Beyond a Doubt

chapter Twenty-Four




The first thing she remembered was intense warmth, followed by a pleasing aroma of food wafting through her nostrils. And then there was the sound of a familiar voice.

“Hullo, sleepyhead.”

“Where am I?” Lucy asked.

“In an inn.”

“But how?”

Bryce shrugged. “Best I understand, a con artist won ye from the troupe master and was carting ye off to his lands. Rode right past me, he did, and I stopped him and won ye back.”

Shock registered upon Lucy’s face. “What? You gambled? That doesn’t seem like something you would do. Perhaps this is a dream.”

She placed her hand on the bed and pushed upward. Sharp stabbing pains ran the length of her body, causing a swift intake of breath.

“I think ye should rest.”

Her hand fell out from under her, and she dropped back onto the bed. “Why am I so warm?”

A chuckle rent the air. “The innkeeper’s wife didn’t want ye to catch cold.”

“That would not be possible. I feel like I’m going to melt.”

The sound of his deep, throaty laughter brought a smile to her face. At least for now his shyness had abated and she was grateful. She needed to share her experience with someone.

“I don’t remember too much. I mean, I remember riding with the troupe for a short distance. Then the troupe master stopped and entered a small building. The rest of us waited. When he returned, he summoned us inside. I have vague memories of walking into a room as dark as a cave and then nothing.” A spot on her head ached. When she rubbed the spot she felt a knot. One of the players must have struck her. Moving on, Lucy asked, “You said you saw me riding on the back of another person’s horse? How was such a thing possible? You couldn’t have been that close to Carlisle.”

An uncomfortable shifting occurred. “I was movin’ slow.”

“Why?” Lucy asked, holding her breath as she waited for his response.

Bryce shrugged.

There was that infernal movement. This time she couldn’t let it slide. “Bryce, please answer me. Why did you leave town so slowly?”

“Guess I didn’t want to part with ye. Maybe I missed ye.”

“Oh.”

He stared at his fingers with intense interest while he kept talking. “I was worried about ye. Those men didn’t seem the safest of company and I feared for yer safety.”

“But you said you missed me?”

“True. It was quieter than usual.”

“I thought maybe you missed me and not just my noise.”

“Maybe a little.”

The grin that split her face couldn’t be helped. Whether Bryce admitted it or not, he liked her. So much so that he had been unwilling to just race away.

“What now?” she asked.

“What do ye mean?”

“I mean, what do we do now? My trip to London is no less important and now I am without escort.”

“Aye, this is true.”

“Perhaps we might catch the troupe before they get too far ahead.”

“I think not.”

“But—“

“I will escort ye.”

“Are you certain, because—“

“I will escort ye.”

The words brooked no argument and Lucy readily accepted.

Lucy spent the next few days recuperating while Bryce waited on her hand and foot. He brought her food. Kept the fire going at all times. Attended to her every request, although she tried not to make that many. Why, one night, he even massaged her feet.

What little belongings she owned had been left behind with the players, except for the dress she wore and the tiny leather pouch, which never left her wrist. They would need to purchase more gowns and essentials for her before they left the village.

As she was pondering these thoughts, the housemistress entered the room. Snug in a huge, four-poster bed, Lucy learned why she had received the best room in the house. Without questioning from Lucy, the woman spoke.

“Yer man is a hard worker, never seen another like ‘im.”

“Pardon?”

She fluttered her hand. A dreamy expression settled upon her face. “Handsome, he is. And very handy. Why, he’s built me a whole set of cabinets, he has. Even chiseled out a design upon them. Best craftsmanship I’ve seen in these parts. Several people ‘ave offered him more work, but he says he’ll only do for me.

“Can ye believe such loyalty? The laddy keeps his word. Said he would work for yer room and board, and a horse for ye, and that’s what he’s done.”

Pride swelled within her breast. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Nay, lassie. Young Bryce has taken care of everything. Ye just heal.”

The elderly woman blew out of the room like a whirlwind. Lucy lay back on a pile of pillows and sighed. Her limbs felt like mush. If she didn’t get up and move around when she was alone, she’d be completely unable to when the time to leave arrived.

A pallet lay upon the hard stone floor, and as Lucy stood up and began walking, she stumbled on it, fell on her bottom, and cried out in pain. Rubbing the ache, Lucy frowned.

These few thin blankets were the bed upon which Bryce had spent the last few nights? Sitting there now, she could feel every imperfection in the floor. How had Bryce been able to rest?

Bryce flung the door open and it crashed against the wall. He rushed to her side. “Are ye hurt?”

“How do you sleep here?”

Bryce ignored the question, scooped her into his arms, and carried her to bed. “Ye shouldn’t be up.”

“But I need to move. Otherwise how will we make it to London?”

“Ye will ride a horse.”

“I know, but occasionally I might have to leave the beast, at least temporarily.” Lucy lifted her brow, hoping he got her meaning.

Bryce cleared his throat, his cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment. “I see.”

“Now you understand why I insist on movement.”

“Aye. Do ye need assistance?”

A giggle erupted. “I believe I’ll be all right. Just allow me to move. By the way, how many days have I been this way?”

“Maybe three.”

“Three days! I have to get out of here now.” As she stood, dizziness overcame her and she reached out to catch the bedpost, but Bryce was before her.

The tunic he wore opened to the middle of his chest. Her hand rested upon his bare flesh. Beneath her fingertips his heart fluttered erratically. His throat moved as he gulped.

“Are ye all right?” escaped his lips in a breathless rush.

“Aye,” came her answer, equally breathless.

“Ye should sit down.”

Bryce assisted her to a chair. His gaze never wavered from her pinched face. “Sit up for awhile. That will help yer lightheadedness. Then we will begin walkin’ around.”

She nodded as he silently slipped out the door, leaving her to her own devices.