Highland Song (31 page)

"I thought you were hurt--and you were never coming back." She spoke over him, raising her voice. She bit down on her lip, drawing blood. 'I was terrified."

"What were you going to do--trample Jericho's bunch of mercenaries’ right into the cliff?" he asked not listening to her. He reached out and touched the drop of blood, brushing it from her lip.

"I--"

Slade kept on talking. "If you ever pull a damn fool stunt like that again, I--"

"You'll what," Lainie challenged, tears chocking her. She swiped them away with the back of her hand uncaring if Slade saw through her ragged emotions.

"Sweet Jesu, hell if I know. Don't ever do it again. You could have galloped right into a trap while they rained arrows down on you thinking it was me."

"I thought that was what had happened. I thought Jericho had sent an arrow straight through your heart."

Slade let out a breath. "I was the one doing the ambushing this time," Slade said. "Not them."

A ragged sigh was Lainie's only answer.

"This time stay here," Slade said.

Seeming to hold her breath, Lainie watched Slade's back as he rode into the narrow canyon trail he had found. Minutes passed like hours. The steady rush of the water tumbling down the river kept her company. High above, she watched a Hawke land on a root protruding from the rocks. One lone deer walked an obscure path where the rocks met the sky. She shuddered to think of scaling the cliffs but she was beginning to believe that was the only way out of this mess.

Slade
returned,
a grim line to his mouth and his eyes narrow. He didn't look like a man who had found what he was looking for.

"What did you find?" She pushed hair from her face, tying it in a knot behind her to keep it out of her way.

"More wet-slick rocks and tougher rapids along with a narrower trail," he said.

She waited, knowing he wasn't finished and probably trying to figure out how he was going to give her more bad news.

"It's no path to freedom. The trail ends and we’ll have to make our own."

"How far?" she asked.

"About three miles."

Lainie looked down the narrow trail where Jericho and his men waited for them. "You sure?"

He nodded.

"Then we'll have to go past them."

"Easier said than done," Slade ran both hands threw his hair then turned and studied the cliffs, the river, and the animal trails that wound in intricate patterns every which way.

"All in all, I'd rather take my chance skirting the rapids than getting caught in that cross fire again
. "
Are you with me?" Slade asked. "If you are, we're about to go over the mountain via the river."

Lainie looked beyond Slade to the rocks and hills that stretched all the way to the heavens and said a silent prayer.

"What about the horses?"

"We'll have to turn them loose, but I think they'll follow us."

Lainie knew what Slade wasn't saying was that a man on foot in such rugged land didn't stand much chance of surviving. But as small as that chance was, it was better than the odds of running a gauntlet of Jericho's archers through the narrow trails that led out of these mountains.

"You ready? The sooner we start the sooner we'll be done." Slade's smile was grim.

Lainie didn't argue. One way or the other she wanted to reach the other side. Her nerves had been stretched far too thin, and she wanted desperately to see the end. She wanted to be home again.

"You first, then the packhorses," Slade said as he watched her with a haunted look in his eyes. “Stay
close,
yell if you can’t make it.”

The trail rose gradually, loose pebbles and dirt tumbled to the lower trails. Squirrels scampered out of their way, and other animals and birds resting on the rocks stared with lazy eyes at them as they wound back and forth on the rising path. Overhead fog swirled in dark places and when the sun hit the shadows evaporated.

Slade saw Lainie watching the fog.

"We better pray the fog doesn't roll in before we reach the top," he said. "I don't like to think of scampering around these rapids when you can't see your hand in front of your face.

"Aye, I can hardly find my way as it is, but if the fog came in--" she broke off, not wishing to finish the thought.

"We'd make camp," he said without hesitation. "Jericho's men, if they follow, will have to do the same thing."

"Perched on a boulder hanging over the rapids?" she asked, "I'd probably roll off in my sleep."

He nodded. His eyes were grim telling a tale she didn't want to read in them. "I wouldn't let you."

"If I could take back that night in Ayr when you tempted me with fake documents, I would. I wouldn't take the," she said, looking at him with a heavy desperation in her heart.

The corner of Slade's mouth lifted slightly. "I'm disappointed in you. You'd miss all this fun. Besides the bounty would still be on your head, or you would be in Bertram's bed by now."

Lainie shivered. "Oh, you’re right, 'tis more fun than a country fair. It is. I believe I’ll dance a jig," she said, trying to lift her spirits. But nothing helped. She certainly didn't want to think about Bertram and where she'd be if Slade hadn't found her first. She no longer cared if Slade’s motives had been less than pure. He was taking her home.

Slade shaded his eyes and stared into the distance. Lainie wondered what it was he saw. He was so hard to read, laughing one minute, solemn the next and even in this tight and dangerous situation, he never lost his nerve or his courage. He thought he was invincible. And he was such a braw man.

"What is it?" she asked.

He sat with both hands on the saddle horn, a grim line to his mouth that gave a hint at a smile, and he looked as though he had never seen anything quite so interesting in his life. But he didn't answer her question. Instead he countered with one of his own.

"Have you ever used a bow?" Slade asked.

