Ian by Elizabeth Rose Page B

her and just needed time to think about everything that had happened lately. It was all happening so fast that he felt lightheaded and dizzy. Damn, he just needed time to think. “I . . . dinna have an answer,” he said instead of the things he really wanted to say, daring to look up at her now.
    Her eyes interlocked with his, and he wanted more than anyth ing to pull her into his arms and kiss her and tell her everything was going to be all right. But it wasn’t. And he felt so helpless to change things right now. He felt like screaming and punching his fist into a wall because she was being sent away. And he wanted to believe this was all just a nightmare and that he’d awake any moment and things would be the way they were last week . . . last month . . . last year. Because everything was different now that he’d kissed her. Now his world was spiraling out of control and he didn’t know how to stop it.
    “Thet’s what I thought, ” she said with a small nod. Then she pulled her arm away from him, and headed back down the hill. And with her went any last shred of hope of fixing a situation that had gone so terribly wrong.

    Chapter 11
     
     
    The next morning after checking on the wounded and applying more poultices, Kyla packed a few things into the travelbag tied to the horse as she prepared to leave. Clarista ran out and gave her a pouch with food which she added to the bag as well.
    “This should be plenty of food for the trip, as it’ll only take you a day and a half to get there. Oh, Kyla, I am going to miss you so much.” Clarista threw here arms around her in a hug.
    Kyla had been doing her best not to cry. Her anger for Ian had helped her to stay in control. And she’d even managed to ignore him all last night and even this morning. It was something she’d never done before. But now she started thinking how much she was going to miss everyone here as well. And the worst part was that she wouldn’t even be able to say goodbye to Aidan or Coira.
    “Tell me brathair I love him, and tell Coira and Effie I’ll miss them,” she said to Clarista.
    “I will,” the chieftain’s wife assured her.
    “And tell Onyx te keep his wildcat away from Reid or I’ll come back personally and kick his doup.”
    Clarista smiled. “This place won’t be the same without you, Kyla. Is there anyone else you want me to give a message to? Like, Ian perhaps?”
    “Nay.” She shook her head. “I have nothin’ te say te him.” She pulled herself up onto her horse – the horse that had once been the MacGillivray soldier’s but was now hers. “I’m ready te go,” she said. “Who’s escortin’ me on the trip? Tam or Niall? Or will it be both o’ them?”
    “ Neither. I’m yer escort,” came a voice from behind her, and Ian rode up on his horse with his wolfhound running alongside.
    “Ye ?” she asked. “Why?”
    “Becooz Ian is the strongest man we have and the best with the sword,” said the chi eftain walking up to join them. “And I ken he’ll be able te protect ye.”
    Kyla had tended the chieftain’s wounds and wrapped his broken arm with a cloth, holding it tight around his shoulder. And she was glad to see he seemed better already this morning. She had added a few things used by the gypsies to her healing potions and it seemed to have worked nicely.
    “Hrmph,” sh e said, and fussed with her arisaid, the long length of purple and green plaid that served as a shawl. “I can see this’ll be a verra long trip.”
    “Which of the MacTavishes is she betrothed to?” asked Ian. “Ye ne’er did tell me.”
    “I dinna ken,” said th e chieftain. “They didna say.”
    “ Really? That’s odd.” Ian’s brows dipped when he spoke, and Kyla could see that he was very troubled. “What kind o’ a dowry did they demand?”
    “None . They didna require one,” said the chieftain.
    “No’ e’en a head o’ cattle or a simple length o’ cloth?” asked Ian.
    “Nay ,” said Clarista. “And