Tempest Heart - Paula Quinn Page 0,55

tangled one another like a delicate net, from one tree to another, close to the castle wall.

The tower could be a problem. If someone stood watch, they might see him.

He would have to go higher.

He exhaled. He could do it. He’d been doing it his whole life. Climbing trees was as natural to him as walking. It was what made him so valuable to King David. He could attack from above, where their enemies least expected him. This time, he wasn’t climbing to scout, or to fight, but simply to watch. He hoped to catch a glimpse or two of her. He missed her face. Her beautiful face.

It was early autumn so there was still enough foliage on the branches for him to blend in nicely. He climbed the old oak quickly but carefully. No need to fall and break his neck. He took his time and moved through the branches until he came to the thick boughs near the southern wall. He spread his weight along a heavy branch above the tower and over the outer yard. From his position, he could see the inner yard as well. There were some fields for farming, another spacious field where two cows and a goat grazed. Dozens of cottages lay sprayed across the several acres belonging to Thomas Callanach but Tristan knew from Rose’s description of her life, most of the houses were empty, almost everyone sent away. He noticed one other thing and smiled. A small forest inside the walls.

He scrambled back down the tree and when his boots touched the ground, he took off to the right. What he had seen from the treetops could not be seen any other way. The forest inside the walls of Callanach was the same forest outside the walls. The treetops met in the air! It was his way in!

The closer he came to that part of the forest, the better he could see the high treetops mingling with the branches of the trees beyond the wall. He quickly found one with branches low enough to begin his climb and high enough to reach the thick tangle. He moved as quickly, while being cautious, as he could.

It took him a good amount of time to find branches thick enough to climb across. He stopped and had to go back twice. Finally, he came to a place where the boughs were strong enough to hold his weight.

He spotted Rose down below and almost lost his footing. Slowly, he cautioned himself. He sat between two boughs and looked for her again.

He found her walking in the opposite direction. She wore dark blue or green hose and boots, with a belted shirt that reached her rounded hips. Her luxurious chestnut locks fell loose over her shoulders and picked up browns and russets and even some bronze strands. He wanted to call to her, but she was too far away.

She walked toward what looked like a well-built barn or a stable and disappeared inside. A little while later, she pushed the wide door open, disappeared again, and then came back on her horse. She straddled her saddle and leaned a bit forward and a little to the right, and then, with a flick of her reins, she took off.

Tristan watched her with her hair flapping like a pennant behind her as she rode her horse around the huge perimeter of the castle. He smiled looking at her. He couldn’t help himself, though his heart ached to be with her.

How had he let this happen?

Looking at her, her sweetly upturned face to the sun, he asked himself how he could have ever stopped it.

He loved her. Almost instinctively, he shook his head, rejecting the responsibilities of a lass in his life. Already he was giving up his reputation, his word, his livelihood for her. Living the life of a husband was no longer abhorrent to him. In fact, the thought of being her husband and the father of her babes was rather pleasant.

But his smile faded as it dawned on him where she was going.

Nowhere. She rode around in giant circle, and all around her was a wall. This was where she grew up, alone and caged for her protection. The first time she’d ventured out, she gotten the damned plague! He wanted to push open the gates and let her out, let her free. But first, he had to discover who was trying to kill her and her family. Was anyone truly out to kill the earl