Knight Defender (Knight Chronicles) (23 page)

No doubt he could not understand how he’d hurt her. He did not want her. He’d told his friend so, not caring that she’d heard. He could not trust her, which she understood very well. Nonetheless, his failure to recognize that she’d broken her vow to him in order to save him as well as her brother by stopping Edward pained her greatly.

“I’ll return your dowry.”

And there was the proof that Raeb was eager to rid himself of her. He needed that dowry. His clansmen, his sisters, everyone he loved and cared about would suffer without it.

“Without that coin, the MacKais have no means to restore their fortunes. I’ll not be burdened with the guilt of your clan’s poverty. So I’ll thank you to keep the dowry.” She would make certain the coin was given to him as soon as Margery returned to Dungarob.

“Then we must wed.”

“No, we must not. You do not want a wife you cannot trust, and I don’t want a husband.”

“But what will you do?”

She hadn’t the slightest idea. Weary of rejection, Jessamyn straightened her shoulders and pointed her nose in the air. “Since you will repudiate the marriage on legitimate grounds to retain the dowry, my actions are no longer your concern.”

With that small attempt to salvage pride, if nothing else, she kneed Persia into a canter. At least her horse loved her.

Moments later Raeb rode up beside her once more and asked again why she’d rescued him.

She ignored him. She would not confess her feelings and give him a potential weapon. She scarcely understood her feelings and motives herself.

He was silent for a while then asked if she was tired and would like to rest for a time.

She ignored him.

He continued to pester her with one question or another throughout the day until the sun began to lower and the shadows grew long.

“We need to find shelter for the night. Follow me.”

She nodded.

He located a spot not far from the stream and near a stand of rocks with a cliff close behind. Tethering the horses at a bush within the rocks, he pointed at the open space just in front of the cliff. “We’ll camp there. I’ll be back as soon as I’ve caught our dinner.” He walked off into the wood, the quiver on his back and the bow in one hand.

She gathered firewood and made two beds of fallen pine boughs. She built the fire, but because she wasn’t absolutely certain they were out of England she kept the flame small. When all was ready and Raeb had still not returned, Jessamyn rummaged in the saddlebags to discover what Gillam might have packed. She came up with a hook and some line, perfect for fishing. Finding a sturdy stick long and flexible enough to use as a rod, she made for the stream.

Fishing gave her time to sort out the maelstrom of emotions, hurt, anger, guilt, and despair. She’d sailed into Dungarob Bay all those weeks ago full of plans and hope. Now she had neither. She’d nowhere to go. Oh, her father would take her in, but he’d make no bones about his disappointment in her and the inconvenience she caused him, both in keeping Edward I’s favor and in finding her a new husband who would bring land, fortune, and connections to the house of Du Grace. Save for seeing her brothers, she dreaded returning to Blancmer.

Since she had failed to reach Edward, she would see Simon when the English landed at Dungarob. She could only pray that they would meet before he could be killed in the fighting. Closest to her in age, they had been confidants, and she was certain he understood her dismay when Father had shipped her off to Scotland. Too bad Simon hadn’t been home to see her off. He might have given her some words of wisdom to see her through this difficult time, for to be honest, she could not see any solution to her problems.

She pulled a second fish from the water and dunked her hook again. Raeb would eat more than one fish, so she needed at least three. Her heart ached at the thought of leaving him, even if he didn’t want her. Could she stay in Dungarob? She had friends there now—his sisters, Angus, the master of horse, and a few of the guard who’d braved Raeb’s frowns to speak with her.

She wouldn’t have to live in the keep. She could find a cottage and mayhap help Angus with the horses in exchange for a place to stable Persia.

A nervous whinny from one of the horses made Jessamyn turn her head. She froze the instant she saw the hulking shape of a wolf a short way up the bank, creeping from the trees toward the river.

Thank the good Lord she was downwind. The beast paused to scent the air, checking to be sure the area was safe from any attackers. Though what, other than a well-armed man, would attack a wolf she had no idea. A bear maybe, but the only bear she’d ever seen had been chained to the wall of a pit where dogs were set on it for sport. She hadn’t thought attacking a chained bear very sporting, but then she’d never been threatened by ravening jaws either. She imagined the pain of sharp teeth clamping into soft human flesh would be excruciating.