"I have," she told him cautiously.

"Did your brothers ever teach you how to swing a sword?" he questioned again.

"I couldn't lift the ones they use so they had a lighter one made for me."

Slade turned and looked at Lainie, flashing a lazy grin that went straight to her heart. The smile he gave her made her realize all over again what a handsome fascinating man he was.

"Sometimes you amaze me," he said, with a huge grin.

Lainie laughed, letting her fears side away for a second.

Slade pulled a second bow from the gear he’d packed. It was smaller than the bow he used and lighter. He handed it to her. Then the quiver he gave her was attached to a long strap. When Slade leaned forward to adjust the strap, the back of his fingers accidentally brushed over one of her breasts. Startled by the searing heat of the touch, she inhaled a long quick breath. The sudden movement had him brushing her breast against his hand once more.

"Slade," her breath came out in a tumbled rush. "Do you think you should do that?"

Slade stared at her and it seemed to Lainie his own breath caught and rushed out. His lazy grin went serious.

"Sweet Jesu," he breathed. "You're so beautiful." And you came so damned close to dying. I don't want to lose you to the river or Jericho's mercenaries."

He adjusted the strap the best he could. As if he couldn't stop himself, Slade slid his hand around the nape of Lainie's neck and drew her forward.

"You’re right, I shouldn't be doing this," he whispered next to her ear. "But I can't help myself."

He was so close Lainie felt his breath whisper against her cheek.

"I'm going to check that trail more closely. If we can get everything up there, we may have a way out," he said against her lips. "Keep an eye on the all the trails. They might get restless and come looking for us. Yell if you see anyone."

"Be careful," she whispered. "I don't want to lose you either."

"Don't worry. I plan on living long enough to enjoy Bertram's chagrin when he finds out he can't have you."

The kiss Slade gave Lainie was mercuric, wild and hot, sweeping through her like a wildfire, lasting only an instant.

Then Slade vanished, leaving her with the taste of him on her lips and the scent of wild Scottish highlands lingering around her, floating with the fog that danced around the cliffs. While she recalled his last words.

I plan on living long enough to enjoy Bertram's chagrin when he finds out he can't have you.

Chapter Twelve

"Don't look down," Slade called out.

She stifled a laugh. "Where do ye want me to look then? I can't look up." Looking down was the last thing she meant to do. "My brothers," she inhaled a deep breath. "Taught me how to climb the swinging rope ladder from the ocean to the top of their ships. The first piece of advice they gave me was not to look down."

"They did?" he asked, amazed once more at her and her crazy brothers. Without them he might have lost Lainie from sheer terror. He hoped he wouldn't have to kill her brothers.

"Aye, they did. Said it would make a man out of me."

Hell, nothing her brothers could teach Lainie would make a man out of her. "Did it?” he asked, “Make a man out of you?"

"Nay," she whispered. "I never wanted to be a man. But I didn't have a mother to teach me how to be a woman."

"No mother?" he asked.

Lainie didn't answer. She'd never been so exhausted nor had she ever felt so weak, her body shaking with the fatigue. There was nothing left for words. All she could do was move one foot in front of the other. Her hands and knees were scraped raw where she’d had to scramble on all fours just to stay on the trail.

The loose rocks and slick mud combined to turn their trek into a death trap. If she didn't slip and plunge to her death in the raging river below, she was sure she would have nightmares haunting her sleep.

"Hang on, little fox. We're getting closer to the end, and if I remember, there is a lush green valley where we can rest."

"Wonderful," Lainie whispered. "You've been here before and you didn't tell me?"

Her horse snorted and jerked her head down.

Lainie stifled a scream as the reins were jerked from her hands and she lost her footing, stumbling to the ground and hanging onto a bush to keep from plunging to her death. Then she pulled herself upright.

"I haven't been here exactly but I know what is on the other side. You're going to be fine. Don't panic," he said in a calm voice even while his nerves unraveled when he watched Lainie stumble and fall.

"If you drop the reins the horse will follow you."

A jerky nod was the only answer Slade got.

Lainie did as she was told, but Slade could see her arms tremble as she slipped the reins over the mare's neck.

Slade's body tightened. Ruthlessly, he forced himself to relax one part at a time. If he could have climbed this a thousand times to keep her from this agony, he would have.

But he'd led her here, and there was no other way out. For now, she had to walk the path by herself.

Slade resumed the ever-upward climb. As the path rose, the climbing grew more perilous. To the side water crashed and roared in a rapid race downward. Spray from the river soaked him through to the skin. He vowed that when they reached the valley, he would make life as comfortable for Lainie as he could. She had weathered this without one complaint and that stunned Slade.

Slade scrambled up and onto another terrace. Baby stayed close behind him. The other horses were just as agile. Determined to reach his destination, he moved with purpose and speed, anxious to put each obstacle behind him so he could meet the next.

He didn't notice that Lainie was not right behind her horse or the packhorses. Until he climbed over the last obstacle in his path and saw the valley, he wouldn't know whether they had wasted their energy on a futile strength-draining climb. He prayed they would not have to turn around and retrace their steps in the failing light.

