Or was she different?
"Warning taken, John. I know Somersby will be relentless in his pursuit of us. I'm more than a little scared of what might happen if he finds us. Terrified, actually."
He eased his grasp on her. "Good. Stay that way. If he finds us, you need to keep out of my way and let me handle him."
She nodded.
They rode in silence a while longer and Nicola allowed herself to be distracted by the scenery, marveling at the splendor of the rough pines and tall oaks that soared to the sky and blocked most of the sun from the forested paths. They crossed crystal blue streams that flowed over pristine rocks and rich, brown earth. Green and amber grasses grew in abundance along those stream banks.
They were safest while keeping to the forest, for the thick vegetation hid them well. But they would also have to cross large expanses where they would be forced out into the open, exposed to anyone's view from as far as the eye could see. Crossing barren hills and open meadows was the most dangerous part of their journey. Although those hills and meadows might look beautiful in their sweep of purple heather, they offered no protective cover. Their low shrubs would never hide them.
As the sun began to dip below the trees, John drew Valor to a halt beside a stream. He dismounted and then helped Nicola down from the saddle, holding her by the waist until he was certain she'd recovered her footing. "There's an old military trail that runs near Aviemore. We'll make better time once we pick it up."
"Do you think Somersby knows of it?"
John nodded. "Likely. Part of any smuggling operation is to get the goods distributed as efficiently as possible. Old roads that are little used and remain in relatively good condition are what any smuggler would favor."
"Then why are we using it?"
"Because he will be looking for us on the main roads. He knows that's where we'll make the fastest time, and that's where he'll ride to find us."
"He saw us go into the mountains."
"Yes, but he doesn't believe I'd be so foolish as to take you over those mountain peaks. There's a road that runs eastward we could have taken about three hours ago, one that skirts Inverness and takes us a little south of it to Cawdor and Nairn. That's where he thinks we're heading, into Shakespeare's MacBeth territory where we can pick up another boat to sail us to Edinburgh, perhaps even London."
While Valor drank from the stream and began to graze upon the nearby grass, John sliced a few chunks of the bread and cheese he'd removed from his pouch and handed some to Nicola.
She accepted the food gratefully. "Thank you, I'm famished."
They sat on the trunk of a fallen pine, and when they'd finished their meager fare, John knelt beside the stream and cupped water into his hands to drink. Nicola was surprised when he offered her the water first, then realized that this was John behaving true to form. He thought of others before he ever thought of himself.
She smiled at him and drank the offered water. Only then did he take some for himself.
"Um, John … I need to take care … um, personal matter."
He laughed, understanding what she was trying to say. "You'll find privacy over there." He pointed to a row of bushes not far from the stream. "I'll stay here. Don't take too long."
She hurried away, for the call of nature was persistent. She finished quickly and then washed her hands in the stream. The water was cold since it came down from the mountains, but felt bracing when she splashed some on her face and neck as well.
When she returned to John's side, his big frame was stretched out on the grass. His eyes were closed. He was on his back, his head resting on his arms that he'd crossed behind his head to form a pillow. Shrugging, Nicola sat down beside him.
He eased one eye open and shifted slightly to hold out his arm to her. "Come here, brat. Valor needs another twenty minutes or so to rest and we ought to do the same."
She nodded and scrambled to lie down beside him. If not for the threat of death hanging over them, she would consider this was a moment of heaven. For years, she'd longed to be in John's arms. Here she was now, resting her head on his chest as he held one arm around her shoulders to draw her close to the heat of his body. "John, shouldn't we be reading that book of accounts instead of sleeping?"
"No, brat. It will take us about a week to reach Edinburgh over land. What's more pressing at the moment is to lose Somersby and his men."
"But you think he's following a false trail into MacBeth territory."
"Yes, but I can't be sure. He will consider every possibility. His own life is at stake and the lives of all those involved in his operation. He won't be alone in hunting for us. I don't know how many men he can muster to track us down, but he'll be dispersing them throughout Scotland in order to cover every potential route."
"But we have the advantage for the moment. Right?"
John nodded. "Right, he has to guess where we're headed, and with every new choice, every crossroads he reaches, he has to give up a man or two to follow that possible trail. He expects us to end up in Edinburgh or London, but he can't be sure of that either. Nor will he know whether we've hired another boat or will continue over land. There are several roads leading into Edinburgh. I expect he'll have men positioned at each entry point with orders to shoot us on sight. He'll have men watching the docks and the regimental headquarters. He'll be desperate to stop us before we speak to the regimental commander."
"All the more reason for us to ride straight to London."
He gave her shoulder a light caress. "And give him more time to find us and that book? We're two riders on one horse and have little food or money between us. He can ride on open roads while we have to keep to mountain trails. He'll call on unsuspecting friends and give them some lie about us. Perhaps that I've abducted you, that I'm crazed and dangerous and must be shot on sight."
Nicola sat up abruptly. "No one would dare shoot you. I would tell them the truth."
He looked at her and shrugged. "It won't do much good if they've already shot me."
"John, you're as well-known as Somersby. No one is going to harm you. The notion is ridiculous."
"Fine. Then stop fretting and don't ask me any more questions."
He held out his arm to her again.
She sighed and settled against the muscled line of his body. Although she was tired, her mind was too active to sleep. Or so she thought. The next thing she knew, John was lightly shaking her to wake her up. "What? I must have … " She blinked her eyes open and saw the elongated shadows across the forest floor. "Has it only been twenty minutes?"
John shook his head. "An hour, to be precise. You were sleeping so soundly, I didn't have the heart to wake you."
"Oh, John! I'm so sorry."
"Don't be. We all needed that extra time and can make up the lost half hour at any point. We'll reach Aviemore early tomorrow. Somersby will likely have his men posted there as well."
"They'll see us."
"That's why we can't risk riding into town. We'll forage on the outskirts, hopefully find something to eat. Perhaps a chicken left to roam wild, abandoned by a crofter who gave up on farming the land. The terrain is rugged up here and there ought to be more than a few abandoned crofts along the way."
"Do you think we might sleep in one? I hope we come across one tonight. I know we can't light a fire, but at least we'll be protected from the wind."
He helped her to her feet and then lifted her onto Valor's back before climbing up behind her. "We'll see. I'd like to get another three or four hours of riding in this evening. There's a valley that runs between these mountains and we need to cross it by night. There's no cover for us in daylight."
Nicola settled back against his chest. John's body was becoming familiar to her. She loved the size and strength of it and knew that she'd never tire of being in his arms. But it was foolish to wish for their time together never to end. There was no question that it would end as soon as they reached Edinburgh … or London, if he could be persuaded to take her there instead.