'Do what he tells me?'
'Now, lass, don't raise your voice to me. You'd best be moving on, Jamie,' he urged.
Jamie shook her head. 'I'll go in a minute, Beak. First I must gain your promise you'll come after me if there's trouble here.'
'Trouble? What kind of trouble?'
She couldn't quite look him in the eye when she whispered her explanation. 'It seems that Papa took some gold coins from Andrew. It was a loan, Beak, and not a dowry, but I'm still worried. I don't know how Papa will be able to pay Andrew back.'
She dared a quick look up, to judge Beak's reaction. She needn't have bothered.
His bellow of outrage nearly pushed her off her mount. 'He took gold for you, Jamie? He sold you to Baron Andrew?'
'No, no, you misunderstand,' Jamie said quickly. 'It was just a loan, Beak.
There isn't time to argue about this. Just give me your word you'll come for me if Papa needs help.'
'Aye, lass,' Beak said. His sigh sounded angry. 'I give you my pledge. Any other worries I should know about?'
'I pray not.'
'Then off with you. If your husband-'
'One last matter, and then I'll leave.'
'You're deliberately stalling, aren't you, girl? You want to poke his temper.
He'll guess the truth about you then,' Beak predicted with a grin. 'And after all the trouble I had telling him my lies.'
'What lies?'
'Told him you were a sweet, gentle maiden, I did.'
'I am a sweet, gentle maiden,' Jamie countered.
Beak snorted. 'As sweet as the taste of soap when your temper's riled.'
'What else did you tell him?' Jamie asked, looking suspicious. 'I'd better know the full of it, Beak, so I can defend myself.'
'I told him you were timid.'
'You didn't!'
'Said you were weak, used to be being coddled.'
'No.'
'And that you liked to spend your days sewing and churchgoing.'
Jamie started to laugh. 'Why would you tell such stories?'
'Because I wanted to give you a little advantage,' Beak explained. His words fairly tripped over one another in his haste to hurry through the explanation.
'I didn't tell him you could speak Gaelic, either.'
'Neither did I.'
The two confidants exchanged a grin. Then Jamie asked, 'You're not sorry about all the skills you taught me, are you?'
'Of course not,' Beak answered. 'But if your husband thinks you're puny, I figure he'll be on his guard to see to your safety, lass. He'll have more patience with you, to my way of thinking.'
'I don't care what he thinks about me,' Jamie returned. 'My pride's pricked because you made me out to be so inferior, though.'
'Most women are inferior,' he countered.
'Do most women hunt for their family's supper? Do most ride their horses better than a warrior? Do most-'
'Don't turn hellion on me now,' Beak pleaded. 'Just keep your talents to yourself for a while, Jamie. And don't go testing him just yet. It's best not to grab a wild dog by his tail unless you want the consequences, I always say.'
'You've never said that before.'
'Always meant to,' Beak answered. He gave another worried glance toward the drawbridge. 'Get along now, Jamie.'
'I've been storing this up for a long while, Beak, and I won't be rushed.'
'Well?' Beak demanded in a near shout.
'I love you. I've never told you before, but I love you with all my heart.
You've been a good father to me, Beak.'
The bluster went out of the old man. His eyes misted with tears and his voice was strained when he whispered, 'And I love you, Jamie. You've been a fine daughter to me. I've always considered you mine.'
'Promise me you won't forget me.'
There was a frantic edge in her voice. Beak squeezed her hand. 'I won't forget.'
Jamie nodded. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She brushed the wetness away, straightened her shoulders, and then nudged Wildfire into motion.
Beak stood in the center of the courtyard, watching his mistress leave. He prayed she wouldn't turn around. He didn't want her to see him in such an undisciplined state.
Heaven take mercy, he was weeping just like a man who'd lost his only child. In his heart he knew the truth: he was never going to see his baby again.
Chapter Five
Alec Kincaid was in a fine mood. He kept his smile and his pace restrained until his wife finally caught up with him. He wanted to laugh, for it was obvious to him that his naive bride had just tried to goad him into losing his temper. She took her own sweet time following after him. Jamie didn't realize what a patient man he was, especially when the matter was as insignificant as a woman. He found humor in the very idea that a mere woman would dare to challenge him at all.
As soon as he heard her approach, Alec increased his speed until both mounts were cantering. Jamie stayed right behind him, valiantly trying to ignore the dust flying up in her face. She was determined to keep up the inhuman, neck-breaking pace without uttering a word of protest. She also waited for her new husband to look back over his shoulder so he could see how well she was faring. She was going to give him a most serene expression, even if it killed her.
Alec Kincaid never bothered to look back.
Although Jamie was skilled, she wasn't used to riding in the stiff new saddle.
She was more comfortable riding bareback.
Her backside and thighs were taking quite a pounding. The rocky, ill-tended north road made the beating all the more painful. Bushes barred the way and she had to dodge low-hanging branches while keeping firm control of her mount. She let her grimace show once she became convinced Alec wasn't even aware she was behind him, then began to bargain with her Maker that she'd give him twenty daily masses in a row without daydreaming once if he'd only make her demon husband slow down a little.
God wasn't in a bargaining mood. Jamie came to that conclusion when they caught up with Daniel and Mary. Alec immediately took the lead, never once breaking stride. Jamie stayed behind her husband. Mary, looking as worn out as an old boot, trailed behind, with Daniel taking up the rear.
Jamie knew it was for safety's sake they rode at such a grueling pace. She'd heard the stories about the bands of roving misfits who preyed on unsuspecting victims. She guessed that one warrior protected the women from the front in the event of a surprise attack, while the other blocked the rear for just the same reason. If bandits did try to breach the foursome, they'd have to get through Alec or Daniel in order to reach their brides.
Oh, she understood the reasons all right, but she was soon too worried about Mary to care.
They'd ridden for almost two full hours before her sister finally broke down.
Jamie was immensely proud of Mary because she'd been able to last so long without complaining. Mury
