certain of it.”
Shaking his head, Gregor helped her tie on a blanket so that it formed a sling that hung down her
front. It surprised him a little when the cat calmly allowed itself to be put inside. Alana then
willingly accepted the pack of her belongings and supplies, but Gregor was determined to keep a
close eye on her. She was only four days healed of her fever and he did not want her growing too
weary.
After shutting up the cottage, he started on his way, Alana walking calmly at his side. They had
walked for several miles before Gregor gave in to the urge to look at her. She walked at a good,
steady pace and showed no sign of weakening. What made him swiftly look away, however, was
the sight of the cat. It sat comfortably in the sling, facing forward, with little more than its head sticking out of the folds of the blanket. Neither the cat nor Alana seemed to think it was odd of them to travel so. Gregor was afraid that, if he looked too often, he would soon start laughing too hard to keep walking.
He began to wonder if he was a little odd as well. Every instinct he had told him this little woman
was right, that she fit. Even when he listed her weaknesses, such as a fear of the dark and of heights, he quickly recalled how she had never given in to either fear. Tiny though she was, she was
obviously strong and hardy. The fever had laid her low, but only for a short while, and he could see
no real weakness there. She simply did not have the bulk needed to fight the effects of penetrating
cold and damp for days at a time. Gregor was still somewhat surprised that he had not taken ill as
well.
There was, in fact, nothing he could say or think about her that could dim the attraction he felt for her. She was utterly different from any woman he had ever known, yet he found those differences
only fascinated him. Despite the unfed desire he suffered from, he was at ease with her and he
trusted her. He could not say the same of any of the women in his past. Even Mavis did not make
him feel completely at ease, and he did not know her well enough to say that he trusted her, either.
All the more reason to back away before the betrothal between them was finalized.
“I wish I had hidden the bulk of my coin more cleverly,” Alana said as she idly scratched the cat’s
head.
Yanked abruptly from his thoughts, Gregor had to think about what Alana had just said for a
moment before asking, “Why?”
“Weel, so that the Gowans didnae find so much. More coin would surely aid us now. It might even
buy us a horse.”
“Ye brought a heavy purse with ye, did ye?”
“Heavy enough. A horse would make this journey a great deal easier.”
“True, but it could also help the Gowans find us.”
“Ah, of course.” Alana nodded slowly. “A horse would leave a much clearer trail to follow.”
“It would,” said Gregor. “It would also be something they could all too easily hear about.”
“True, especially whilst we still linger upon their lands. Do ye ken where their boundaries lie?”
“Nay, I can but guess.”
“Mayhap we could stop in a village and ask someone.”
Gregor shook his head. “If ’tis a village upon Gowan land, we could easily find ourselves caught
and held for the laird. It has been a sennight since we escaped, and word of that could have spread
far and wide in that time. We shall have to try our best to stay out of sight of anyone, e’en the
poorest shepherd, until I can be more certain of where we are.”
“And if we cannae stop at a village or speak to anyone, that will be a lot harder to do, aye?”
“Aye, I fear so. I ken which direction to head in, but I am nay sure how far from my original path I
was taken. Do ye ken where ye were when they caught ye or how far and in which direction ye
were taken?”
“Nay, I fear I dinnae. Do recall that I was following my brothers, nay making my own way, and I
lost them, didnae I.” She shook her head, hating to admit that, but
Shaking his head, Gregor helped her tie on a blanket so that it formed a sling that hung down her
front. It surprised him a little when the cat calmly allowed itself to be put inside. Alana then
willingly accepted the pack of her belongings and supplies, but Gregor was determined to keep a
close eye on her. She was only four days healed of her fever and he did not want her growing too
weary.
After shutting up the cottage, he started on his way, Alana walking calmly at his side. They had
walked for several miles before Gregor gave in to the urge to look at her. She walked at a good,
steady pace and showed no sign of weakening. What made him swiftly look away, however, was
the sight of the cat. It sat comfortably in the sling, facing forward, with little more than its head sticking out of the folds of the blanket. Neither the cat nor Alana seemed to think it was odd of them to travel so. Gregor was afraid that, if he looked too often, he would soon start laughing too hard to keep walking.
He began to wonder if he was a little odd as well. Every instinct he had told him this little woman
was right, that she fit. Even when he listed her weaknesses, such as a fear of the dark and of heights, he quickly recalled how she had never given in to either fear. Tiny though she was, she was
obviously strong and hardy. The fever had laid her low, but only for a short while, and he could see
no real weakness there. She simply did not have the bulk needed to fight the effects of penetrating
cold and damp for days at a time. Gregor was still somewhat surprised that he had not taken ill as
well.
There was, in fact, nothing he could say or think about her that could dim the attraction he felt for her. She was utterly different from any woman he had ever known, yet he found those differences
only fascinated him. Despite the unfed desire he suffered from, he was at ease with her and he
trusted her. He could not say the same of any of the women in his past. Even Mavis did not make
him feel completely at ease, and he did not know her well enough to say that he trusted her, either.
All the more reason to back away before the betrothal between them was finalized.
“I wish I had hidden the bulk of my coin more cleverly,” Alana said as she idly scratched the cat’s
head.
Yanked abruptly from his thoughts, Gregor had to think about what Alana had just said for a
moment before asking, “Why?”
“Weel, so that the Gowans didnae find so much. More coin would surely aid us now. It might even
buy us a horse.”
“Ye brought a heavy purse with ye, did ye?”
“Heavy enough. A horse would make this journey a great deal easier.”
“True, but it could also help the Gowans find us.”
“Ah, of course.” Alana nodded slowly. “A horse would leave a much clearer trail to follow.”
“It would,” said Gregor. “It would also be something they could all too easily hear about.”
“True, especially whilst we still linger upon their lands. Do ye ken where their boundaries lie?”
“Nay, I can but guess.”
“Mayhap we could stop in a village and ask someone.”
Gregor shook his head. “If ’tis a village upon Gowan land, we could easily find ourselves caught
and held for the laird. It has been a sennight since we escaped, and word of that could have spread
far and wide in that time. We shall have to try our best to stay out of sight of anyone, e’en the
poorest shepherd, until I can be more certain of where we are.”
“And if we cannae stop at a village or speak to anyone, that will be a lot harder to do, aye?”
“Aye, I fear so. I ken which direction to head in, but I am nay sure how far from my original path I
was taken. Do ye ken where ye were when they caught ye or how far and in which direction ye
were taken?”
“Nay, I fear I dinnae. Do recall that I was following my brothers, nay making my own way, and I
lost them, didnae I.” She shook her head, hating to admit that, but
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