Devil of the Highlands Page 0,56

gave up and glanced back up the tree. If she could just get high enough to see which direction they had to go, they would soon be out of these woods.

Grinding her teeth together with determination, Evelinde started upward again and had climbed up to the next branch when something breezed past her and a soft thunk sounded to her left. Startled, Evelinde removed her left hand from the branch she held and started to turn to see what she'd heard, but the branch she stood on chose that moment to snap under her feet.

Crying out, Evelinde grabbed wildly with her free hand, her fingers catching at a very slim branch and holding on for dear life as she scrabbled to find purchase with her feet. Relief poured through her when she did, and she released a slow breath, and then hugged the tree, her cheek pressed against the rough surface as she waited for her heart to stop its mad thumping. Once it had, Evelinde glanced down toward Lady to see that the mare had moved back several more feet to get out of the way of the branch that had fallen and was now eyeing her with accusation.

"Do not look at me like that, this is all your fault," Evelinde muttered, then sighed and leaned her cheek against the tree again.

She would never enter these woods alone again, Evelinde silently vowed, then raised her head to glance up to the branch she'd grabbed hold of. Her heart, which had just slowed, now seemed to stop altogether as she realized she wasn't holding on to a branch at all, but the shaft of an arrow.

Evelinde was so startled at this realization that she unthinkingly released it at once, leaving her only holding on to the original branch with one hand. Panic reared up in her, and she swiftly grabbed for another branch, relief roaring through her until she heard, "Wife?"

After briefly closing her eyes, Evelinde dropped her head forward to peer down. Sure enough, her husband had found her. The man was even now scrambling off his mount, which he'd stopped beside Lady.

Brilliant, she thought unhappily. Why did he always find her at her worst?

"What are ye doing, ye daft woman?" Cullen roared as he moved to stand beneath her under the tree.

Where have I heard that before? Evelinde wondered, then cleared her throat, and said, "Oh, nothing, my lord. Just enjoying an afternoon out."

"Yer hanging in a tree, wife," he growled. "By yer hands."

"I am letting my legs rest," she responded promptly, then moved her legs about until she brushed against a branch. Setting first one foot on it, then the other, she released a little sigh of relief.

"Get down here!"

He sounded furious, she noted, looking about to see which branch would be safest to step down to next.

"Just let go. I shall catch ye," he ordered.

"Nay. I climbed up and can climb right back down," Evelinde assured him, and proceeded to do just that. Not too quickly, mind. She wasn't eager to face his wrath again and was hoping he would calm down did she give him time.

Evelinde had reached the last branch and dropped to sit on it, intending to push off and drop to the forest floor when she found herself caught in strong hands and eased to the ground instead.

"Thank you," she mumbled, as he set her on her feet.

"Yer welcome," Cullen growled, then snapped, "Now. What the devil did ye think ye were doing?"

Evelinde opened her mouth, closed it, cleared her throat, and said, "Climbing the tree."

"I could see that," he said impatiently. "Why?"

"Because I was lost," she admitted with disgust, and bent to collect her slippers before pushing past him to walk to Lady. "I thought I would climb a tree and see which direction the castle was in rather than wander these woods for the rest of my days like some stupid English ghost trapped in your bloody highlands."

A small silence followed her explanation, then Cullen cleared his throat, and said, "That was clever."

Evelinde stopped next to Lady and turned uncertainly, taking a step backward when she found that he'd followed. Peering up at him suspiciously, she asked, "It was?"

"Aye." Obviously he wasn't going to elaborate on the compliment, but there was nothing in his expression suggesting he was being sarcastic or mocking her.

Biting her lip, she glanced to his mount and back, and asked. "Was it you I heard in the woods then?"

"Probably," he said with a shrug.

Evelinde scowled at