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enough to cut the chill of the Scottish Highlands.
    Deirdre turned her attention away from the row of cloaks hanging so silently in the dark. They all looked alike, each one the same as the one next to it. Just like the women who wore them. Deirdre admired their dedication, but she admitted she did not long to serve humbly for the rest of her years. She yearned for something she could not name. The only thing she was certain of was that she would never be happy inside the abbey walls the way Kaie was. Perhaps she would have learned to find contentment in time and gratitude to have shelter from the snow, but she would never commune with the church the way her sister did.
    It was that knowledge that sent her back across the floor, along with the hard truth that there was happiness in life, if you managed to find it. She intended to try.
    “Aren’t you going to fetch your things, Deirdre?” One of the ladies asked the question.
    Deirdre lifted the bar again and sat it beside the door before answering. The lump had re-formed in her throat, and she had to swallow it before she might speak.
    “No one here owns anything.” She turned to look at the queen. “I offer ye my service in exchange for yer keeping yer word. I come with nothing but my wits and courage. Even the clothing upon me is the property of the church. If ye wish to change yer mind, now is the time to tell me.”
    “I have not changed my mind. If you will wear my clothing and ride across the road in plain sight to trick my pursuers, then we have an agreement that I shall honor without fail.”
    The night was black beyond the doorway, but Deirdre found it as welcoming as spring.

Two
    The queen and her ladies were obviously not accustomed to being outdoors past sunset. In spite of the thick clouds overhead dropping tiny raindrops on them, Deirdre could tell what direction to go by looking at the landforms. But her companions hung back, reluctant to stray far from the solid stone walls of the abbey. Deirdre had to stop and look back at them. The three stood beneath the arched doorway, their eyes wide and reflecting the meager light. They crowded close about the queen, and it was Joan who finally stepped forward. Deirdre heard the woman pull in a stiff breath before snapping her fingers to get her ladies moving.
    Deirdre lifted one finger to her lips to caution Joan against making any noise. The queen stiffened and nodded before she reached down and grabbed a handful of her skirts so she might raise her hem.
    Deirdre had no such problem with the length of her robes. They were hemmed far enough above her shoes to allow for her chores. The queen was dressed in ones that hid her shoes, and there was even a train trailing behind her. It would be simple to see she was a noblewoman, even in the dark when there wasn’t enough light to see the rich fabric or the tiny pearls sewn to the trimming at the neckline.
    “We must find my escort.”
    Deirdre nodded without breaking pace. The queen reached out and gripped her arm.
    “How do you know where to find my men?” she asked.
    Deirdre turned to face her so her words might carry the least amount. “They would have sought cover, and the forest is the best in this area.” Lifting one hand, Deirdre pointed toward a thicket.
    “Oh…yes…of course.”
    “We must make haste,” Deirdre informed her hesitating companions.
    “Why? It’s black as sin out here.”
    Deirdre shook her head. “Highlanders have no fear of the night. I assure ye, if the Camerons are anywhere near, they will see us standing here in the open. With horses, they will run us down like rabbits.”
    A shiver went down her back as she considered being caught by Quinton with darkness wrapped around her. There was no doubt in her mind that the man might abandon every bit of civilized behavior when it meant gaining what he desired.
    Another ripple of sensation traveled down her body as she considered what it was the man desired. His eyes had been full of