John was still gazing at her with concern. "Can you walk now? We have to go."
She nodded. "I'll be all right in a moment. How did they find us?"
"I don't know. They may have put dogs on our scent, although I saw none with these men. Perhaps they noticed our shadows as we crossed the open meadow last night."
John took her hands in his to help her up.
She rested her head on his shoulder. "This is real," she said in a tremulous whisper and swallowed hard. "People die. I saw how they treated Maeve, dragging her by the hair and giving her no time to wrap so much as a shawl about her shoulders for modesty. They held a knife to her throat. They would have done the same to me, assuming they did not have orders to simply slit my throat."
"I wasn't going to let it happen."
"I know. But those men looked so cruel. I can't stop thinking about what they would have done if they'd found me. I think they would have hurt and humiliated me first."
"They can't do anything to you now." John's voice was exquisitely gentle.
Sammy brought Valor to the stream. He did not look happy. John took the reins from his hands, his expression as grim as Sammy's. "How is Maeve?"
"Shaken to the core, but unharmed. I'll tell her ye asked after her. But go now, m'lord. Look after yer lovely wife. My boys will escort ye to Loch Avon. It isn't far to Braemar from there."
Nicola gave Sammy a heartfelt hug. "Thank you sincerely, Mr. Fraser."
His anger seemed to dissipate and he cast her a lopsided smile. "Och, lassie. Ye take care of yerself. Listen to yer husband. He's a good man and will protect ye and that unborn babe ye're carrying."
Why did they all believe she was carrying John's child? "I'm not … "
Sammy patted her cheek. "If ye say so, but I've never seen a hungrier look in a man's eyes," he said, glancing at John. "If ye aren't carryin' yet, then ye soon will be."
John grinned.
Her cheeks caught flame.
She opened her mouth to respond, realized she had no words, and snapped it shut again.
John's child?
They'd have to marry first … well, unless she wished scandal to follow her for the rest of her days.
She felt a dull ache in her heart.
John was so close, looking gruff and divinely rugged with his days' growth of beard and his slightly too long hair curling about the nape of his neck. She probably looked like a cat just struck by lightning, her hair sticking out in every which way, an unholy, matted mess.
"You look beautiful, brat," John said, easily reading her mind as he led her to Valor and lifted her onto the saddle. He climbed up behind her and drew her against him.
"We have horses," she said, realizing Somersby's men would have no use for their mounts now. "I can ride one of those."
John growled. "The hell you will. I'll not have you anywhere near their beasts."
"Sammy will sell them at market," Angus said.
And keep the proceeds, Nicola realized. Well, that rascal had earned it. She leaned her head against John's shoulder as they rode off with Sammy's boys, needing the heat and muscled strength of him to soothe her.
She felt the cool wind on her cheeks and its sting against her eyes.
Her eyes began to water.
John kissed her on the forehead. "It'll be all right, brat. We had a close call, nothing more."
She inhaled sharply. "Nothing more? They would have killed Maeve and Sammy, and then killed us."
"Nicola, why are you falling apart now? We've been on the run from them since the night of Somersby's party."
"I know. I'm so sorry, John. I'll try to do better. I think it's all catching up to me this morning. And now Sammy's nitwit sons think I'm carrying your child and won't stop staring at me." Suddenly, she understood the reason for her tears.
It wasn't the close call with Somersby's men that had her so overset. It was the fact that she wasn't carrying John's child. That she wasn't married to John. That he would leave her once this assignment was over.
She would never again feel the heat of his body against hers or the delicious warmth of his arms protectively circled around her, hugging her tightly to him.
How soon before this was over?
How soon before they encountered more of Somersby's men?
And where was Somersby?
CHAPTER 9
JOHN KNEW HE had to tell Nicola what that ceremonial declaration performed in front of Sammy and his boys had meant. It was a handfasting and they were now considered husband and wife under Scottish law. Within the year, they had to decide whether to consummate the marriage and be permanently bound, or do nothing and quietly go their separate ways.
