Page 60 of Forbidden

“Aye, lass,” Duncan said in a low voice. “I will go with you.”

“It may storm before sunset,” Erik warned.

Smiling gently, Duncan touched a lock of Amber’s hair.

“With Amber nearby,” he said, “I never lack for sunlight.”

She smiled in return, though her lips trembled with a fear for him that was so great she was afraid she would scream.

“Won’t you leave that behind?” Amber asked, pointing to the hammer.

“Nay. Now I can defend you.”

“It isn’t necessary. There are no outlaws this close to Sea Home.”

Ignoring the others in the room, Duncan leaned down until his lips all but brushed Amber’s hair. He inhaled her scent deeply and looked into her anxious golden eyes.

“I won’t take a chance with you, precious Amber,” he murmured. “If someone cut you, I fear I would bleed.”

Though the words were very soft, Simon heard them. He looked at Amber with an anger that was difficult to conceal.

Cursed hell-witch. To steal a man’s mind and smile!

“Duncan,” Amber whispered.

The sound was as much a sigh as a name. She took his hard hand between hers, ignoring the cold weight of chain.

“Let us hurry, my dark warrior. I have already packed a supper and sent word for two horses to be made ready.”

“Three,” corrected Erik.

“Are you going?” Amber asked, surprised.

“No. Egbert is.”

“Ah. Egbert. Of course. Well, we shall just ignore him.”

DUNCANshifted carefully and then looked over his shoulder, not wanting to cause the nervous horse any alarm. They had crept away from the picnic, leaving Egbert asleep with his own horse and Duncan’s grazing nearby. Amber had insisted that they take only her horse when they stole away to the fen.

The trail out of Sea Home’s gentle fields had quickly become rugged, especially for a horse carrying double. There were places they had ridden over that had made Duncan blink. At first glance the way looked impassable. But a few steps aside from the obvious path, another look, and there was always a surprisingly easy course to follow.

It was enough to make a man nervous. Apparently the horse wasn’t happy about it, either. Or perhaps the animal was simply uneasy about carrying two riders.

“No sign of him,” Duncan said, looking forward once again.

“Poor Egbert,” Amber said, but she sounded more amused than alarmed. “Erik will be quite put out.”

“‘Poor Egbert’ is asleep on the other side of that ridge,” Duncan muttered. “He lies at ease in a field warmed by a sun that doesn’t know summer has fled. Is that such a harsh fate?”

“Only if Erik discovers it.”

“If the squire is half as clever as he is lazy, he won’t tell Erik that he fell asleep.”

“If Egbert were that clever, he wouldn’t be that lazy.”

Duncan gave a crack of laughter and tightened his right arm around Amber’s supple waist. His left arm held the reins. Amber’s hands rested on his arms as though she enjoyed the simple warmth of his body.

“In any case, we left your mount with him,” Amber said. “And instructions to wait for us.”