The Hawk (Highland Guard #2)(75)

Meg gave her an odd smile. “I was just about to go to camp to retrieve the cooking pots I sent down earlier.”

Ellie frowned, not catching on right away. “Didn’t Duncan say not to bother, that he would bring them back himself?”

Meg put her hands on her hips. “Well, as Duncan hasn’t seen fit to do so, I intend to fetch them myself.”

Ellie smiled. “Could you use a little help?”

“Why how thoughtful of you,” Meg said, as if the idea had never occurred to her. “I certainly could.”

The two women shared a conspiratorial smile and gathered their cloaks. The wind had picked up, and the torch flickered in the darkness as they carefully wound their way down the cliffside trail to the beach. Ellie had the feeling they were being watched and realized Hawk probably had guardsmen stationed around the perimeter of the cave. But it wasn’t until they neared the entrance that a young guardsman stopped them.

“I’m afraid the captain is busy right now,” he said, twitching and shuffling as if his clothing was too tight.

Ellie could hear the sounds of merriment coming from within the cave. Busy what, celebrating? Her stomach dropped, thinking of the women from the other night. She attempted to peer over the guardsman’s shoulder, but the lad was tall and his chest blocked a good portion of the entrance.

Meg also looked puzzled. “I’ve just come to retrieve the cooking pots.”

“I’ll have Rhuairi get them for you.” He motioned to a nearby guard, who cast him a furtive look and hastily did his bidding.

Something strange was going on. They’d never been refused entrance to the cave before, and it was clear the young guardsman was anxious to be rid of them. Was there something he didn’t want them to see?

Meg must have realized it as well. She took Ellie’s arm in hers. “That’s all right. Have Duncan bring them up later.”

Meg turned them around to head back to the cottage, but in her haste caused Ellie to bump into a man who’d come up behind them.

“Pardon me,” she said automatically.

Ellie glanced up at the man and froze with shock. The blood drained from her face. She blinked in the semidarkness, not trusting her eyes. He was dressed in the rough clothing of a fisherman, but she recognized the handsome, dark-haired man before her: Edward Bruce. Robert’s eldest brother and her brother by marriage.

Why …?

Of course! In that one frozen heartbeat everything suddenly became clear. The final piece of the puzzle snapped into place. Hawk is with Bruce. He wasn’t a pirate, he was a Scottish rebel, fighting with Robert against King Edward. Against her father. The wish for her to avoid her father’s men in the cave suddenly made sense.

This was what Meg meant by complicated. But her friend could never have imagined just how complicated.

Then, the second realization struck: Hawk was going to discover who she was. It would all be over. Once he discovered her identity, there would be no more private moments, no more kisses, no more pleasure. She would never have a chance to find out how he truly felt about her.

Originally, she’d feared that revealing her identity would make him wish to marry her only because of her wealth and position. But now there was also the fact that she was his liege lord’s sister by marriage to add to the mix. She suspected that innate noble streak of his would force him to offer for her.

But she didn’t want him like that. The possibility of a future like her mother’s cured her of any such thoughts. There was nothing romantic about unrequited love. She’d rather be married to Ralph.

She held her breath, waiting for the moment of revelation. Waiting for Edward’s voice to cry out, demanding to know why Lady Elyne de Burgh was standing before him gowned like a peasant.

But Edward didn’t say a word. His cold, dark eyes passed over her without a flicker of interest, just as he’d done the first time they’d met at Robert and Elizabeth’s wedding. Bedecked in jewels and gowned in rich velvets, she wasn’t pretty enough for him to notice then, and she certainly wasn’t now.

My God, he didn’t recognize her! She knew she should be humiliated, but instead she couldn’t believe her luck.

Not wanting to give him a chance to remember, she turned to leave. But before she could grab Meg’s arm and hasten away, an achingly familiar voice stopped her.

Hawk grabbed her elbow to whip her around. “Ellie? What the hell are you doing here?”

Edward Bruce’s gaze sharpened on her, taking her in with far more scrutiny than she wanted. “This is your captive?”

Ellie got the impression she wasn’t at all what he was expecting.

“I’m not his captive.”

“She’s not my captive,” Hawk said at the same time.

Edward was scrutinizing her with an intensity that made her uneasy. For a moment Ellie feared that he recognized her. A mocking smile turned one corner of his mouth.

Finally, he turned his gaze from her. “She’s not your usual type, Hawk.”

Erik was having a hard time reminding himself that this was the king’s brother and that putting his fist through that snide smile of his probably wasn’t the best idea.

But damn, it would feel good.

First, Edward had foolishly allowed himself to be seen by the two women, and, although slim, there was always a chance someone could recognize him. And then he’d gone and insulted Ellie by comparing her to other women.