Page 53 of Highland Slayer
“Us?”
She nodded. “Our watch saw you on the road, so we knew you were in the area,” she said. “It is good to have eyes around you, is it not?”
He looked at her, a smile creeping across his lips again. “It is.”
“Then you approve?”
He burst into laughter. “Would it matter if I did not?” he said. “St. Margaret’s has their own way of doing things that has worked well for them over the years. They dunna need my approval for anything. Except…”
“Exceptwhat?”
He sobered quickly. “Except if the Ormsfolk are truly out there, then ye shouldn’t have women riding alone,” he said. “Not even a pair of women. ’Tis not safe for them. In fact, the Ormsfolk could capture them tae bargain an exchange—them for the woman in the sanctuary.”
Anaxandra grew serious as well. “I did not think of that,” she said. “Mother Michael may not have, either. I must tell her.”
She started to turn away but he stopped her. “Ye… ye aren’t planning on going out on watch, are ye?”
She shook her head. “Nay,” she said. “That is not one of my duties.”
“Good.”
“Why would you say that?”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “Because I would be worried for ye,” he said, then quickly: “And dunna ask me more than that because I willna tell ye.”
She cocked her head and fully faced him. “Tell me what?”
“I told ye not tae ask.”
“Why not?”
He started to chuckle. “Do ye not know how tae obey a man?”
“I do not know,” she said. “I’ve never had a man give me a command.”
“If ye truly intend tae wed someday, then ye’d better learn.”
She put her hands on her hips, frowning. “Is that so?” she said. “Iamcapable of making a decision. I do not need to be ordered about.”
He scratched his ear. “Ye truly dunna know what I mean,” he said, dropping his hand and looking at her. “The Book of Ephesians instructs a wife tae obey her husband as she obeys the Lord. Surely ye know that.”
His use of scripture set her back a little. “I do,” she said reluctantly. “But I will find a husband who respects me. Who values my opinion. And who does not try to order me about.”
She was serious. She was also very pretty. Estevan found her quite charming when she was being stubborn. With a smirk on his face, he walked right up to her and patted her gently on the cheek.
“He’d be a fortunate man tae have ye,” he murmured.
Giving her a wink, he walked past her and on to the portcullis, where Titan and Rodion were discussing something. He entered into the conversation with ease, leaving Anaxandrastanding there, her heart threatening to beat right out of her chest. She couldn’t catch her breath.
But… God’s Bones, it was the best feeling in the world.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
That night, thephantoms came.
A mist had moved in just after sunset, swathing the earth in a white shroud. Everything was damp, coated with the mist, and the moon was mostly blocked, which meant the only lights were those of torches as the sentries went about their duties. But everyone seemed on edge, even those who passed by Estevan, Titan, and Rodion as they stood near the gatehouse, watching the fog.
Waiting.
