The Scot's Pursuit - Keira Montclair Page 0,34

younger, she was quite skilled in the kitchen, showing her how to cut the vegetables and what proportion to use in order to make a stew rich with brown gravy and vegetables. She’d already had several loaves of bread at the ready, which was quite fortunate because Branwen had never mixed or kneaded a loaf of bread in her life.

They all came into the front room, awaiting their father from outside. When Osbert came in, he strode directly to her side, kissed her cheek, then ran his finger down her jawline, something she didn’t like at all.

But she allowed it this night. She said, “My lord, if you have no objections, I’d like a tub bath alone while you eat. Lora can assist me with the water.”

Osbert’s eyes lit up, and he nodded as if there were some secret between them. “Understood. Please go ahead. We’ll not need your help until we’re finished. Then you can clean up while the wee ones wash in your tub water. We’ll not waste it on just one person.” He leaned in closer and said, “Mayhap I’d like one, too. You can assist me.”

While his comment made her skin crawl, she didn’t say a word, instead following Lora outside to locate the tub and bring it into the back chamber where she could bathe in private.

Of course, she had no intention of climbing inside that bathtub. Once they brought the water in, she closed the door behind Lora, checked to make sure her saddlebag held everything she needed, and tossed it over her back. Fia had packed well for her, she’d noticed. Not only was her dagger inside, hidden beneath her clothes, but also a small sack containing some dried meat and chunks of cheese. Her friend had known she’d be running away. Of course, she hadn’t been able to hide Branwen’s bow and arrow in the bag. She’d need to find a replacement.

Nay, she needed that bow, the one Dyna had given her. She’d sneak back in the middle of the night to retrieve it.

When Lora had her own sack packed, she nodded to Branwen and they crept out of the back entrance as quietly as possible. Once they were behind the hut, Lora held her finger to her lips, then beckoned for Branwen to follow her.

Lora led her to a path behind the huts, staying close to her since it was dark. Once they were far enough away, they began to run. They ran and ran until they were so far away that Branwen feared they were lost. She grabbed Lora’s mantle from behind, stopping her.

“Wait, please. We must decide where we’re going.”

Lora stopped and gave her a puzzled look. “I thought you would lead us from here. Are we returning to your land?”

“Nay,” she said, her eyes wide. “We must keep far away from my sire. There’s a cave not far from Thane land. I think we can stay there for now. I hate to travel at night because it’s dangerous, but we don’t have much choice. ’Tis nearly dark now. We must hurry.”

“Are you sure we won’t be caught?”

“I doubt my sire even knows about it. I found it long ago on a walk with my mother. ’Tis probably an hour and a half from here.”

“Lead on. I’ll follow.”

They eventually arrived in the right area, or so she thought, but night had fallen and she couldn’t find the cave. Branwen said, “’Tis here somewhere. I know it. ’Tis well hidden.”

They searched for about fifteen minutes before Lora called to her. “Here. I think ’tis behind these bushes, not far from the burn.”

There was quite a bit of scrub hiding the entrance, so Branwen pulled out her dagger and cut through the thickest, leaving enough to keep the entrance hidden. She crept inside slowly, pleased to find it empty. “Here. We can sleep here.”

They returned to the burn and filled a skin with water before venturing back into the cave and choosing a spot for their plaid—out of sight of the entrance, though still close enough to take advantage of the moonlight. Exhausted, they both settled on top of a plaid, not far from each other. Branwen lay on her back and stared at the ceiling. “Mayhap I shouldn’t have brought you along with me.”

“I am pleased you did. I hate my father. Ever since my mother died, my father has acted differently. He used to be happy when Mama was alive, but now he’s miserable all the time. And lazy.”

Branwen