“You are a skilled warrior,” she said, turning her glance on him.
He was glad his words held some truth as he responded, “I owe that to my da. He taught me well.”
She quieted briefly in thought before saying, “It appeared as if that the large man recognized you there at the end, your name almost slipping from his tongue. I wonder if he had mistaken you for the man you search for.” She shook her head. “But then he would have recognized you right away. So how would he know your name if he never met you? And why would he suddenly know your name.”
“You probably heard him wrong,” Slatter said, offering a more reasonable explanation.
“I suppose I could have, since everything happened so fast,” she agreed, though something told her not to dismiss it so easily.
There had been such bravado in the large man until something happened to change it all. She recalled the instant shock had claimed his face, but it wasn’t only shock she had seen on it, there had been fear as well. What had caused him to suddenly fear Slatter?
Your time has come.
Slatter’s words. It was after that, that fear had gripped the large man, but why?
“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Slatter said.
His brow deepened with concern and Willow was touched that he should worry over her. “I am grateful to you for saving me from another horrible fate. That is twice now you have rescued me.” She chuckled softly. “I wish you had been there when I was smashed on the head and my sister abducted.”
His body turned rigid, the muscles in his arms and chest feeling like solid rock against her.
“Who did that to you?”
His rough tone demanded a response and Willow quickly gave it.
“Lord Ruddock saw that the person responsible would never bother anyone again.”
Slatter said no more, though Willow got the impression that he wanted to. He kept his eyes focused straight ahead and said nothing, though only for a moment.
“I will never let anything like that ever happen to you again.”
“I appreciate that you will keep me safe, at least until we part,” she said, needing to remind him they would not be together forever. Or was it she who needed reminding?
“Ever, leannan, ever!” he said so empathically that Willow simply nodded.
Evening found them camped by a stream. Slatter got a good fire going and they sat, shoulders pressed together, as they ate, the night air cold.
“We stop tomorrow where more food will be available to us and we’ll be safe,” Slatter said and handed her what was left of the bread.
Willow broke the piece in half and handed the other half to him. “I’m not that hungry.”
He looked about to argue with her, but forced himself not to by taking a bite of the bread.
Willow was more tired than anything. She wanted to sleep or perhaps it was that she wanted to escape into sleep if only for a while. The day’s troubling events had worn on her mind and body, and she needed to rest and refresh both. She always thought clearer, more reasonable, after a good night’s sleep.
Her yawn confirmed how she felt.
“You’re tired,” Slatter said, his arm going around her to find her slipping comfortably into the crook of his arm.
“My body aches with fatigue,” she said on a sigh.
“We’ll sleep and get an early start.”
“When will we meet up with Devin and the others?” she asked, longing for the warmth of a cottage no matter how small it might be.
“A day or two,” he said and went to move away from her.
“No,” she cried out softly, “don’t leave me. I need your warmth.”
He realized then how much of a toll the day had had on her. Willow was not only practical, she was brave. It wasn’t only the cold that trembled her tonight; it was that she had witnessed him kill three men. As much as she knew it had to be done to protect them both, it was not something that was easily forgotten.
“I’m going to get some pine branches and fashion a pallet for us to sleep on, so the cold ground doesn’t seep into our bones,” he said.
She used him to lean on as she slowly and with a few gentle moans began to get to her feet. “I’ll help.”
Slatter helped her to her feet as he got to his. He’d argue with her that he didn’t need her help, but it would be pointless. It would go faster if he just let her have her way, since she would anyway.
They were done in no time and Slatter spread a blanket over the narrow pallet.
“Keep your back to the fire and your chest pressed to mine and you should stay warm,” he said as he helped her down on the makeshift bed.