Page 75 of The Scottish Bride
Behind him, the muscled bulk of another horse shoved against the assailant’s horse, throwing the rider off balance, so that he released his hold on Tamsin and went sliding and yelling to the ground. The cart rolled onward as the remaining knight, dark cloak flapping, reached for her. Tamsin resisted, gasping, sobbing, furious and fighting.
He leaned forward, knocked her hands away, and grabbed her arm. His unrelenting grip pulled her toward him.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Lady! To me!”He drew her toward him. “Allan! Stop the cart!”
Liam.She threw herself toward him just as the slowing cart threw her against the side. Liam let go of her, pulling up on his horse just as Allan tugged on the reins until the cart rolled at a calmer pace.
Liam rode steadily beside the cart now. In the distance, Tamsin saw knights sprawled in the grass, riderless horses grazing, reins hanging. Farther away, she recognized Gideon riding the charger he had seized, heading back toward the abbey—while a knight in mail and red surcoat hurtled after him.
“Gideon!” she shouted in warning.
“The other one is Gilchrist,” Liam said. “He will make sure his brother is fine and then return to guard those men. They are not dead, love,” he said. “I saw them moving a bit. Gideon can fetch help to carry them to the abbey hospital.”
She nodded, sitting up, breath heaving into a sob. Heart going like thunder, limbs shaking, she reached toward him, just as Allan eased the cart to a stop. Liam dropped back his chain mail hood—she saw he wore only a mail shoulder cape and hood over leather as protection—and took her hand.
“Are you hurt?” Strong gloved fingers worked along her arm, looking for injury.
“Just bruised, I think. Those men attacked us—”
“But I have you now. Allan, you drove like a champion. Well done!”
“I meant to keep the lady safe, sir.”
“You did, and I owe you for it.”
Tamsin blinked, marveling at such calm in Liam, feeling it infuse into her. Exhaling hard, she felt her heart steady some. He held her hand in a sure grip.
“Sir, what of Holyoak?” Allan asked.
“The monks have the fire under control now. Gilchrist and I arrived shortly before those fellows swept in and tried to fire the abbey. They sent flaming arrows over the walls. But we were ready for them.” He looked at Tamsin. “I asked them to fill extra barrels of water and move some haystacks out of reach. I told them I had a feeling.”
“Thank you,” she murmured.
“Then we followed when they headed this way over the moorland.”
“Will they send more men?” Tamsin looked again at the fallen knights, saw one move a leg, the other rolling a bit. Gilchrist had returned, seated on his horse nearby, hand on sword as he watched them.
“Once word reaches Comyn, they well might. We can assume he sent them to attack, thinking you might be there. Allan, stay here with the cart near Gilchrist. They will need your help at Holyoak. I will take Lady Tamsin into the forest. And make sure you give those excellent ponies an extra rubdown and a generous measure of oats later.”
“I will. But if I stay here, you and the lady have just one horse.”
“There are good horses over there, if the lady will ride a knight’s saddle.”
“She will.” Tamsin rose in the cart as Liam pulled her up and into his lap. She wrapped an arm around his neck as he pressed his cheek to her head in a quick embrace.
“Good?” he murmured. She nodded, leaning against him.
“Good, aye. Oh, my satchels—thank you,” she said, as Allan tossed them to Liam, who secured them over his saddle pommel. With a wave, Allan turned the ponies and cart and headed toward Gilchrist. In the distance, Tamsin saw that the smoke had lessened already, straggling skyward in pale streams.
“Was anyone hurt at Holyoak? Is the abbey safe?” she asked.
“No one was hurt, and repairs can be made.” Wrapping an arm about her, he took up the reins.
“I am so glad you were there and came after us. I thought you were still away.”
“It seems to be my lot in life to go wherever you are going, my lass.”
