Page 30 of Keeping Kate
Beside him, Kate gave a soft snore and moved sideways so that her shoulder pressed his arm and her head tilted against his chest. He let her rest there. The rain had cleared and moonlight bathed her face. She looked more fairy queen than hellion.
He sighed. What the devil was he to do with her? The thought of delivering her to the court and seeing her put in irons and behind bars again did not sit well with him.
She shifted again, and Alec set his arm around her shoulders to steady her in the rocking coach. Sitting in so cozy a fashion, he felt himself relax a little. Soon he rested his chin on her head and closed his eyes, enjoying the sway of the coach and the warm, sleepy weight of the woman against him.
She mewled then like a kitten, her cheek on his lapel, her breath tickling his throat above his neck stock and collar. She splayed a hand on his waistcoat.
“Oh,” she murmured, “you smell so good.” Her cheek rested just inches from the wrapped chocolate, tucked away. She settled again, breathed slowly, went back to sleep.
Smiling to himself, Alec touched her hair briefly and rested.
A sudden lurchof the vehicle startled Kate out of a soothing dream that fled when she opened her eyes. She sat up, mortified to realize she was leaning heavily against Captain Fraser’s chest. His fingers cupped her head.
“What the devil—” he began, just as the post-chaise careened sideways, undercarriage creaking. Kate bounced on the seat and Fraser held her with an arm around her shoulder, steadying her in place. He peered through the window, twisting to view the road behind them as the vehicle skittered around a curve.
“We are being pursued,” he said.
“Who is it?” She craned her head to peer past him, the angle allowing just a glimpse of the road behind them. She saw the racing shapes of horses and men. “Red soldiers! Is that an escort?”
“No,” Fraser said. He let go of her and half-crouched to look through the small forward window, which he cranked open just enough to call out.
“Jack! Jack MacDonald!”
The next wild bounce of the post-chaise threw Kate off the padded bench so that she fell in a heap on the floor. Fraser braced himself and called out again.
“Jack! Get off the main road! Turn! Path in the woods—turn!”
Standing, Kate lost her balance and knocked into Fraser, who reached out to steady her. Another bounce of the carriage tumbled both against the bench seat, while a sharp turn tilted them into a corner together. Pressed against him, feeling the hard frame of his arms around her, she felt secure. Safe, rather than frightened. She held on.
“Jack knows the tracks and paths in this area,” he said breathlessly, helping her right herself beside him on the bench. “Hang on. He will lose these lads in the dark.”
The post-chaise rumbled down a slope at a reckless pace, swaying dangerously. Sliding again, Kate felt Fraser’s hands around her arms, pulling her into a strong and practical embrace. He leaned back with her as the vehicle took the incline
“Your cousin is a lunatic,” she said, looping an arm around Fraser’s neck.
“Fortunately, aye.”
The chaise careened to one side, rolled on, and then slowed to a stop. Kate heard the horses snorting and stamping, heard MacDonald call out. “All is well in there?”
“Aye,” Fraser called back, sitting up, an arm around Kate. “Are you hurt, lass?”
“I think I am fine.” She sat up, pushing her hair out of her eyes, pulling her wayward skirts over her legs.
“Stay here.” He stood and opened the door, stepping out into the cool night air.
Not about to take orders, Kate followed, nearly tumbling to the ground when she discovered that the drop-step was still up.
Fraser caught her deftly and set her on her feet, then turned. MacDonald was just there, clamping a secure arm around her shoulders, while Fraser walked away.
“He is off to look for them. You will stay here with me, Miss,” MacDonald said.
Hearing the soft accent of a true Gael, Kate glanced at him in surprise. He smiled. Of medium height, lean and muscular, he was dressed in Lowland gear and looked younger than she expected. Also surprising in the moonlight was his startlingly beautiful face, clean-chiseled, smooth-skinned, balanced perfection. He looked very familiar, which she had not noticed earlier when hastily boarding the vehicle.
“We will wait here, you and me,” Jack said.
Nodding, still shaking from the tumult of the last few minutes, Kate glanced around. Fraser was nowhere to be seen. The post-chaise had come to rest at the bottom of a long hill, facing another steep hillside. The vehicle was hidden in the narrow pass between the two, below the level of the main road. Now she realized they had taken a rough drover’s track down the slope. A thick fringe of trees and underbrush screened the gully from the road above.
Catching her breath, Kate realized that not only was Fraser gone, her confining chains were off, and she was outside. This could be her best chance to run. If MacDonald released her for even a moment, she could slip into the trees and disappear. She glanced at him again and gasped softly.
