Mist Warrior (37 page)

Catriona gained the top of the crates. Jamie spun readying himself to meet the charg
e of the next attacker as he closed the distance. She
drew a deep breath and expelled it
to still her shaking limbs. Catriona
notched an arrow, pulled back the bow string and sighted along the shaft. Just as the soldier raised his sword to attack Jamie, she opened her fingers.

The arrow buried in the man's chest with such force it knocked him backward. His dead e
yes stared at nothing. Instantly
,
Catriona notched
another arrow and loosed again, killing a
second man
. Then she spied the bastard...a
third time
an arrow flew. Unfortunately
,
it missed its target
,
but
it
forced David to make a frantic dive for cover behind a wagon. Two more arrows followed and buried in the wood.

She heard Branan whoop and caught his eye as he gazed up at her, grinning like a lit cng h="48" altle boy. But she saw movement behind him and her humor
vanished
. Catriona
aimed and before Br
anan realized
, her arrow zipped past his head
,
so close it stirred his long hair. He jerked away and spun around just as the missile killed the enemy lunging for his back.

Branan
stared at the dead man on the ground. Wide-eyed, he faced her again.

Catriona
winked at him.

Shouts arose
. W
ith the advent of an archer picking them off on a whim, many of Strickland's men threw down their weapons and ran for the gates. A horse squealed loudly. From her vantage point on the crates
,
she saw David mount the beast and spur it forward, trying to escape.

“
Catriona!
”
Branan shouted. He pointed at David with his sword. She was the only one who had a chance.

Again
,
she drew back her bow. Her arrow slammed into David's shoulder
,
almost knocking him from his horse
,
but somehow he held on, continuing his mad charge for the gate.

She cursed and fired again
,
but missed.

Her
third arrow hit the horse's hip as it galloped through the barbican and she could no longer see her target.

“
Bloody cod-sucker!
”
she screeched. She leaped from the crates. Her feet hit the ground and Branan's arms enveloped her.

Lady de Courcy

Branan wrapped his arms around Catriona and lifted her from her feet.
“
Praise be,
”
he whispered.
“
Ye are safe.
”

She clung to his neck and breathed a ragged sigh.

He released her just enough to return her to her feet.
“
Ye still amaze me, lass, ye were bloody fine with that bow and turned the battle for us.
”

Branan
w
aited a moment and frowned when Catriona
didn't respond. His fingers gently tugged on her chin until she looked up at him. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

“
Richard...
”
she choked.

He
sighed softly. Catriona
was not callous or cold, of course Richard's death while defending her would hurt her heart.
“
Lass, I ken yer heart burdens ye
,
despite yer grief ye kept yer head, gained a weapon and rained death on the tosspots.
”

Her arms tightened around him.
“
Please, Branan, I just want to go home.
”

Home? 
He gazed down at her stunned.
“
Thistlewood?
”

“
Aye, Branan. Thistlewood is my home and by the Rood I can't bear to be away another moment.
”

The anguish he had suffered this day vanished in a heartbeat.
“
Aye.
”
He turned to find Jamie still standing next to him.
“
Jamie, lad, ye did well today. I thank ye for defending Catriona.
”

He made a strange noise in his throat.
“
She dinna need much defending.
”

Branan laughed.
“
Aye. But we are still unstable here. I will return
Catriona
to Thistlewood. Tell Duguald to keep as many men as he needs to defend this place and send the rest home.
”

“
Aye, MacTavish.
”
Jamie hurried away
.

Branan lifted Catriona into his arms and carried her to his horse.

His heart fairly sang as Branan
returned with a small armed escort to Thistlewood. Those who
had
remained behind
,
gathered around the riders as they dismounted, fearful because of the call for mercenaries to defend Brackenburgh and confused as to why Catriona returned.

Branan said nothing, his attention solely on Catriona. He helped her from his horse and again lifted her into his arms. Instead of going to her shelter, he passed it by and headed for the tower–and straight into his own solar.

He knew she was exhausted and the day's events wore heavily on her
,
but there were still things he needed to discuss with
her and they would not—could not—wait until tomorrow.

Branan
sat Catriona
on the edge of his bed and crouched before her.
“
Lass, can I get ye anything?
”

She stared at nothing, the haunted misery in her eyes twisting his gut.

“
Wine?
”
he asked.

Catriona
nodded.

He sighed and rose. The servants kept a carafe of fine wine and two
goblets on the table for him. Branan
poured them each a glass.

Catriona strangled a cry.

Branan
spun, expecting to see Strickland charging through the door
, b
ut there was nothing there. Catriona moved violently, hauling her over-dress off.
“
Get it off me! Get it off me!
”

He set the cups down and lunged to her side
. B
efore Branan
could reach her,
Catriona
had hauled off her under-dress as well, wearing only a thin chemise.
“
The blood! Get it off me!
”

Fear cut through him. What was wrong? Catriona was a healer, blood did not bother her. She stood
,
staring at her bloodstained hands
,
shaking violently.

Richard's blood–the blood of her husband.
Suddenly he
understood.

Branan
gently gripped her hands.
“
Catriona,
”
he said softly
,
but firmly, snapping her out of her panic. He guided her to a basin on another table and poured water
over her hands from the ewer. Branan cleaned the blood from Catriona’s
hands and his own
, b
ut her shaking did not ease.

“
My ill-wishes crossed him,
”
she whispered so softly
,
he barely heard her.
“
'Tis my fault he is dead.
”

“
What? Catriona, nay, that be no' true.
”

“
You don't understand. Before Strickland attacked, Richard....he begged my forgiveness. He said he only acted as he
did because he feared for khe d, Rich me. Richard
had realized his mistakes and was trying to correct them. Branan...all he wanted was to be a good husband to me...his only hope was that love may grow between us. Then he died defending me.
”

Branan
crushed her to his chest.
“
Nay, Catriona
,
if anyone crossed him, 'twas me,
”
he murmured and described his time spent in prayer the night before.
“
This was no' yer doing.
”
She still trembled against him. He reached over with a long arm and snagged the cup he had poured for her, pressing it into her hands.
“
Drink, it will help calm ye.
”

She did so, draining almost half the cup.

He snagged his own and guided her to again sit on the edge of the bed.

“
Richard
told me all he owned was now mine and to help you in your cause. He said you would keep me safe because...because you love me.
”
Catriona
looked up at him, her tear-filled sapphire eyes reflecting anguish
,
but also a spark of hope.

Branan wanted to turn away
,
but hiding from the truth had brought naught but pain, he had learned that today when he gave Catriona's hand to another man.
“
Aye, my bonnie lass, I love ye. Since the night ye found me bleeding in the forest, I have loved ye.
”
Branan
lowered his head and kissed
Catriona
with the passion that had been burning for so long it had near torn him apart.

A soft groan escaped her and she relaxed, timidly returning his kiss. Her hand moved to grip his  tunic. He pulled her closer but at the same time moved her toward the center of the bed. His body covered hers and he gradually lowered himself, his swelling shaft pressing against her thigh.