Rowan's Lady by Suzan Tisdale

laird,” Arline told him as he began leading her away
again.
    “No need?” Rowan said, sounding perplexed. “Have
ye somewhere else to go this night? Do ye have someone else to take ye home?”
    Arline swallowed hard. “Well, actually, I do me
laird,” she told him.
    “Ye do?” Rowan asked, sounding as though he did
not believe her. “And who, pray tell, is that?”
    Arline cleared her throat and pushed her shoulders
back. “One of Blackthorn’s men has offered to help me.” Until she said it
aloud, she hadn’t realized just how absurd it sounded.
    Rowan was silent for a short time. “Is he yer
lover?”
    Arline was suddenly quite thankful for the
darkness for in it, he could not see her burn red from head to toe. She was
stunned by his frankness. “Nay!” she said, astonished. “I have no lover.” How
dare he accuse her of such a thing.
    “Then why do ye trust him?”
    There was no way to answer that honestly. She
stammered, searching for the right words. “He seems to be an honest man. He
stopped Garrick from killin’ me this night.”
    “So, this man, he’s been yer protector this past
year?” Rowan asked. “He’s defended ye against yer husband?”
    Well, not exactly, but she couldn’t admit that to
Rowan. Until tonight, she had believed she was completely alone, without a soul
to call friend. But tonight, for whatever reason, Archie had finally stepped
forward. Though he hadn’t actually admitted to being one of the shadow men, she
had to assume he was, at the very least, one of their allies.
    Rowan waited for her to answer. Even in the
darkness he could tell that she was mulling over an appropriate answer. He had
no time to spend arguing. She may not have been lying outright, but something
told him that she was holding back. Mayhap she lied simply because she did not
trust him any more than she trusted any other man. 
    “Lass, I give ye me word that I and me men will
protect ye. I’ll no’ let anyone harm ye. I swear it.”
    Arline soon realized he was not going to give in.
His honor would prevent him from leaving her here alone. She decided it would
make more sense to trust Rowan and his men. Though she had not seen Daniel and
Frederick in many years, she did know them to be men of high moral character
and honor. She could not say the same for Archie.
     “We must hurry lass. Someone might soon realize
that three of their men are missin’, and if that be the case, then these woods
will be filled with Blackthorn men.”
    Fear jumped into her belly and danced around. She
hadn’t thought of that. It had been difficult enough to hide from Gunther. Had
Rowan not been there to help…she found the thought as terrifying as she did
repulsive.
    Aye, Rowan could very well take her to the spot
that she and Archie had agreed upon earlier. But what if he could not get to
her in time? What if the woods were suddenly filled with men that did wish
her harm?
    “Verra well, me laird,” she whispered. “I thank ye
kindly fer yer offer.”
    Rowan felt some measure of satisfaction in her
answer. He believed he’d been correct that she was simply afraid of him and his
men. And who could blame her?
    “Good, now, mind yer step,” he said as he took her
hand and began to lead her away. “Our horses be no’ far from here.”
    Arline remained silent and followed close behind
Rowan. If Archie were in fact one of the shadow men, it would not take long for
him to find her. A new sense of dread settled in her stomach. Much had happened
these many years. There was nothing to say that the shadow men still worked to
protect her or Scotland, as had been their sworn duty those many years ago. She
didn’t even have proof that the shadow men still existed.
    The further she walked away from the Blackthorn
keep and Archie, the better she felt about her decision. There was just
something about Archie that did not sit well in her stomach, something she
could not explain. Her instincts did not warn her against