The breeze increased as dusk shaded the land. She had to move, get to the fire, before the wind shifted and the wolf discovered her.

Keeping her gaze fixed on the large animal, she slowly set her fishing pole aside and reached for the two fish she’d gotten.

Deciding he was safe, the wolf amazed her by walking straight into the water instead of drinking from the side of the stream. As she eased upward, she noticed the animal favored its right front paw.

It was injured. No wonder it sought the flow of water over the wound.

She’d gained a fully upright stance when the wolf halted in midstream, just where a fading beam of sunlight hit its face.

It wasn’t a wolf at all, but a huge, and probably wild, dog. A feral dog could be just as dangerous as a wolf, and a dog of this size deserved the same fearful respect. She needed to get to safety.

Leaving the shelter of the tree, Jessamyn stepped away cautiously, aiming for the brush thicket that separated the stream from the small glen, rocks, and cliff where the fire burned.

Still unaware of her presence, the dog lapped at the water. She’d just lifted her skirt and stepped within the edge of the thicket when a branch snapped beneath her foot.
Pray heaven that beast does not notice
.

But either heaven was not listening or Jessamyn had been too slow with her prayer, for the animal swung its head in her direction, fixing its gaze directly on her.

The canine lips curled to reveal long, sharp teeth, and the dog issued a growling snarl.

Jessamyn ran for the fire, ignoring the thorns and branches that scraped and tore at her.

She heard the crash of the dog’s big body into the brush as she burst out of the thicket and sprinted past the horses to the campsite. Expecting to feel the bite of its fangs, she grabbed the smoldering end of a burning log and turned ready to defend herself. But the horses had distracted the beast.

Tethered as they were, the mounts could not escape the attack, nor could they use their hooves as effective defense in the small space between the rocks.

“No!” Jessamyn cried out as the dog launched itself at Persia’s vulnerable flank. She dashed into the fray determined to chase off the attacker with the only weapon she had.

But she had not counted on the horses’ fear of fire, and while she managed to singe the dog, driving him off and out of sight, it left just enough room for the destrier to strike out with a hind leg. The hoof caught Jessamyn in her right side. She flew through the air, lost her grip on her makeshift torch, and smashed her head against a boulder.

• • •

Raeb burst into the clearing to see Jessamyn crumpled near the horses. A brand lay burning a short distance outside the rocks where the horses were tethered, and a trail of something that looked like blood dribbled through the dirt in the direction of the stream.

He’d been on his way back to the campsite with two smallish rabbits and a pouch full of edible berries when he heard Jess’s shout. What in the name of the Cross happened?

He could find out after he got Jessamyn away from the nervously stamping mounts. Dropping the rabbits, bow, and arrows near the fire, he went to Jessamyn and bent to study her.

His heart clutched. Did she live? He saw her chest rise. Thank the Lord. She was unconscious. Blood oozed from a cut where her head had probably hit the rock. A dirty hoofprint on her dress indicated she’d been kicked by at least one of the horses. From the size of the print, it had been the destrier. Jess’s right hand bore scorch marks, as if she’d been holding the lighted brand for dear life. Why would she do that?

To defend herself and the horses, you idiot
.

He checked her carefully for broken bones and noted she was having trouble breathing. There must be injuries from being kicked that he could not see. Tenderly he lifted her, carrying her to one of the pine bough beds. When she lay straight, her breathing eased somewhat, but she still struggled.

“Jess, please wake up.”

She did not respond.

He soothed the hair from her face and placed a gentle kiss on her brow before covering her against the night’s chill with the fur from his saddle pack. Then lighting a torch at the fire, he set off to examine the trail of blood.

In the soft soil near the creek bank he found a large paw print. A very large dog or wolf must have threatened the horses. He shuddered to think of Jessamyn alone, fighting off a raging beast with naught but a makeshift torch. The bloody trail led into a thicket of brush that shielded the small glen from the river.

