Just tell the lass to get moving while you end that McCallum bastard.
He remained motionless, unable to get the words out of his mouth. Why was it so difficult for him to deny her? What had Willow done that made Keegan unable to carry through with the most obvious course of action?
For several long moments, they just stared at each other, Willow’s fingers gripping the fabric of his sleeve tightly. Shecared for this person who’d come looking for her. It wasn’t simply a matter of protecting her men where she could, honorable as that was. This particular guardmeantsomething to her, and she would be distraught over his loss.
“Get dressed, lass, and do it quick if ye wish to sneak out of here unseen.”
Relief washed over her, and Willow leaped into action, gathering herself and making ready to leave the inn in a hurry. Keegan retrieved the few items he’d left near the bed when he thought he would just end this threat and get back to rest.
When Willow was collected, Keegan gently opened the door to their room, checking the hall for any sign of their pursuer. With the coast clear, he pulled her along behind him and sought out the rear stairs at the back of the building so that they could avoid the main entrance.
They ghosted quickly over the floor as they almost ran to the servants’ staircase. As Keegan got Willow in front of him to run down, the floorboard creaked loudly.
Moments later, a figure appeared from around the corner, and it confirmed Keegan’s suspicions. It was the man that Willow had called Finley, and the older gentleman rushed forward toward them.
“Stop!”
Willow turned on instinct. When she saw Finley, her eyes went wide before she glanced up at Keegan.
“Go!” He glared down at her. “If ye wish to keep yer man safe, ye best get running.”
A glassy sheen coated her eyes, but Willow tore down the steps as quickly as she could. She was on the grassy land at the back of the building when Keegan heard the pound of her guard’s steps on the wood behind him. The tenacity of the man was admirable, but Keegan’s own blood hung on the line. He needed Willow to protect Melissa.
Pausing to wait for him, Willow watched with horrified attention, and Keegan forced his body to move quicker. Just as he hit the ground, however, Finley shoved into him, clearly having leaped down the stairs.
They were both flung off the wooden steps, tumbling down to the ground in a tangled mess of limbs. The scuffle took Keegan to his back, and he held Finley at bay as he slashed at him with a short dirk.
“Finley, stop!”
But despite Willow’s cries, the man did not listen. Keegan was forced to kick his knee up into the man’s gut, tossing him over his head so that the laird could get back to his feet. Spinning around, Keegan faced off with Finley once more as he recovered from the fall. The guard rushes him with his blade aimed at Keegan’s middle.
Just in time, Keegan ducked out of the way, smashing his elbow into the back of Finley’s skull as he passed by. Finley fell to the ground, and Keegan pulled his sword from its sheathe at his hip. He raised it over his head, ready to end the guard and save himself future trouble.
“No!” cried Willow, rushing across the grass toward them. “Ye promised me ye’d do them no harm. I will come with ye once more. Just leave him here.”
In the stretch of time that seemed to pull wider than possible, Keegan looked between Willow and Finley. The man was dazed, but he looked up at the laird, starting to get to his feet.
Filling his sword around in his hand, which sent a sharp inhale through Willow, Keegan brought the pommel of his sword down on Finley’s head forcefully, ensuring the man was unconscious once more. The man went down, and Keegan returned his sword to his scabbard.
A tiny whimper escaped Willow, and he eyed her briefly before crouching down near Finley and going through his things. He took the dirk and anything else that the man might use as a weapon. His gold was the last thing that Keegan took from the man, and then he stood up, walking past Willow toward the stables.
“Why did ye take his gold? Ye are clearly in no need of it?”
Keegan turned back over his shoulder. Willow glared at him as she hurried along behind him. Yanking his plaid straight,Keegan pressed forward to retrieve his horse, calling out so that his little guest would hear him.
“I willnae be followed again. With nae a coin in sight, yer man cannae use it to get information regardin' our whereabouts.”
Willow was silent after that, and when they arrived at the stable, Keegan tipped the night stable hand with Finley’s money to retrieve his horse. It was clear the lass didn’t appreciate that, and Keegan smirked with one corner of his mouth.
As the horse was pulled in front of him, Keegan gestured for Willow to get on. She didn’t move.
“Get. On. The. Horse.”
Sneering, Willow put a hand on her hip. “Did ye have to be so?—”
He didn’t have time for her words, so Keegan manhandled the woman up onto his steed, not caring that she faced the wrong direction. Her arse could deal with the discomfort.
Without another word, Keegan stepped up into the stirrup, hoisting his leg up and over the horse to take his place in the saddle. Willow sat facing him, but he didn’t regard her, only brandishing the reins to send his horse off at a gallop.