Warrior's Last Gift Read Online Free PDF Page A
Author: Melissa Mayhue
her to the stream this morning to plunge her burning fingers into the icy waters, it had taken all her strength not to fasten her mouth upon his and claim him for her own.
Only he wasn’t her own, a fact he had made abundantly clear to her.
Truly, she suspected she was losing what few wits she had left. To harbor such feelings for the man who’d rejected her was the height of foolishness.
And yet, what she wouldn’t give to hear him speak her name.
“Stay close and keep a wary eye.”
His voice was so low, she thought for a moment she’d imagined him speaking.
“There’s someone on the trail, coming toward us.”
In almost two full days of travel this was the first person they’d seen and, from Eric’s tone, it sounded as though he was none too pleased.
Jeanne craned her neck to see around her companion, spotting the figure ahead, arm raised in greeting.
“He looks to be friendly enough,” she offered. “And much smaller than you.”
“Aye. Mayhap he’s also bait to draw us into a trap.”
Eric drew up on his horse’s reins, dropping back beside her, surprising her when he touched her hand. He surprised her even more when she saw that he held a wicked-looking dagger in the hand that lay over hers.
“Take this.” He pulled the hem of her cloak over her hand, concealing the weapon. “Keep it at the ready.”
“Surely yer being overly cautious,” she scoffed.
“Better overly cautious than overly dead,” he responded darkly, returning to his spot ahead of her. “If the need arises, head for the woods. You’ll be harder to find there.”
Fear knotted in Jeanne’s stomach. Not until they drew close enough to see the traveler’s face did she relax.
“He’s naught but a lad,” she said.
“A weapon’s no particular about the age of the one who wields it. Stay on yer guard, Jeanne.”
Eric could well be right, but the boy looked harmless enough to her. Harmless and cold dressed in those thin clothes, with not even a fur to protect him.
“Aho,” the boy called out with a grin as they reached him. “A fair gift it is to see fellow travelers on the road! I’m Dobbie Caskie.” The boy lifted a hand in greeting toward Eric.
Eric simply stared at the boy until he let the hand drop back to his side.
“I dinna suppose you’d consider sharing yer fire and an extra portion of food this night?” The boy licked his lips, his eyes darting from Eric to Jeanne and back again.
“No,” Eric answered.
“We most certainly would,” Jeanne corrected, ignoring Eric’s head snapping around in her direction.
The boy couldn’t have been more than twelve or thirteen, and he looked to be freezing out here all by himself. Sharing their fire and food for the evening was the least they could do to help him.
“Thank you, my lady. It’s no charity I’m asking. I’m willing to work for it. I can help set up yer camp and gather wood for you. Whatever you need.”
“And work for it you will, my young friend,” Eric promised, glaring at Jeanne, leaving her no doubt she’d be hearing about this later.
• • •
“It’s a mistake we make, taking that one in.” Eric glared at her as he took the pail of water from her hand and turned back to their campsite. “I feel it in my bones.”
“Yer brainsick,” Jeanne replied. “And heartless, too, if you think to turn away a slip of a lad who needs our help. Shame on you for letting yer unfounded suspicions rule you.”
With a sharp nod of her head, she pushed in front of him and hurried back toward the fire, where their young guest was finishing his meal.
“This is so good.” Dobbie looked up from his porridge as they neared and he cast a hopeful eye toward the pot.
Considering how much of the setup work he’d done when they reached this site, Jeanne felt he’d more than earned his meal.
“There’s more. Help yerself, lad.” She smiled to encourage him, but clearly, he didn’t need her encouragement. The boy acted as if he
Only he wasn’t her own, a fact he had made abundantly clear to her.
Truly, she suspected she was losing what few wits she had left. To harbor such feelings for the man who’d rejected her was the height of foolishness.
And yet, what she wouldn’t give to hear him speak her name.
“Stay close and keep a wary eye.”
His voice was so low, she thought for a moment she’d imagined him speaking.
“There’s someone on the trail, coming toward us.”
In almost two full days of travel this was the first person they’d seen and, from Eric’s tone, it sounded as though he was none too pleased.
Jeanne craned her neck to see around her companion, spotting the figure ahead, arm raised in greeting.
“He looks to be friendly enough,” she offered. “And much smaller than you.”
“Aye. Mayhap he’s also bait to draw us into a trap.”
Eric drew up on his horse’s reins, dropping back beside her, surprising her when he touched her hand. He surprised her even more when she saw that he held a wicked-looking dagger in the hand that lay over hers.
“Take this.” He pulled the hem of her cloak over her hand, concealing the weapon. “Keep it at the ready.”
“Surely yer being overly cautious,” she scoffed.
“Better overly cautious than overly dead,” he responded darkly, returning to his spot ahead of her. “If the need arises, head for the woods. You’ll be harder to find there.”
Fear knotted in Jeanne’s stomach. Not until they drew close enough to see the traveler’s face did she relax.
“He’s naught but a lad,” she said.
“A weapon’s no particular about the age of the one who wields it. Stay on yer guard, Jeanne.”
Eric could well be right, but the boy looked harmless enough to her. Harmless and cold dressed in those thin clothes, with not even a fur to protect him.
“Aho,” the boy called out with a grin as they reached him. “A fair gift it is to see fellow travelers on the road! I’m Dobbie Caskie.” The boy lifted a hand in greeting toward Eric.
Eric simply stared at the boy until he let the hand drop back to his side.
“I dinna suppose you’d consider sharing yer fire and an extra portion of food this night?” The boy licked his lips, his eyes darting from Eric to Jeanne and back again.
“No,” Eric answered.
“We most certainly would,” Jeanne corrected, ignoring Eric’s head snapping around in her direction.
The boy couldn’t have been more than twelve or thirteen, and he looked to be freezing out here all by himself. Sharing their fire and food for the evening was the least they could do to help him.
“Thank you, my lady. It’s no charity I’m asking. I’m willing to work for it. I can help set up yer camp and gather wood for you. Whatever you need.”
“And work for it you will, my young friend,” Eric promised, glaring at Jeanne, leaving her no doubt she’d be hearing about this later.
• • •
“It’s a mistake we make, taking that one in.” Eric glared at her as he took the pail of water from her hand and turned back to their campsite. “I feel it in my bones.”
“Yer brainsick,” Jeanne replied. “And heartless, too, if you think to turn away a slip of a lad who needs our help. Shame on you for letting yer unfounded suspicions rule you.”
With a sharp nod of her head, she pushed in front of him and hurried back toward the fire, where their young guest was finishing his meal.
“This is so good.” Dobbie looked up from his porridge as they neared and he cast a hopeful eye toward the pot.
Considering how much of the setup work he’d done when they reached this site, Jeanne felt he’d more than earned his meal.
“There’s more. Help yerself, lad.” She smiled to encourage him, but clearly, he didn’t need her encouragement. The boy acted as if he