If He's Daring by Hannah Howell Page B

effort, but Catryn stopped herself from rolling her eyes. “I do so beg your pardon.” She silently cursed when he grinned at her, revealing that he had heard that touch of sarcasm she had not been able to fully repress, and found it amusing.
    Orion quickly grew serious again. “It makes plotting his course of action a little more difficult. I thought his plan would be to go straight to a port, catch a berth on a ship, and try to become your son’s guardian from a safe distance, all the while holding Alwyn as the weapon to force full cooperation from you and your father.”
    “Which brings us back to the chance that my father is in danger?”
    Her voice was calm but her fear was clear to see in her eyes and the paleness of her face. Orion knew her father was important to her. It had been apparent even in the few times she had spoken of the man. He hoped the possibility of two people she deeply cared about being in danger did not make her reckless. Then he remembered that they were together because she had stolen his carriage to chase Morris down, and inwardly grimaced. For once in his life he might have to be the one with the calm, steady hands on the reins. His family would laugh uproariously at the thought.
    “As I said, your father is safe as long as you remain unwed to Morris.”
    “That has always been my plan. I was wed to one de Warrenne. I have no wish to repeat the experience.” Not unless it would save her family, she thought, and suspected Sir Orion knew exactly what she had left unsaid.
    “We will have something to break our fast now and then I will leave you and Giles here whilst I go a-hunting.”
    Before she could say a word, he opened the door and waved her and Giles toward it. Sir Orion really was far too accustomed to giving orders, but she was not accustomed to blindly obeying them. Rebellion was difficult, however, when the orders were so rational and he was just telling her to do what she had planned to do anyway. But, she thought as she walked down the steps with Giles, it would not hurt Sir Orion if he made an attempt to just ask instead of command.
    It was not until the morning meal was winnowed down to a few scraps on the plates that Catryn finally thought of what to say to Sir Orion. “Why are Giles and I to stay here? Would it not be better for all of us to go after Morris? If you do find the man’s trail, you will only have to return to collect us anyway.”
    “I can hunt better alone and on horseback,” Orion replied and watched her as he sipped his coffee.
    Lady Catryn de Warrenne did not take orders well. He knew she was struggling to be cooperative only because he was going to help her find her son. That temper he could see flash in her beautiful sea-green eyes would break free soon. Although he was tempted to see it do so, he knew they did not have the time to play that game. Nor would it be fair. Neither of them spoke of it, but despite Giles’s presence, she was risking her good name by traveling with him, no matter how good and righteous the reason might be.
    He set his cup down. “At first I thought as you did. Morris was either going to his home in Easebourne or some other house he considered safe, or to a port to flee the country. Now that we know he seeks to grab you as well, the port is the only possible place, for he is heading in the wrong direction to go to Scotland. It is the safest. What I am no longer certain of is whether Morris will take that route.”
    “Is it truly that difficult to guess what plan he may have made?” she asked.
    “It is proving to be so. The man is either brilliant beyond anyone I have dealt with before—”
    “No, I do not think that could be the reason.”
    “Neither do I, considering who he hires to carry out his little plans. So, he is not brilliant, but so erratic, so without a hard, clear plan that it is difficult to sort out what path he will take next.”
    “Spoiled child,” said Giles as he grabbed a sharp knife to cut up an