A soft grey dawn was already replacing the moonlight before exhaustion defeated her discomfort. Unable to keep her eyes open any longer, she fell dreamlessly into a true sleep.
A gentle pat on the shoulder roused Aline to consciousness. She lay with her eyes closed, ignoring it as best she could. A slightly harder shake of her shoulder caused her to let off a stream of angry obscenities.
She opened her eyes to find Jack staring at her, open-mouthed. She glared at him through her tangle of hair and his face took on an injured expression. A stab of remorse pricked Aline’s conscience, quickly replaced by irritation for being soft-hearted. Didn’t she have every reason to curse? She was stiff and cold, never mind being held against her will. The lad really should learn not to take things so personally.
She sat up, wrapping the dew-damp blanket around her shoulders, and rubbed her eyes sleepily.
The Captain strolled over to where Aline sat. He knelt down facing her, unlocked the cuffs and gathered up the chains. ‘Time we were moving, my lady. I let you sleep as long as I could.’
‘How kind of you!’ Aline looked him up and down with exaggerated care. His hair was damp and he had changed his tunic for a fresh one, over which he wore a sleeveless jerkin of soft leather. He looked well rested and Aline immediately hated him for it. ‘Did your consideration extend to bringing some clean clothes for me?’ she asked haughtily.
The Captain had the grace to look uncomfortable. ‘Alas, no. Though there is fresh water if you would like to wash before we leave, and Duncan will find you some breakfast.’
Aline longed for a bath, but had to content herself with a quick rinse of her face and teeth in cold water. She pulled the comb from her hair and plaited it into a long braid. Duncan brought her over a hunk of bread and a mug of warm, honeyed ale. The bread was old, but dipped in the sweet liquid it was possibly the most welcome meal she could remember.
The Captain left Aline unrestrained, as he had promised, and she dozed, soothed by the rocking of the vehicle as it sped along.
During the afternoon she sat towards the back of the cart, staring out through the curtains. Duncan and Jack alternated between driving the cart and riding the brown mare but the Captain rode his own mount possessively. The animal seemed remarkably suited to his owner: a chestnut stallion with glistening flanks and an assured gait that Aline could not help but admire.
They kept to forest tracks as much as possible, though as the ground became swampier they were forced back onto roads. Any hope Aline had of being able to attract aid was soon dashed, and pangs of homesickness gripped her as they left her home further behind.
Whenever passing through settlements was unavoidable the Captain would hitch his horse to the cart, climb inside and sit opposite Aline, his dagger unsheathed, ready should he need to silence her. He would hold her gaze intently. as though he were a cat watching a mouse, his blue eyes boring into her. After the third time he paused as he climbed out, and gave Aline an unexpected smile.
‘I trust that you are not finding the journey too disagreeable, Lady Aline?’
It was the first time he had spoken to her since setting off other than to issue terse instructions. Caught unawares, she felt disinclined to be sociable with him. ‘Would it matter if I was?’ she replied bitterly.
The Captain looked taken aback by the venom in her voice, his smile vanishing instantly. He nodded curtly before climbing down. Aline watched him with curiosity through the opening, wondering why her reaction had surprised him.
It was late afternoon before the Captain signalled the cart to stop. Other than the chunk of bread at sunrise and an apple at midday Aline had eaten nothing, and her stomach was starting to complain. Jack walked over, carrying a bag, and handed it to her. She examined the contents: a bundle of rosemary, mushrooms and a handful of onions. He produced a knife and held it out expectantly.
‘Isn’t it enough that you have kidnapped me without expecting me to cook for you?’ Aline said haughtily, pushing the bag back at him.
The Captain looked over from where he was unsaddling his stallion. ‘If you don’t help then you don’t eat. Though I suppose a lady as fine as yourself has little experience of such menial tasks.’
Aline bit back her first impulse to retort angrily and smiled sweetly, replying in a voice that dripped honey. ‘On the contrary, my grandfather ensured that my education covered a wide variety of subjects, Captain. He said a true leader should be able to serve his people in any way. So do not assume I am unskilled because I am well born simply because you are not.’
She sat down, drew her legs under her gracefully and began speedily to peel the onions. The Captain pursed his lips and Aline couldn’t tell whether he was angry or laughing as he hefted the saddle over his shoulder and walked off.
Jack cooked dinner, frying the vegetables then simmering them in ale, and the four travellers sat together, eating companionably.
‘Particularly well-sliced onions, my lady,’ the Captain remarked drily, tipping his mug of ale at her in a salute.
Despite herself Aline smiled back, and returned the gesture with her own mug.
That night, when the Captain took her hand and affixed the manacle to her wrist, Aline stared into his eyes, refusing to look away.
‘You know I have to do this,’ he told her.
Was that a hint of apology in his voice? Aline wasn’t sure. She nodded silently as she held out her second arm. The Captain ignored her hand and instead fixed the other manacle round the wheel of the cart. The act left her with double the freedom she had had the previous night. Aline looked at him quizzically.
‘It’s colder tonight, Lady Aline. You should sleep closer to the fire,’ the Captain explained. He held his hands out to help her stand.
‘I can manage without your help,’ Aline said stiffly, pulling herself to her feet.
The Captain rolled his eyes and dropped his arms, though he picked up her bedroll and moved it closer to the fire.
‘Sleep well, my lady,’ he murmured softly, before walking to the far side of the fire.
Aline drew her blanket around her shoulders. She stared into the flames until her eyes began to sag and slept peacefully for the first time in two days, the voices of the three men lulling her to sleep.
* * *
It came as a surprise to Aline that the fear and anger she had been feeling was gradually being replaced by boredom. For much of the next day Aline dozed on the straw pallet. It was late afternoon when the cart drew again to a halt and she woke to the sounds of an argument.
‘...wasn’t here before.’
‘That was nine days ago. Things change, Jack. So, it appears, must our plans!’
Aline listened for more but the voices moved further away.
Duncan pushed his head through the curtains and beckoned Aline out. About half a mile ahead was a fair, with stalls and tents covering the route through a small hamlet. The Captain was standing by his horse, adjusting the saddle. In brief terms he explained to Aline that Duncan and Jack would be stopping to replenish supplies. He walked the horse closer to Aline.
‘You
