If You Dare(57)
It would serve them right. “Split it equally.”
Groot chuckled. “And your crew?”
They would not be pleased. “I’ll leave a message for them. They should be here soon.” He might have wondered why they hadn’t arrived yet, since he and Annalía had made such poor time, but he knew a standoff like that could take days, even weeks, to end, especially since both sides were in such defensible locations. It could take even longer if both doggedly refused to give ground. That was one thing he hated about the job—the bloody downtime.
He would write to Niall and tell him to ride for Otto. If Niall thought the odds good, he should sign them on.
When the coach arrived, he inspected the horses and quizzed the driver—a man called originally enough “Coachy.” Finding both acceptable, he went to wake Annalía. Through the front window of the inn, he spied her rushing down the stairs, smoothing her hair, and looking none the worse for wear for their drinking. His head had been pounding since he’d sobered. When she strode outside, he asked, “How do you feel?”
She appeared surprised that he was still there, but covered it with a shrug. “I feel fine. Why?”
Because she’d been riding through a downpour last night, recently shot, and then got drunk, he almost answered. He was learning that the black plague personified could kiss her and she’d be fine. “No reason.”
She glanced down and ran the toe of her shoe over some tufted grass by the walk. “I didn’t know if you’d still be here.”
Did she think that badly of him? He’d given her his word—when he was soused and under duress from needing to tup her—but still his word. “I made a deal with you, and I plan to keep my side of it.”
She gave him a disbelieving expression. “Don’t become testy, MacCarrick. It isn’t as if you’ve presented yourself as the most trustworthy man.”
He moved closer to her, to a point she would deem impolite. “If you will no’ believe I’ll keep my end because I’m a man of my word, then believe I will just so you’ll keep yours.”
She blushed and observed the grass again.
“So that means I’ll be getting you somewhere I know you’ll be safe.”
She frowned when she faced him again. “You told me the posting house was safe. This was where you were going to leave me.”
“Changed my mind after the attack yesterday, and I know a place in London.”
“I’m not traveling to England!” She crossed her arms over her chest. He noticed she put her hands lower because of her injury. “You said you’d help me find Aleix, not take me farther away from him!”
“Your brother’s coming for you. The Rechazado said he was on our trail to save you from the brutal Highlanders and then murder me for revenge. He’ll go where we go. And he’ll thank me later for taking you to safety in London.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this information sooner?”
“When should I have done that? During the downpour or when I was drunkenly trying to get you out of your gown?”
She gasped, eyes wide, but then she narrowed them. “You’re attempting to distract me. To keep me from saying yet again that I am not going to England.”
“Lass, we’re leaving. Now. The subject’s ended.”
“I can’t leave without sending him a message!”
“To where? Your home? He’s doubtless already in France.”
She paced and he wondered how many soles she went through in a year. Didn’t matter—he would always encourage it. “Do you have relatives in France?”
Shaking her head, she said, “No, my mother’s family is in Spain, in Castile.”
“Any friends or connections?”
Her brows were drawn. “There are only two places in France that I have connections to and both are near Paris.”
“Which are?”
She answered absently, “My mother’s grave and my old school.”
Wait…. “Your mother does no’ rest on your family’s land?” He tried to read her expression, but she appeared deep in thought. Why the hell wouldn’t she? And if not there, then at least in Spain?
“We could send a message to The Vines!” she continued as if she hadn’t heard him. “He’ll check for information there.”
“We’ll see.”
“I’m not going anywhere until you promise.”
“Fine, promised,” he grated. “Now go get in the coach.”
“Coach? But the Rechazados will catch up.”
“I doona want you riding anymore. And if it rains, we’d have to stop then anyway.”