Charming the Shrew by Laurin Wittig Page B

away to the king in the morning with, or without, the bard.

    T AYG AWOKE SLOWLY and stared at the opening of the cave. The snow had let up while he slept, and the sky was just beginning to turn a deep predawn gray. He glanced across the fire at the sleeping lass who had managed to destroy his adventure merely by standing on a trail in front of him. He risked a forced marriage to the bonny but irritating lass. He risked his life if the MacDonell realized what Tayg had learned. He risked his future happiness by returning from his adventure before his father could thwart his mother’s plan to lock him in marriage by month’s end.
    He stood and settled his plaid about him while he glared at the lass. How was it possible that a chance meeting with someone on a deserted Highland track could change so much? He stomped over to the saddlebags. The Shrew of Assynt. Hell and damnation. Not only was he obliged to quit his journey and hurry to the king’s side to warn him of the conspiring of the MacDonells and the MacLeods, but he must take the shrew with him.
    He dug out the sack of oats he had brought for his horse and fed the shaggy animal. Damn and hellfire! He could not be caught alone with the shrew. He would be doomed, and his mother would not care one way or the other. Nay, it could not happen. And her brothers? What would they do if he and Catriona were found together? Kill him or force him to wed her. Somehow he couldn’t see the difference in those fates. And the damage was done, as far as her family would be concerned. They had spent a night, however chastely, together alone in a cave in the wilds.
    What to do? ’Twas clear that they must get to the king as soon as possible. ’Twas also clear that no one must know they were together until they reached the king. If all else failed, he would depend upon the lass to refuse to be trapped into wedding him. But how? His glance fell upon the drum sack lying by the saddlebags. Of course, a bard would not serve her purposes; a lass like her needed security and alliances.
    He would have to trust that she would not deign to have a bard…but just in case, he would make sure she did not want him. Aye, that was the way of it.
    Pleased with his plan, he moved to her side to wake her. She was truly beautiful in her sleep. Her face was soft, her skin creamy in the pale dawn light. Her hair was like liquid night, and her lips…
    He shook himself. Nay, she was the Shrew of Assynt, and if he did not watch himself she could ruin the rest of his life, not just the next sennight.
    He nudged her with his toe. “Wake up. ’Tis time we left this cave.”
    Her eyes opened slowly, and just as slowly she turned her head to look at him. Dreams still veiled her eyes, and he could see her confusion.
    “Wake up. ’Tis time to travel.”
    Her vision cleared, and her eyebrows drew down, a look of irritation replacing the soft, sleepy one. Suddenly he realized there was one sure way to make her keep her distance from him.
    “Rise. We head to Assynt. I will return you to your family and let them deal with your disloyalty.” Tayg was pleased with the harsh edge to his voice. ’Twas a perfect imitation of his brother, and it earned him an even deeper scowl from the lass.
    “I told you last night, I shall not return to Assynt.”
    “And I have decided ’tis not worth the risk being found in your company.”
    “Risk? What is your risk? No one knows I am with you, nor do they have any reason to believe I would be. My brothers do not even know of you.”
    “Aye, they do not, but the MacDonell, he bade me deliver his missive.”
    “Which you have done.”
    In theory he had, but he knew the missive had not gone to its true recipient. He did not wish to bring her thoughts back to the strange damning message, though, so he changed the subject.
    “You will be tracked.”
    “Not in the new snow. What is the true reason you do not want to do as I wish?”
    He watched her, judging what would anger her