Chapter Eight

Having Eli as part of their patrol was probably the only good thing in Alaric's life at the moment. He expected her sparring banter, though he wasn't in the mood for it. Even so, her company made it harder to wallow in his worry and guilt.

They'd traveled three hours south without event. Maitland and Dyna rode in front while Tevis rode next to Alaric in the back, behind Wenna and Eli.

Exactly where he didn't wish to be.

He experienced an entirely unexpected response to seeing the sweet arses in front of him. He had to force his gaze away from Eli's exquisitely formed bottom. He'd never anticipated attraction . He'd thought to enjoy their trip together, but not this much and not in a way that forced him to rein in his thoughts so as not to embarrass himself.

Eli Ramsay was proving to be a saucy lass without doing anything at all.

He recalled his cousins chatting with his brother a few years ago about a lass's bottom when riding a horse. They'd chuckled about one lass in particular, though Alaric couldn't recall which one. They'd made various facial expressions along with the accompanying noises to express their opinion on said arse—lip smacking, tongue wagging, and kissing motions, among others.

Alaric had thought they were all losing their minds. Why would anyone wish to truly kiss anyone's arse? Elshander had chuckled when he'd asked him that question once they'd been alone. Els had ruffled his hair and said, "Someday ye'll see, lad."

He hated to admit that his brother was right. Oh, he'd admired the sweet curves of many lasses in the past. But this was different. This was more than just a passing glance, a quick peek. It wasn't because he was older either, it was because of who had caught his attention.

Eli was different.

Tevis must have noticed, because he laughed. "Ye are sweet on her, I see. Think ye she feels the same?"

He glared at Tevis. "Nay. And nay!" Perhaps he'd been a bit too loud voicing his denial because Tevis laughed harder.

"Sure ye dinnae. I know what I see."

"Think what ye wish, but I know whose arse ye are looking to caress," Alaric grumbled. He'd noticed where his friend's gaze had drifted, and it wasn't to the birds over their heads.

"I'll no' deny it one bit," Tevis said, nodding his head. "I hope she allows me close enough someday."

Wenna glanced back over her shoulder at Tevis and blushed.

Alaric shook his head. The girl's hearing was amazing.

Maitland pointed to a spot off the main path. "That way. We'll take a brief respite before continuing. I think it might be better if we split up. But we'll eat and discuss it."

They arrived in the clearing, Alaric glancing up at the gray clouds that were beginning to cover the sky. They'd had a bit of sunshine, but it was disappearing and promising to give way to the usual cloud cover. At least it was not raining.

Spring was showing itself everywhere. Some trees had begun to bud, and he'd seen a few flowers poking up through the leftover snow crystals in spots. He was more than ready for summer. Enough of the cold and the ice. They needed warmth, especially for the trees to blossom so they would bear fruit, though it would be a long time yet. It was nearly time to plant the few fields they had left from last year's floods.

Spring was the sign of new beginnings, and he looked forward to it every year.

Except this year.

His father's and brother's injuries overshadowed everything. It was as if someone threw a shroud over the entire clan, their daily interactions all subdued and tainted with a worry that he hated. Until Els woke up and Jamie was riding his horse again, the clan would not change.

Nor would he. The first thing he thought of every day was the health of his brother. He knew his sire would heal, but no one could tell him anything about Els. No one could predict if he would ever awaken.

Not Aunt Jennie, Aunt Brenna, his mother, or any other healer he knew.

As soon as they gathered, Maitland headed into the bushes, so he pulled Dyna aside and asked, "Any visions of my brother yet, Auntie?" Dyna had a sound reputation as a seer.

"Nay. They may come to me at any time, or I could learn something in a dream when I'm sleeping. But I've seen naught about Els yet, Alaric. I'm sorry." She shook her head and set her hand on his forearm. "If I do, ye will be one of the first I tell. Trust me that I willnae forget."

He nodded and grabbed a piece of dried meat and sat down on a log. Once Maitland returned from his visit to the trees, they all gave him their attention.

Dyna chewed on a piece of cheese and asked, "How do ye wish to split up? That is, if ye still believe it to be the best way. 'Twould definitely cover more ground, though it comes with risks."

Maitland glanced up at the clouds and then said, "I think we could do this quicker if we split up. I dinnae like the clouds rolling in. There are six of us. Easy enough at the upcoming split in the path. There are three different ways, and all three end at a crossroads about an hour's ride farther on. If we split into pairs, we can each take a path."

"Where do they head?" Tevis asked.

"The Borderlands, which is our destination. Sir James Douglas, warden of the marches, is determined to protect his march. The two outside paths are commonly used by reivers hoping to avoid anyone who might be on the main road. Since we haven't seen many travelers, I think we're safe in splitting up. What say ye?"

