“Good call.”
Anticipation and an urge to get on the road tried to stir in Garret’s mind, but he tamped those thoughts down. One of the things the military had taught him was to focus on his goals. Right now, his main goal was getting the battered young woman home and safe.
The chair creaked in protest as it took Edward’s weight, but quieted while Edward opened one of the books he’d bought with him. He began to read to her, his tone gentler than Garret had ever heard it. Garret paused in the doorway of the adjoining room, watching his best friend and hopefully soon to be bride. A sense of rightness, of certainty that they were doing the right thing filled him. Edward’s dark hair fell into his face, but he brushed it back with an absent gesture as he continued to read, his voice deep and gravely, but also oddly soothing. His best friend had spent a lot of time with the poets and scholars of Lady Uriel’s court, and had picked up the way they added a subtle cadence to their words.
Leaving the battered golden beauty with the man he trusted with his own life, Garret slipped through the doorway and went to bed.
3
ROWAN
* * *
The way the ground rocked beneath her was what finally made Rowan open her dry and crusty feeling eyes. Her head still swam a bit as she blinked, trying to clear her vision. At first, all she saw was creamy white, almost glowing as sunlight shone through it. Then her mind and vision cleared further, and she noticed the bent wood holding the canvas in place, and the distinct smell of…sheep.
Confused, she turned her head to the right and saw a packing box from an unfamiliar feed and supply shop. Turning the other way, she found herself staring at a sleeping giant. A handsome sleeping giant, but a giant nonetheless. Her heart gave a painful slam as she scrambled up, then she hit the top of her head on another box. The giant must have sensed her movement because his dark eyes opened and focused on her. Then, weirdest of all, he smiled. A kind, warm, wonderful smile that turned him from an intimidating mountain of a man to someone who was almost…boyish despite the heavy dark brown stubble on his chin and cheeks.
When he reached out to her, she tried to scream, but her dry throat closed up on her. She bent over, coughing and struggling to breathe.
“Here,” a velvety deep voice said as a canteen was thrust in her face. “Drink.”
Cool, slightly metallic tasting water soothed her parched lips, and she took some hefty gulps until her stomach lurched in protest.
Clutching the canteen to her as if it could somehow save her from the situation she found herself in, she tried to push back against the boxes, but there was nowhere to go in the small, cramped space. “Who are you? What are you doing? Are you kidnapping me?”
The big man held up his hands, each big enough to crush her head. “Nay, lass. We mean you no harm. We’re taking you back to our home in Bridgewater.”
“Bridgewater?” her mind snagged on that word. “I know that place…why do I know that place?”
The wagon began to slow as the canvas separating the driver from the bed of the wagon flipped open.
“Hey,” Garret said, looking down with a smile. His blond hair and stubble gleamed in the bright morning light. “How are you feeling?”
She stared at him, flabbergasted. “How am I feeling? What am I doing here? What are you doing here? You kidnapped me!”
Garret frowned at her, his brown duster clinging to his broad shoulders as he turned so he could give her a look that was intimidating enough that she sat there, mute. “We didn’t kidnap you, we rescued you. Should I have let those thugs beat you to death in the alley? Just abandon you to your fate?”
Memories came crashing down on her as she clutched a shaking hand to the blanket wrapped around her. “No. No, thank you for saving me. I’m sorry, I’m just very confused.”
Garret’s frown melted away, his blue eyes going warm with compassion as he said, “Aye, you had a hard knock on your head, lass. Just give yourself a moment to get your bearings.”
The big man across from her held out one large hand, “My name is Edward Huxley. You already know Garret. I’m assuming your name isn’t really Roger.”
“Rowan Larsen, pleasure to meet you,” she added automatically as she politely shook his hand, her mind feeling oddly fuzzy.
She swayed forward as the wagon hit a bump, and the man caught her easily. “Whoa there, wee lass. Don’t need to add anymore bruises to that pretty face.”
“I feel funny,” she mumbled, oddly undisturbed by being held close by this big bear of a man.
“You took a pretty good beating,” Edward’s voice rumbled in her ear as he settled her more comfortably on his lap. “And we gave you a dose of the doctor’s medicine not too long ago. It might make you feel a little light in the head.”
She should be protesting, fighting to get away and feeling panicked, but all she felt was a sense of peace that settled right into her soul. “Where are we going again?”
“Back to Bridgewater,” Garret said from the jockey box.
“Oh, right.” A bolt of alarm raced across her dulled senses. “No, I have to wait for my brother.”
Garret held up a leather gloved hand. “Easy, now. Don’t worry, we left word with the doctor and the sheriff that we have you and we’re taking you back to Bridgewater. If that brother of yours shows up, he’ll be able to find you.”
“He’ll show up,” she said stubbornly, clinging to her faith in Ted.
“What kind of brother leaves his sister behind?” Edward said with an angry growl.
That roused her from her stupor enough that she managed to shove her way out of his hold. “Ted’s the best brother. He had no choice. If he didn’t get to California in time, he would have lost his offer of employment. I worked for years to help pay for him to learn his trade as a bricklayer. We love each other, and we’re the only family we have. He’ll be back. He just…got waylaid for some reason. He loves me. He wouldn’t abandon me. He wouldn’t. We’re…we’re all we have. He wouldn’t leave me…” She took a deep breath then whispered her fear, “He wouldn’t leave me unless he’s hurt somewhere and can’t make it back.”
By the end of her raving words, she was crying, and the wagon had stopped again.
“Hush now, lass,” Edward tried to pull her into his arms, but she swatted him away.
“I…I need some privacy for a moment.” Her cheeks flushed as she stared at the curved ceiling of the wagon. “I need to have a private moment…outside. To relieve myself.”
It was Edward’s turn to blush as Garret held out his hand. “Come on. I’ll take you.”
As they all clambered out of the wagon, she gave a hard shiver when the wool blanket around her shoulders slipped and she caught it, realizing only then that she wore an unfamiliar olive green dress made of a soft, thick cotton. It hung loose on her and the hem reached the ground. A quick mental check confirmed she wore underthings and boots as well. Indignation filled her as she turned on the men with anger heating her blood.
“You undressed me!” she screeched and pointed a finger at them. A bird in a nearby bushy pine tree took flight with a scream of its own.