Page 27 of In Bed with a Highland Beast

That was true, Lucia knew. Callum’s and Douglas’ horses were kept separate from the rest, and there were only a few select men who were allowed near them. Could it be that those letters could have something useful in them? If Callum was worried, they would be seen by prying eyes, then surely, they had confidential information he didn’t want to share with others.

Slowly, Lucia crept closer and closer to the two men. Though she couldn’t see them from where she stood, still crouched down to remain hidden, she could hear them, and that was enough.

“Fine,” said Callum after a few moments of hesitation. “As long as nae one gets their hands on them.”

Now Lucia was certain that whatever was in those letters, it would be useful to her. Perhaps they would help her learn more about Callum and his operations. Maybe they would even give her what she truly wanted—the chance to finally have her revenge.

She had to get to those horses. That very same night, she decided, she and Alaric would go there and steal those letters.

First, though, she had to get him to agree.

“Ye’re insane.”

Lucia didn’t appreciate Alaric’s tone or the fact that he was so quick to reject her plan. She rolled her eyes at him and grabbed his arm, giving it a gentle shake.

“Ye have barely heard what I have tae say.”

“I’ve heard enough,” said Alaric. “Ye have nae plan. All we’re suggestin’ is that we go an’ steal the letters. What if we are seen? What if Callum looks fer them an’ realizes they’re nae there?”

“We’ll return them once we’ve read them,” said Lucia. That was the best she could offer him. Even she didn’t know if Callumwould look for them before they could or if they were even legible. What if they were written in a code they had to decipher? What if Callum decided to get them in the middle of the night?

Like all plans in enemy territory, it had its risks, but Lucia wasn’t going to give up. She had run worse risks before and this didn’t faze her at all.

“So, what dae ye suggest, then?” she demanded. “Should we simply sit here an’ wait fer Callum tae surrender himself tae us?”

Alaric glared at her, but he had no response. He knew they had to do something to keep the plan in motion, and no matter how much he didn’t like the idea of stealing those letters, he also knew there was little else they could do. For now, it was their best bet and they had to take their chance.

“Fine,” said Alaric through gritted teeth, as if to make it abundantly clear that he did not like this at all. “But if we get caught, it will be yer fault.”

“How will it be me fault?” Lucia demanded. “I’m the one who is takin’ action.”

“That is precisely why it will be yer fault!”

Throwing her hands up in the air in exasperation, Lucia left Alaric to busy herself with whatever task needed doing—in this case, watering the horses. It was true that never before in her lifehad she met anyone like him; no one had been as stubborn, as maddening, as absolutely infuriating as he was!

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Lucia and Alaric moved quickly and silently in the middle of the night, like two spirits that travelled with the wind. Lucia kept looking over her shoulder, making sure they weren’t being followed, and she knew Alaric was doing the same. She could see him move from the corner of her eye, swift and silent but still on alert, the two of them having nothing but the light of the moon to guide them.

Callum and Douglas’ horses were once again apart from the others, farther from them but closer to Callum’s tent. On the one hand, at least Lucia would only have to deal with two horses rather than the whole herd of them, but on the other, the proximity to Callum’s tent only made their task all that more difficult. If he heard them, if he suddenly came out for whatever reason, then he was bound to see them and sound the alarm.

When they reached the horses, Lucia was quick to calm them, stroking their sides and speaking softly to them. She had always had a way with animals and it was no different now. The horsesremained calm even with her and Alaric’s presence, remaining quiet and grazing idly at the grass by their feet.

“Hurry,” Lucia whispered as Alaric began to rummage through the saddlebags. He worked quickly and efficiently, and it was only moments later when he turned to her with a grin, holding a fistful of letters up in the air in victory.

For the first time, Lucia allowed herself to think that perhaps this would work out, after all. She made a habit of never being too optimistic, as optimism led to disappointment more often than not, while being prepared for disaster could only mean that she would never be disappointed or surprised. This time, though, she was closer to victory than ever before and she couldn’t help it. A rush of excitement coursed through her and she had to stifle a cry at the sight of those letters. They could be the key to everything, the one missing piece of the puzzle.

Or it could be naethin’. I shouldnae be too happy afore I ken what those letters are sayin’.

Lucia was about to run to Alaric and take those letters, but before she could, footsteps sounded around them. She and Alaric both froze, looking around like two prey animals who had been caught by a predator, looking for the threat, but that only lasted a moment. With a decisive step, Alaric grabbed Lucia, wrapping his arms around her waist. Suddenly, she found herself pinned against a tree with Alaric’s lips pressed against her own.

A surprised gasp escaped her, one that was swallowed by Alaric just as the men who patrolled the camp approached them. Her thoughts were sluggish, the kiss both surprising her and exciting her to the point where she could do little more than stand there for a few seconds before she realized she had to play her own part in this.

She and Alaric were supposed to be married, she reminded herself. It would seem odd to those men if she was simply standing there, passively accepting his kiss.

Sighing against him, Lucia lifted her tunic up and wrapped one leg around Alaric’s waist just as her arms wrapped around his neck to hold him close. Pressed against each other as they were, Alaric began to move his hips slowly, in a way that only approximated a coupling. In reality, Lucia was disappointed to find that he was doing his best to keep his hips as far as possible from her without making it seem so fake that the men would take notice.

Distantly, Lucia thought it was a good thing it was so dark out there. Even if they suspected something, even if they looked a little too close, it would be impossible for them to tell the truth. That was a fleeting thought, though, one that lasted only a second, as the slow, measured movements of Alaric’s hips were soon all she could think about.

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