Fair Border Bride by Jen Black

palms down the blue linen of her skirt and wondered if he would notice how much care she had taken with her appearance today. The pleats of her fine linen chemise had taken some time to arrange so that they showed to her satisfaction in the wide neckline of her bodice, and the gold cross, a last minute addition, hopefully drew attention to her breasts.
    She tossed his bonnet to him. “I found that in my pocket last night.” She did not add that she had slept with it under her pillow in case someone should find it and ask awkward questions.
    He nodded, and went on eating with furious energy. But then, he’d had little yesterday, and she knew from experience how desperate her brothers became if not fed every few hours.
    “There’s nothing wrong with your appetite,” she observed. “Good.”
    He met her gaze and held it as he chewed and swallowed. “You look pretty this morning. I experimented, too. I walked to the stream and back without falling once.” He took another bite, found the cheese and groaned in appreciation. “This is good.”
    Apprehension hit her like a blow to the stomach and eclipsed his remark about her looks. “I hope no one saw you. I brought you water last night. You had no need to wander outside.”
    Still chewing, he shook his head. “I checked first, Alina. No one saw me. Now I know I can walk, I shall leave tonight, under cover of darkness. I do not care to bring trouble upon you.”
    She sniffed, unhappy about his decision, but unwilling to admit it. However dangerous it was, she wanted him to stay, but knew that such a thing was not sensible. “We agreed that travelling in the dark brought about your present predicament. Where will you go? You cannot remember who you are, so how will you know where to go?’
    “Because I rode into the branch once doesn’t mean I’ll do it every time I ride in the dark. It doesn’t really matter where I go.”
    He thought of her safety before his own. She mulled that over for a while, and found she liked him for it. “There’s an old sunken track through the fields,” she said. “Follow it and you’ll reach Dere Street, the old road north.”
    He wolfed down the last of the bread and cheese and got to his feet. “Show me.”
    She’d forgotten how tall he was. Even though he steadied himself with one hand on the wall, he positively towered over her.
    “You’re not exactly fit yet, are you?”
    “Fit enough.” He got to the door and bit back a soft exclamation. His hand clenched on the doorjamb and he squinted at Alina over his shoulder. “Who are these two?”
    A hand clamped around her heart. Surely they had not been discovered? Then common sense reasserted itself and she guessed who stood there. Alina rushed to the door and gazed down at her younger brothers.
    “Lance! Cuddy! What are you doing here?”
    The boys’ hazel eyes, true Carnaby eyes, flickered from Alina to the stranger and away again. Lance backed a step or two, grabbed his brother’s arm and dragged Cuddy with him.
    “We c-came to see if we c-could have a r-r-ride,” Lance stuttered. Cuddy peeped around Lance’s shoulder. “On Dragon.” Lance collected his wits and glared at his sister. “Who’s he?”
    Behind her brothers the sun lit the meadow with a green radiance, and the blue sky hung like a huge bowl behind the Halton trees. A few yards away, Dragon cropped the grass, her tail rhythmically swishing away flies. Everything seemed peaceful, but Alina knew her secret was out.
    Her mouth dry, she walked out of the stable, stood beside the two boys and placed a hand on Lance’s shoulder, which he immediately twitched away. A swift jab of hurt rushed through her, and she slung a protective arm around Cuddy’s shoulders.
    “These are my brothers,” she said to Harry. “Lance is almost fourteen and Cuthbert is seven. Now what do we do?”
    Harry stared at them, and the boys, wide-eyed, stared back. After a moment, a wicked grin curled the ends of Harry’s mouth.