I went back to my room after leaving my mom and took some time to shower and clean myself up—I was still in my pajamas, after all—before knocking on the door that led to Maddock’s room from inside our connected bathroom.

When he answered, he was still in his robe. Half of his face was red as if he’d been laying on it, and his hair was smooshed to one side. Clearly, he’d been sleeping. He looked so stinking adorable that I couldn’t help but smile, despite my guilt over waking him.

“I’m sorry. Were you sleeping?”

He smiled and nodded. “I was, but I suppose ’tis time we leave, aye?”

“About that…do you think it would be okay if we waited until tomorrow? I think everyone could use one more day of rest before heading out on such a long journey.”

His already friendly face lit up completely. “Ach, lass, I could kiss ye again. I doona think I’ve ever heard a more pleasing suggestion.”

“Good.” I stood there awkwardly for a moment, unsure of how to thank him for what he’d done before.

“Lass?”

I looked up from staring down at my feet as he spoke. “Yes?”

“How are ye? I saw him leave.”

I exhaled again. Every time I thought of Dillon now, I felt a sense of ease. The usual tightness that spread over my chest at any thought of him was gone, and much of that was due to Maddock.

“I’m good. It all worked out okay in the end.”

“I’m sorry if I interfered more than I should have.”

I shrugged. “Please don’t be sorry. While shocking, it was actually the perfect thing to do. It opened up a conversation between the two of us—one that allowed me to forgive him for a hurt.”

His brows furrowed in concern. “What did he do to hurt ye?”

I dismissed it with my hand. “It should’ve been nothing. I don’t know why I let it upset me so much. He didn’t mean it anyway, but he just mentioned that if I gave him up, I would have trouble finding someone to want me now that I’m…” I hesitated and lifted my amputated arm, “damaged.”

Maddock’s nostrils flared as the muscles in his jaw bulged. “The man is a foolish bastard. I’m afraid ye shall see just how untrue the arse’s words were when we reach the Isle. Every man there will want ye.”

I flushed at that, and in my nervousness decided to ignore the latter half of Maddock’s statement. “He’s not a bastard. He was just hurt and angry at me for leaving him.”

Maddock rolled his eyes. “Whatever ye say, lass. I still doona care for him, and I’m pleased he’s gone from yer life.”

“I am too. And I’m even more glad that I can go through the rest of my life knowing that we didn’t end things by hating each other. Thank you again for what you did.”

He smiled that same ornery grin that he’d had just before kissing me. “’Tis I that should be thanking ye. I’ve not been kissed like that in a verra, verra long time.”

I reached for the door in my urgency to step away from him. “I didn’t kiss you. You kissed me. Now, get some more rest. Tomorrow will come quickly and neither one of us got any sleep last night.”

He laughed as I closed the door between us, and I thought I heard him say once again, “Whatever ye say, lass. Whatever ye say.”

---

Three Days Later—1651

---

Freezing, soaked to the bone, and with a cough that was beginning to worry me more than I wanted to admit, I trudged my way through the mud back over to my horse after an absolutely miserable stop in the middle of some trees so we could all take a quick pee.

“I know, baby. It’s not fun for me, either. We’re all moving as quickly as we can.”

Mr. Crinkles whined miserably from inside the pocket of my coat that Gillian had sewn for me before we left. Anticipating the weather, she knew he would need a place to keep dry. While I was certain he was grateful for the warmth, he was a cat accustomed to having lots of space to roam around. For days, he’d been cramped up against me.

I knew such a long journey on horseback would be difficult, but each day was more miserable than I could have possibly imagined. Rain poured down on us nonstop. While Maddock and Paton made certain to find us decent lodging each night, the mornings and our journey through the rain always came much too soon.

I ached all over, and each breath seemed much more difficult than it should’ve been.

I stopped as I reached my horse and waited for Maddock’s dutiful assistance. While I could manage riding the horse with one arm fine, I couldn’t pull myself up onto the horse with just my left hand. With the way I felt now, I didn’t think I would’ve been able to do it even with two.

“Ye doona look well, lass. ’Tis not too far to the next village. We shall stop early today. I can see that ye need rest.”

Maddock stood right behind me, but his voice sounded far away. I leaned back into him as his hands gripped my waist to lift me. As I did so, my cheek brushed against his.

“Ye are burnin’ up. Are ye sure ye are…”

That’s all I remember hearing before I passed out in his arms.