He wasn't proud of deceiving Nicola, but he'd had no choice. The gleam in Sammy's eyes and those of his boys signified that one of those rascals meant to take Nicola as his wife. John had to claim her first, for merely giving assurance that they were married hadn't been enough. He'd had to prove it, and this was the only way he knew how to accomplish it without spilling blood.
Nicola would understand, wouldn't she?
Hell, no.
She would come after him with the closest weapon at hand, for he'd stolen her dreams with that one action.
Since Sammy's boys were still riding with them until Loch Avon, John knew he'd have to wait until they had safely crossed the loch and were settled for the night in the village of Braemar before he dared confess his deed to her.
"How do you feel, Nicola? Any better?" he asked as the day wore on and the sun now shone directly above them. It was midday and he expected that she would be quite hungry since they hadn't eaten since last night.
She nodded. "Much. I'm so sorry that-"
"Don't be. You don't owe me any apology. I should have realized those men had picked up our trail and done more to keep you safe." He gave her hand a little squeeze, for he'd been holding onto it for much of this day's journey. One hand on Valor's reins, and one arm wrapped around Nicola with his hand resting over hers. "We'll reach Loch Avon soon. That's where we'll part ways with Sammy's boys."
He felt the rise and fall of her bosom in silent laughter. "My flock of admirers? I think I shall miss them, but I dare not tell them that or we might never be rid of them."
He gave a mock shudder. "Don't you dare give them any encouragement. They aren't above stealing a man's wife if they have a mind to do so. They won't care that you're married, carrying my child, or that we love each other."
Nicola immediately tensed at the mention of love.
He was a fool to even bring it up.
He felt the moment she turned within herself, for he'd robbed her of all her romantic dreams. She glanced up at him with sad eyes. "Perhaps they sense this is all a sham, that we aren't married, that I'm not with child, and … that you don't love me."
Fortunately, he had not the chance to respond before Archie, who had taken the lead on the narrow mountain trail, rode back to them. "Loch Avon is just around the next bend."
John allowed the Fraser boys to scout ahead while he remained behind with Nicola. They were so close to parting ways with these reivers, he dared not let Nicola out of his clutches for a moment. Angus was in lust with her, probably in love with her, and it showed. The boy wanted Nicola for his own. Would he attempt to claim her now?
John couldn't blame him if he did try. Nicola was beautiful, even more so because she had no notion of just how beautiful she was.
John felt disgusted with himself.
He'd known and loved Nicola for years. Even though she was his best friend's sister, why hadn't he simply told her-and Julian-that he loved her? And why had he allowed his need for revenge against those who'd killed his parents destroy his own happiness? He'd tempered his rage by joining the elite circle of agents for the Crown, never planning to be encumbered by a family, expecting to feel satisfied whenever he brought down evil. But he never had. When would it ever be enough?
Would there ever come a time when he overcame his anger and led a normal life?
He knew the girl he wanted.
He loved this girl.
When would he be man enough to admit it to her?
"John, look! It's so beautiful," Nicola said as they rounded the bend and the crystal blue lake came into view. Indeed, the sight before them was an exquisite explosion of colors. He drew Valor up a moment while they took in the splendid scenery.
He sensed that Nicola needed a moment of peaceful contemplation amid the chaos swirling around them.
The cloudless October sky was a deep azure. The surrounding hills were covered in purple heather. Beyond them lay mountains covered in emerald green forests. To the east lay a meadow dotted with rowan and bracken and shaded in hues of browns and vivid greens. In the center of it all was a shining, crystal lake.
The cool air carried the scent of heather and pine toward them.
The sun bore down on them with sheltering warmth. It shone upon Nicola's hair, highlighting the lush, red tones of her auburn curls. "I wonder if faeries come out at night to frolic here," she said in an awed whisper.