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Authors: Lauren Marrero
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this mission, she wouldn’t unnecessarily risk her neck being thrown by a horse. She stopped struggling, but didn’t relax into his embrace.
"We should hurry," Cairn said to his men. "We are not out of danger yet."
"Oui," agreed Andreu. "I feel these trees have eyes."
Was it Owen that unnerved the soldiers? He knew better than to let himself be seen, but there was an unrestrained wildness about him that encouraged Owen to show off. What was the point of their elaborate masquerades if their deeds went unknown? he often asked. Once they stole the French Queen Anne’s precious love letters from an admirer and Owen insisted on leaving a bloody dagger where the letters were hidden. He had laughed about the incident for months, certain the gruesome sight must have thrown the Queen into a panic. She could easily imagine him leaving a similar clue to taunt the Scotsmen.
How would Owen watch over her inside Cairn’s castle? Would he seek employment in the village? Or perhaps Owen would camp in the nearby woods. What if something went wrong and he couldn’t reach her? It might be days before it was safe for them to meet again.
She forced herself to relax. Cairn had been remarkably kind during the last few days. She had no reason to believe he would suddenly change in Scotland. Besides, Verena knew she was the greatest threat to her mission.
She remembered their kiss in the woods and waking up to find Cairn intently staring at her. It was strange to realize Verena was attracted to the man she was sent to betray. If Hadran knew Verena was having such feelings he would be understandably worried. He might even pull her from the assignment. No matter what Verena couldn’t allow her attraction to cloud her judgment, nor could she give Owen or Hadran any reason to doubt her.
Chapter 13
Verena blinked tired eyes at the unexpected sunrise. She thought to only close her eyes for a moment and instead found she had slept through most of the journey. They had long ago crossed the border into Scotland and their horses’ slower pace rocked her into an easy sleep. Cairn was exhausted after a sleepless night and their adventure in the woods, yet he held himself proudly erect in the saddle, scanning their surroundings for danger.
The morning sky was multiple shades of grey broken by brief patches where the sun poked through thick clouds. They had left the forest behind and approached a small, rundown village. Beyond that she could see a large, foreboding castle rising from the ground. There was a certain charm to the barren terrain, but the icy wind slicing through her garments was anything but cozy.
She straightened self-consciously, embarrassed to find her arms had crept around Cairn like a vine, unconsciously greedy for his warmth. Sometime during the night Cairn had released her restraints and wrapped his cloak around them both. A strong wind swept over their party and though she shivered, she firmly pushed the cloak away. She must act as one recently kidnapped, with fear, anger and distrust of the big warriors.
"This is your home?" she asked unnecessarily. Her words were harsh and dismissive.
There was an air of poverty and neglect in the village. Across Scotland people were suffering under the inept leadership of their king, famine and plague. Cairn’s father had been ill for many years and the McPhersons had suffered more than most without a strong leader to guide them through the troubled times.
What had driven Cairn away for so many years? Was Cairn disappointed with his new life? The land was so different from Southern France where he spent his youth. Did he look at Scotland’s rugged beauty with scorn?
"Aye, though in truth I have not spent much time here since childhood. I was fostered in France with Andreu. Then we went on campaign together."
"What shall become of me here?"
"Be at ease. No harm shall come to you in Scotland."
"You must release me. I will be with my family by nightfall and no one
"We should hurry," Cairn said to his men. "We are not out of danger yet."
"Oui," agreed Andreu. "I feel these trees have eyes."
Was it Owen that unnerved the soldiers? He knew better than to let himself be seen, but there was an unrestrained wildness about him that encouraged Owen to show off. What was the point of their elaborate masquerades if their deeds went unknown? he often asked. Once they stole the French Queen Anne’s precious love letters from an admirer and Owen insisted on leaving a bloody dagger where the letters were hidden. He had laughed about the incident for months, certain the gruesome sight must have thrown the Queen into a panic. She could easily imagine him leaving a similar clue to taunt the Scotsmen.
How would Owen watch over her inside Cairn’s castle? Would he seek employment in the village? Or perhaps Owen would camp in the nearby woods. What if something went wrong and he couldn’t reach her? It might be days before it was safe for them to meet again.
She forced herself to relax. Cairn had been remarkably kind during the last few days. She had no reason to believe he would suddenly change in Scotland. Besides, Verena knew she was the greatest threat to her mission.
She remembered their kiss in the woods and waking up to find Cairn intently staring at her. It was strange to realize Verena was attracted to the man she was sent to betray. If Hadran knew Verena was having such feelings he would be understandably worried. He might even pull her from the assignment. No matter what Verena couldn’t allow her attraction to cloud her judgment, nor could she give Owen or Hadran any reason to doubt her.
Chapter 13
Verena blinked tired eyes at the unexpected sunrise. She thought to only close her eyes for a moment and instead found she had slept through most of the journey. They had long ago crossed the border into Scotland and their horses’ slower pace rocked her into an easy sleep. Cairn was exhausted after a sleepless night and their adventure in the woods, yet he held himself proudly erect in the saddle, scanning their surroundings for danger.
The morning sky was multiple shades of grey broken by brief patches where the sun poked through thick clouds. They had left the forest behind and approached a small, rundown village. Beyond that she could see a large, foreboding castle rising from the ground. There was a certain charm to the barren terrain, but the icy wind slicing through her garments was anything but cozy.
She straightened self-consciously, embarrassed to find her arms had crept around Cairn like a vine, unconsciously greedy for his warmth. Sometime during the night Cairn had released her restraints and wrapped his cloak around them both. A strong wind swept over their party and though she shivered, she firmly pushed the cloak away. She must act as one recently kidnapped, with fear, anger and distrust of the big warriors.
"This is your home?" she asked unnecessarily. Her words were harsh and dismissive.
There was an air of poverty and neglect in the village. Across Scotland people were suffering under the inept leadership of their king, famine and plague. Cairn’s father had been ill for many years and the McPhersons had suffered more than most without a strong leader to guide them through the troubled times.
What had driven Cairn away for so many years? Was Cairn disappointed with his new life? The land was so different from Southern France where he spent his youth. Did he look at Scotland’s rugged beauty with scorn?
"Aye, though in truth I have not spent much time here since childhood. I was fostered in France with Andreu. Then we went on campaign together."
"What shall become of me here?"
"Be at ease. No harm shall come to you in Scotland."
"You must release me. I will be with my family by nightfall and no one
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