Forgiving Hearts: Duncurra 1-3 Read Online Free PDF Page B

knows about it. I had hoped that by moving quickly, we would stay ahead of any threat, but we need a contingency plan now. I want ye to go ahead with half the men and most of the dowry. Travel as fast as ye can. We shouldn’t be more than a day or so behind ye.”
    “Do ye want your brother to ride ahead with us?”
    Niall gave him a dark look. “Nay, he’ll stay with me. I’m beginning to question the wisdom of bringing him back from Laird Chisholm’s. Perhaps I should have considered making Rowan MacKenzie a guardsman instead.”
    Diarmad laughed. “Prying one of his sons away from Cathal MacKenzie would have been a challenge. Besides, I thought ye wanted to keep your brother close.”
    “That may not have been the best idea. I’m not sure he can be trusted.”
    “All the more reason to keep him close, but I don’t understand why ye think that. For what it is worth, I think ye made the right choice.”
    “I suppose ye are right, Diarmad, and what’s done is done. Nevertheless, I don’t want Fingal guarding the coin.” Looking across the camp, he watched as Fingal laid a sleeping Tomas near where the other men were bedding down. “Besides, I’m not sure I want to inflict Tomas’ endless chatter on anyone else for the moment.”
    Diarmad chuckled, “Ye aren’t worried ye are punishing Fingal unfairly?”
    “I’m only paying him back for years of the same treatment from him,” Niall said lightly. But the fact remained that he didn’t trust Fingal and had no intention of sending him ahead.
    ~ * ~
    During the night Katherine woke once to find Niall sleeping beside her with an arm thrown over her protectively. It felt so very good. When she woke the next day alone, she missed him. She stretched, groaning a bit at her soreness, and rose, glancing around the camp for him. He stood with his back to her, talking with a few of his men, and she got her first real chance to stare appreciatively at her very attractive husband.
    She took in his lean, powerful build and blushed slightly as she remembered how good those strong arms felt wrapped around her. She bent to gather up the plaid on which she had been sleeping and shook it out. Yesterday she had agreed to marry him because she didn’t want to become a nun. That was a good decision, she thought wickedly, and blushed again as she folded the plaid.
    Niall walked towards her almost cautiously. Taking the folded plaid from her, he asked, “How are ye feeling this morning?”
    “I am well, thank you,” she said, blushing furiously. Suddenly she felt very shy after last night’s outburst and her bold thoughts moments ago. Looking around, she realized many of the men and horses were gone. “Where are the rest of your men?”
    “I sent half of them ahead with the bulk of your dowry. I suspect ye have never been to the royal court, but ye can imagine very little remains secret there. The news of our betrothal became widely known, as did the size of your dowry. Having a large portion of it with us makes us a target for thieves. I wanted to travel fast, to stay well ahead of trouble.”
    “And you are slowing down because of me?” she asked, feeling a little ashamed.
    At the worried look on her face, he said, “We are only slowing down a little. I have to think of our safety as well as the dowry, but it also makes sense to divide it and transport it separately.” She nodded and he added, “Still, we need to move as fast as is reasonable, so will ye be ready to go soon?”
    “I only need a few minutes to wash up.”
    “Gather what ye need and we will go to the loch.”
    “You don’t need to go with me, I—I really won’t be long,” she stammered.
    “I would not let ye go alone, unprotected, but I have another reason as well. I need to see the extent of your injuries,” he said seriously.
    “Really, Niall, it isn’t that bad and—”
    He cut her off with a wave of his hand. “Don’t argue with me about this. I need to know. I don’t want to cause