The Highlander's Runaway Bride by Terri Brisbin

longer. The swelling was down, but Rob still offered to bind it for support before they mounted up each day.
    Though the days were growing longer and they could have travelled further each day, Rob chose not to push too hard. The paleness of her skin and the dark circles around her eyes told him she had not yet recovered from the fever that had plagued her. Nessa had told him, when Eva was not near, that the lady had been sick before she left home weeks ago. But the girl did not know the origin of the fever or type of illness.
    So, each day when he saw her begin to grow tired, he called a halt and set up camp. He did not think that arriving back in Glenlui and presenting a half-dead wife to his laird would be a good thing to do. That was the reason he gave to the men and to her and he tried to make himself believe it, but he cared even now more than he should. Once she finished eating, he took her bowl over to Nessa, who handled cleaning up after their meals.
    â€˜Lady?’ he asked. ‘Would you like to walk a bit? There is a stream just over the hill. You could wash there?’ There had been little time or place for the usual care of herself, and yet she did not complain as most women, most ladies, would in similar circumstances.
    Though she looked as if her first reply would be no, she paused and, meeting his gaze, she nodded. With his help, she rose and then walked at his side away from the others. He kept a slow pace, knowing his legs covered twice as much ground in one step as hers did. Soon, they reached the crest of the hill and could see and hear the stream.
    She smiled for the first time in days.
    When the hell had he begun keeping track of her smiles?
    It was not deep or fast-running, but the water meandered at a nice flow. He walked her to the edge, seeking a dry, level place, and found it several paces upstream. She would be able to kneel and reach the water there. He took her hand and held her arm, guiding her to her knees and watching as she rearranged her skirts closer to her on the ground. Rob drew his dagger at the sound of someone approaching.
    â€˜My lady,’ Nessa called out. ‘I brought you a cloth and some soap.’
    Rob took them and waved the girl off before she could offer to help. He wanted a measure of privacy with this woman he’d married. He had questions that he knew he must ask. There was no surety that he would like the answers he got, but they would gnaw at his insides until he did ask.
    He crouched next to her and offered her the cloth. She moved with a certain feminine grace that could not be disguised, not even by the garments of a lad.
    â€˜Did you think your disguise would work?’ he asked.
    Eva stopped and looked at him, startled by the topic. She dipped the cloth in the water before answering him.
    â€˜I stayed off the roads during the day and travelled mostly at nights. It worked when I needed it to,’ she said. Shaking out the cloth, she pressed it to her face and neck.
    The thought of her on the roads at night...alone...with no protection nearly drove him back to the anger. It must have shown in his face, for she sat back on her heels and watched him for a long moment before speaking.
    â€˜I know, it was a foolish thing to do. I know terrible things could have happened to me, and some bad things did happen. And I could have ended up much worse if you had not found me when you did. As I told you, I believed I had no other choice.’
    Her words showed she understood now the foolishness of her act, but the reason for it was another question. It burned his mouth trying to escape and be spoken. Rob knew no good could come of it, yet he asked anyway.
    â€˜Were you truly running from me or were you running to someone else, lady?’
    She gasped at his words and then pushed herself to stand, tossing the cloth to the ground. A myriad of emotions crossed her face as he watched. And then, she turned and ran. In her shock or fear or anger, she did not