When Slade turned around to speak to Lainie, he fought for air while his heart skittered to
breath
stealing halt. He watched her crawling on the rocks below him. Her wet clothes molded to her skin. Her hair hung in dripping strands, some slicked to her face. He swore beneath his breath at his callousness.

Lainie kept her eyes down as if she were trying to memorize every rock and stone. Each time she ventured close to the edge, she paused and seemed to inhale a long deep breath as if searching for courage. Her body seemed to shake with fatigue and terror. She was still so very far from him. Slade didn't dare speak to her. He was terrified she'd look up and lose her balance.

So he watched and he waited. He could hear her mumble, "One step at a time, Lainie, just one step at a time. Don’t look down."

When she had almost reached the top, she looked up as if she were ignoring the abyss below and the raging waters.

He watched as Lainie kept moving, kept creeping forward, inch by weary inch. He watched as her arms shook from fatigue and her body shook from terror. Then she stopped to rest. She paused bent over, knees and hands in the dirt and the mud. Her wet hair hid her face until she looked up and he saw the fear. He prayed she would have the strength to keep going. Tears of pride and bitterness at this situation welled in the back of his throat.

"Come on, little fox, you can do it. I know you can," he said. "And you do, I'll tell you how proud I am of you."

He watched her rub her hands over her thighs and then rested enough to keep moving, she scrambled up over the next obstacle. Just a little farther away the path sloped and fell away to deep chasm, sloping to the rushing river below. There was a steep decent to a small ledge. From there the rock fell away to water.

Slade was on the other side watching and so terrified for her he couldn't move.

"Come on little fox," he whispered. You can scramble over it with your eyes closed."

She looked at him with a tear stained face then at the water below.

"I know you can do this, one step, Lainie, then the next. Your brothers must have seen to it," he coaxed, praying he was right and wishing he could replace the tears with laughter and smiles.

He watched her stare at the trail as if it were the end of the world, "Come on Lainie, you can make it. Just a few more steps and you’ll be in my arms."

The apparent weakness in Lainie's body frightened Slade. He'd never seen her when she wasn't able to keep up with him in every way. She only had this last treacherous obstacle to cross. She couldn't give up now. But she was so exhausted she was wheezing trying to inhale enough air.

Don't doubt her, Slade told himself. She's done things just as hard this day, and she hasn't failed. It’s not very wide. Just a few more steps and you'll be there. Come on Lainie.

He kept repeating those words, hoping he could give her courage with his thoughts. Suddenly, she disappeared from view. Heart lodged in his throat, he raced to her. If she saw him, it might help. If he could encourage her, it might help.

He saw her. Everything moved with the slowest motion, but he couldn't reach her. She inhaled a deep breath and then another. Lainie walked forward. A branch slipped under her foot throwing her off balance. She turned as she fell, her arms flailing, her hands searching for anything that would stop her fall.

He heard the tiny rush of air from her lungs when she landed, the hard ground knocking the breath from her. With nothing to grab hold of she rolled toward the ravine and the river. She was falling down a slide made of wet-slick rock to the tumbling rapids and jagged boulders below.

"Slade!" Lainie screamed.

"Sweet jesu." First her feet then her knees slid over the embankment. She groped for a hold but couldn't find anything. Then he could see her only from the waist up. He raced forward, wondering if he would reach her in time and cursing himself for a damned fool for not realizing she wasn't right behind him. She struggled to pull herself up and nearly lost her grip.

An instant later, his hand wound beneath her arms, and he pulled her free. She fought wildly before she seemed to realize that she wasn't falling anymore, and that he had pulled her to safety. He braced his feet apart and held her against his body savoring the beat of her heart so close to his.

"Easy, little fox. I'll keep you safe. I promise if it's the last thing I do," he murmured wondering if he made her a promise he couldn't keep.

Slade felt her shaking in every limb. Then she gave herself to his protection, sagging against him.

"Are you hurt?" he asked urgently.

He held her away, his hands on her shoulders, not wanting to let her go, but needing to see for himself.

Lainie nodded her head and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She stared into his eyes with such trust, he ached with the knowledge.

He ran his fingers down the length of her arms and held her hands, turning them over. The palms of her hands bled from rock-cuts, and she had bruises on her arms. He swore softly while he watched the trail of silver tears sliding down her cheeks. Her face was death white, and her lips trembled. For a moment she closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest, soaking his shirt with her tears.

"Can you walk?" he asked, holding onto her shoulders and looking hard at her face.

She inhaled a deep breath and nodded her head once more. As if mesmerized, she put one foot in front of the other moving away from him and toward the valley where they headed, but her legs shook and he wasn't at all sure she would be able to go on, at least not without rest. Their pursuers wouldn’t rest.

"We can't turn around," Slade told her. "We don't have a choice now. We have to keep going."

Slade tried not to be rough with Lainie. He wanted to encourage her, but his voice came out ragged and harsh.

"I can do it," Lainie said, nodding to show she understood all that was at stake. "I don't want to go back. I can do it."