Raeb bent close, examining the ground to be certain of the animal’s direction and that the beast was not part of a pack. As his gaze tracked the single set of prints mixed with drops of blood into the brush, he encountered two black eyes staring back at him from above a black and tan muzzle. He’d found the attacker.

The wild dog tried to lift itself from the ground but only managed to move its head from side to side. Giving a small whimper, it dropped its head and lay still.

Was it dead?

Raeb put out a hand, carefully angled away from the massive jaws, and lay his palm atop the dog’s brow.

No, the creature was still warm. Its chest rose and fell in a shallow rhythm similar to Jessamyn’s.

He should kill the
madadh
and be done with it. But nothing he believed could make him murder a defenseless animal when there was no need.

As he examined the dog he found a rusty chain buried in the matted fur around its neck.

The animal had once been tame. Could it be tame again? Or would it be kinder to put it out of its misery?

Knowing that Jessamyn needed him more than the dog, Raeb left the animal, returning with food and water only after he’d made Jessamyn as comfortable as possible.

She was alive, thank the heavens. No matter how the dispute over their marriage ended, he would not have to live knowing Jessamyn did not. He needed her, preferably by his side, but if not that, then he needed to know that somewhere in the world she lived, happy and thriving.

Jessamyn woke the next morning cocooned in warmth and aching to her marrow. She rested on her left side, and the heat came from behind her. A weight lay across her waist. She tried to shake it off, but the movement sent shards of pain radiating through her right side. She closed her eyes against the wicked agony when she tried to breathe.
What in the world
…?

“Good, you’re awake.”

The warmth left her back, and she shuddered with the sudden chill. She opened her eyes to find Raeb studying her as if he expected her to collapse, which she couldn’t do since she was already on the ground.

He sat back then ran his hands over her skull. His probing drew her attention from her breathing difficulties to the throbbing in her head. She raised her hand to stop him from adding to that pain, but the hand she lifted was swathed in bandages. Attempting to dislodge him was like a butterfly trying to move a bull.

She gave up, resting her hand on the pine boughs where she lay. Then the memories came flooding back. The fish, the dog, the horses, the fiery log. She’d been kicked by one of the frightened horses she’d been trying to save. “Persia … your destrier … are they all right?”

Raeb chuckled. “Jessamyn Du Grace, you are the only woman I know who would worry more over a horse than her own injuries.”

“Hmph.” Any attempt to speak louder or with more force would cause her nothing but hurt.

“Here, I’ve made some broth. You need to eat so you can heal.”

“If I sit up to eat, I won’t be able to breathe. Besides, I cannot hold a spoon.”

“You need only open your mouth and swallow. I will feed you.”

She eyed him. Was she that close to death? “You would play nurse?”

“I have done so many times. I’ve seen men with injuries to the chest like yours. My sister Maeve taught me to wrap the torso tightly when there was no obvious sign that ribs were broken.”

“I doubt you are as skilled as she.” She couldn’t bear to admit that she wished she’d been awake when he had looked on her naked flesh and touched her intimately, even if he’d only done so to help her.

His expression sober, Raeb nodded. “Sadly, I am no her equal, but I am all you have, and I am a verra good student.”

She gave a wry smile. “If you say so, but I’m not certain how confident I am in healing methods taught by a gill-flirt.”

Raeb nodded. “Aye, ’tis understandable. Perhaps this will reassure you.” He lifted his shirt, exposing his rib cage. Muscles rippled as he moved. A long scar shimmied snakelike from his waistband up his torso, taking an abrupt turn to the left and ending just below his heart.

Jess’s mouth went dry, and without thinking she reached out to run her fingers over the faint line. “I saw this when—” Those memories were best left to die.

Raeb hissed in a breath.

She jerked her fingers back. “I’m sorry. I … ah … I did not mean to hurt you.”

His big hand engulfed hers. “’Twas not physical pain you caused
ghaolaich
.”

“Then what kind of pain is a
gwi lax
?”

He tossed his head back, laughing loud and long.

She might have been angry had she not been fascinated by the column of his throat, the line of his jaw, and the breadth of his shoulders.