of my guards many years ago?”
“Aye. I lived on Grant land for years, trained every day in the lists. Do not worry, my laird. I’ll help you get through this safely.”
His words were those of a faithful man, but Alex noted that Hamish would not make eye contact with him. Not a good sign. Memories trickled back to him. “Why did you leave Grant land? If my old memory serves me properly, you left without saying a word to anyone. Just disappeared.”
“I received word that my mother was severely ill, so I left in a state of panic. My pardon for not having acted more appropriately. I was young and foolish.”
But Hamish still wouldn’t make eye contact. He hadn’t even turned his head toward Alex.
Alex knew better than to trust a man who wouldn’t look him in the eye. He tried to recall more about Hamish’s time as a Grant warrior, but at the moment his mind came up empty.
Busby returned and said, “The garrison will escort you to Berwick Castle, where the king is presently in residence. Hamish and I will follow, see that you’re treated well.”
“Treated well, my arse,” Alex scoffed. “You’re a traitor, so don’t try to pretend otherwise.”
Busby grabbed the bindings around his wrists, his expression a dark glower. “You’ll regret saying that. I’ll have my chance with you.”
It was then Hamish finally looked at Alex.
His wide grin showed the two missing front teeth, the kind a fist to the face usually caused. Experience had taught him that a man who lacked those teeth had typically lost them because he was untrustworthy, confirming the inkling he had about the bastard. But that inkling also told him there was more to Hamish’s story.
What the hell was it?
***
Dyna had hoped the brief interlude at the overlook would give her cousins a chance to catch up with them, but they were nowhere in sight. Well, she couldn’t wait.
Derric might be right—they were too far to see ropes—but she still knew her grandsire was tied to that horse. His posture was different, and after all the years he’d been on horseback, it was unlikely he would change the way he rode now.
“Do you know where you’re going, Diamond?” Derric asked quietly, just loud enough to be heard.
“They aren’t moving that quickly. If we keep moving, we’ll catch up with them.”
They moved on, silence settling between them. Before they’d traveled an hour, Dyna called back to him over her shoulder. “I’m sorry for the way I acted.”
“What are you talking about?”
She knew she’d treated him poorly. Both the other evening, after he’d taken her maidenhead—at her bidding—and on the ride the previous day. It had felt strange to be around him after what they’d shared, knowing none of her cousins understood how their relationship had changed. And she’d felt strangely vulnerable. Growing up, her response to feeling vulnerable had always been to hide her tears. To act tougher. Being the lass, she’d always felt the need to seem more aloof than her other cousins, as if nothing bothered her.
And so she’d pulled away from him even though she’d asked him not to pull away from her.
“You didn’t do anything wrong the other evening. I was as willing as you were. And it was wrong of me to treat you poorly on this journey. I didn’t know how to act around the others. I do care about you.”
She glanced back again and saw he was arching a brow at her. Mayhap she shouldn’t have told him that now, as they descended the mountain on a narrow part of the path that prevented them from riding side by side, but then again, it was easier to speak more openly when she didn’t have to look him in the eye.
“Apology accepted. And I wish I hadn’t hurt you. If I could take it back, I would.”
“My thanks,” she said. She felt that way too, didn’t she? So why couldn’t she stop thinking about Derric touching her, his hand between his legs, his…
“Why do you always insist on being so tough? You never express emotion except for anger. When you have every right to cry, you swipe your tears away and lift your chin. What are you afraid of?”
Hellfire, but he’d cut right to the core of her. “I’m not afraid. I just…I was always with three lads. I’ve spent my entire life trying to fit in, trying to be like my father and my grandsire.”
They’d passed the narrowest section of the path so he