"Aye," Alaric offered. "Tevis and I can take one path."

Maitland and Dyna both stopped eating and shook their heads.

"No' how it works," Maitland said. "One archer and one swordsman. Ye will go with Eli, and Tevis will go with Wenna. Dyna and I will take the main path, the place we're most likely to meet anyone. It forks a second time, briefly, so we can split and look for any English soldiers scavenging for food."

"They are most likely to be on the main path," Dyna said. "They willnae know yer paths well. But be careful if you come upon anyone."

Alaric accepted his assignment without argument. They'd seen little traffic, so he wasn't worried. An hour alone with Eli would be easy enough to handle. She'd curse him out a hundred ways, but that he could listen to, no matter where they were. Bantering with Eli might keep his mind from going back to his brother.

They finished their meal in pleasant companionship. Before they rode on, Maitland called their attention back to him.

"A word we must agree upon. The paths split but we should be rejoined in less than an hour and a half. If anything happens, meet back here whenever ye can. Get away from the path if ye see numbers too large for ye. If we don't all come to the crossroads within an hour and a half, whoever is there should wait a quarter hour, and if anyone is still missing, take their path back here."

Dyna added, "And know that we will only travel on the main path after this. We'll no' split up again."

Alaric thought that made perfect sense. His sense of direction was not the best. His brother liked to tease him that he could get lost in a large stable. That jest had been the cause of many brotherly fights.

But put Alaric in an unfamiliar area, and he couldn't argue with his brother's teasing. Every patch of forest or hillside looked the same to him. His sire always told him to watch for landmarks, but one tree looked just like the next. A clear path should be all right, though.

They made it to the point where they were to split up and headed off in different directions. Tevis and Wenna to the left while he and Eli took the right path. They were headed southwest, or so he was told. He had no idea.

Neither spoke for the first ten minutes. But then he couldn't stand the silence. "Are ye angry with me for some reason?"

"Nay," Eli said, peeking over at him. "No' mad about anything."

"How do ye wish to pursue this?"

"What the hell does that mean?"

"Do ye want to ride fast? Slow? We both look at both sides or ye just to yer left and I to my right? Or what the hell, we could just watch the sky for any bird about to land white shite on us."

"Verra funny," Eli mumbled. "Stay at this pace. I'll look left. Ye to the right."

They continued, still not conversing, but the sky began to darken in a way he didn't like. He glanced up at the rolling clouds, not surprised to see some black clouds approaching.

"Hell, I hope 'tis no' about to rain."

"I hope no' either. I hate damn rain, especially when it comes down so hard that it looks like shite slanted in the distance. The kind that hits ye right in the face like a ruffian would."

"Do ye always curse so?" Alaric noticed Eli saved her cursing for when she was not in a crowd or a group. He guessed with just the two of them that she'd unleash a few more obscene oaths before she was finished.

She never answered, instead focusing on the task at hand. Ten minutes later, Alaric could smell the storm in the air, and the black clouds were nearly over them.

"Do ye know the area, lass? Is there somewhere we can shelter until the rain ends? It could be just a quick storm, but 'twill be a storm, no doubt."

"Nay, I dinnae know the area at all."

"But ye are a Ramsay."

"And so I'm supposed to know every area? Ye do know how big this forest is? Or do they no' teach ye such things on Grant land? Or are yer forests minuscule?"

"Verra funny, ye are. We are closer to Ramsay land than Grant land. I simply wondered if ye know the land better than I do." As soon as he finished his sentence, the clouds opened, drenching them. It felt as though they were being pelted by hail from all four directions.

"Find us somewhere, ye fool!" Eli's voice carried in the wind, including the bite.

"Fool?" Alaric had his hand in front of his face in an attempt to protect his eyes from the stinging raindrops. "Ye wish me to help but ye call me a fool? Find yer own place to hide."

Alaric led his horse off the path to an area thick with pines, one way to stay out of the rain. He made his way into the copse, but the rain was so hard, the branches didn't do much good. The ground was rapidly turning into a muddy, boggy mess.

"Hellfire, we need to find somewhere."

Eli was right behind him, cursing all the way. "God's bollocks!"

"What the hell! Dinnae take God's name in vain like that! He'll make us both pay."

He led his horse forward, no idea where he was headed. He hoped his horse had some instinct that would help find some kind of shelter. Making his way slowly forward, he wished he'd packed more clothes than the one change he had. The rain was relentless, drenching, and the kind that cooled the air. He shivered and pulled his wool plaid closer about him.

"There," he said, pointing ahead. "A small cave, but big enough for the two of us."

She nodded. "Hurry up!"

Alaric wished to tell her to shut up. And as soon as they were safely ensconced in somewhere dry, he would.