Chapter Twelve

L iddy felt the men's glances as she accompanied Alec to the front of the column, but she kept her chin high. Without the machinations of her father and Iain MacGill, she would still be safe at home. Well, maybe. She had to admit that she was somewhat enjoying the unaccustomed freedom that wearing breeches and boots afforded.

Colonel Caswell bowed to her. "Miss Fennell, I am pleased to see you once again and to see that Captain Kirkwood was able to find you in obviously good health."

"More than that, sir," Alec spoke up. "She and her companion, who has since headed home, spied the governor's men searching for a way to cross the creek. She is in agreement that they are now headed to the bridge."

The colonel eyed her with new respect. "What makes you think they'll travel all the way to the bridge to cross?"

"It's trappy ground, Colonel. In fact, Benji, my companion, and his horse became mired in it on this side of the creek. Mr. Kirkwood showed up just in time. The creek is up this time of year, so trying to cross with any number of men and horses, let alone any armaments such as cannon, would be foolish in the extreme. The troops had already passed by the only other bridge for quite some many miles, so that leaves the one to the east as the only possibility."

The older man nodded thoughtfully. "Continental units to the west have made sure to push them this way. We received a message from the Regulators just a few hours ago suggesting that we lay down our arms, which we have no intention of doing. And the numbers? How many men did you see?"

Liddy wasn't good at estimating such things, but she peered over her shoulder at the men and horses behind them. "It is a far greater number than what you have with you."

The colonel raised his hand for the column to come to a halt before pulling his officers to the side for a quick conference. Liddy stayed mounted on her horse at the edge of the road. All of these men were friends and neighbors. She hated to think that any of them might be in danger of being injured or killed in what lay ahead. Time was of the essence. They needed to reach the bridge well ahead of the governor's Regulators if they were going to set any kind of trap for them. It seemed to her that was the only thing they could do that might give them the advantage.

At last, Alec rode back to her side, his brow furrowed. "Liddy, I am hoping we might find a farmhouse before we reach the bridge where you might take shelter. I would never forgive myself if anything should happen to you."

She squinted down the road. The truth of it was, even though she knew how to load and shoot both a pistol and a musket, her vision was not as good as it should be. Still, there was no way she would stay in the back like a sniveling coward.

"It seems to me you need all the help you can get since you're greatly outnumbered."

"There is some truth in that. We're hoping to press forward in time to lay a trap for them. We have a couple of small cannons and think if we get them in place we can deter the governor's men from even attempting to cross." He took her hand in his. "We could use the help, but if things turn bloody, you must promise to mount and run as fast as you can back to Wilmington."

"I promise, Alec."

He leaned over, tilted his hat back, and pressed a quick kiss to her lips.

It would have to last her for many hours to come.

The men pushed forward faster now, not so much to make camp as to get their weapons in place. Liddy took it all in. How few women had the opportunity to experience something like this? She would remember every detail so she might write it in her diary once it was over, and she and Alec were safe and sound.

When they reached the bridge, the colonel held up his hand once again, this time for silence. "Men, our objective is to make getting across the creek as impossible as we can. So, we will take up the bridge planking and grease the rails."

There were a few snorts of amusement.

"I want to make this as difficult as possible for them and give us as much advantage as possible."

While the men worked over the next few hours to disable the bridge and move fortifications and weapons into place for themselves, Liddy helped—watering horses as well as tired, thirsty members of the militia. When everything was ready, the men found trees and other high ground to rest for the night. There would be no campfires to keep anyone warm.

Alec found her near their horses. Liddy was removing her saddlebags. "You must be hungry," she murmured. "I still have some food, believe it or not. It's not much, but there's enough to share."

"I'll share my blanket and my cloak. Between the two of us, I think we might be able to get quite comfortable."

It shouldn't have felt at all romantic. They were tired, dirty, and hungry. Yet it did. Sharing the cold corn cakes, nuts, and dried fruit with Alec was a feast. They sat on his folded-up blanket, and when he wrapped his cloak around them both, they were in a world of their own.

"Are you all right?" he murmured.

"Odd as it may sound, I don't believe I could be more all right than I am in this moment. Thank you for not believing whatever lies my father might have told you."

"He wrote them in a note he had delivered to the Baker-Whites' house. I must confess to you that I did have doubts at first, but not for long. It was only because I knew of no one besides you who would have knowledge of our plan to meet. I fear there must be someone among your father's household who spies on you for him."

"I hate to think that, but it is true that they all fear him. It matters not. We're together now."

Alec turned her face toward his and lowered his mouth to hers. The warm touch of his lips against hers sent a thrill through her entire body, giving her energy she thought had been exhausted many hours earlier.

"Ah, my love," he whispered against her mouth, "if only we were more private."

"But we are not. We have only what privacy your cloak affords us."

"Precious little, but I believe we can at least share kisses."

In the next few minutes, Liddy discovered Alec was wonderfully inventive beneath the cover of his cloak, his strong hand finding and caressing her breast through her clothing. His kiss deepened, his tongue teasing hers before sweeping through her mouth. His groan rumbled low from his throat as he shifted slightly away.

"I must stop before I can't. We both need rest. Our enemy is likely to try to cross at first light."

"Tell me how I can help." Liddy touched his chest with her fingers, and looked up into his eyes, barely visible now as the darkness deepened around them.

"Keep yourself safe. Do you have a pistol?"

"In the saddle bags."

"Then before I leave you in the morning, you must load it. Carry it where you can get to it on horseback."

"I don't want to leave you." She didn't care if she sounded desperate. She was. She and Alec had just found each other. Fate couldn't be so cruel as to separate them now.

"If it looks as though we will be overrun, you must promise to flee. I fear that some of the men the governor has recruited are no gentlemen. They will not treat you with the same courtesy any man in our militia would. You must promise, Liddy."

She rested her forehead against his shoulder. "I promise."

Despite her fears that she would find no rest this night, Liddy nestled in closer to Alec, drew on his warmth, and slipped into an exhausted sleep.