Free Highland Honor by Hannah Howell Page A

afraid of the wolves,” she grumbled.
    â€œThey arenae near enough to trouble you,” he said.
    â€œI know.”
    â€œThe fire, small as it is, will keep them at bay.”
    â€œI know that, too,” she snapped, and glared at him when he laughed. “It is not funny.”
    â€œNay, your fear isnae to be laughed at,” he agreed. “Howbeit, your anger at it is amusing.”
    Gisele grimaced and dragged her fingers through her tight curls. “It is a weakness.”
    â€œNot a troublesome one, lass, and many people fear wolves. I dinnae find the sound of them verra comforting.”
    She smiled briefly. “The fear of them angers me because it will not be swayed by reason. Those wolves are no threat to me. I know that. And yet, I still feel afraid each time they call out. It is senseless, and I hate that.”
    â€œThose fears are indeed the hardest to tolerate. Everyone has one he must deal with.”
    â€œYou need not lie to comfort me. I find it hard to believe that you suffer from such a weakness.”
    â€œI will confess that I havenae faced it yet.” He moved his sword to his other side so that there was no chance that she would roll onto it in the middle of the night. “It could be hidden by pride or vanity, or I simply havenae done or seen what is needed to bring it forward. Howbeit, I truly believe that we each have a fear like that, a fear that willnae heed reason and fact.”
    â€œIf it will not heed reason or fact, then how can one ever conquer it?”
    â€œOne doesnae.” He grinned when she cursed, then grew serious. “Ye shouldnae let it plague ye so. If one must be blindly afraid of something, then wolves are a wise choice. Lass, it isnae the fear that is the weakness, but how ye act when ye must truly face it.”
    â€œThen I have failed that test, for I am here, cowering behind you.”
    â€œNay, beside me.” He laughed when she swatted him on the arm. “Ye havenae truly faced it, lass. Ye can but hear the wolves in the distance, so ’tis no real crime to let your fear have its reign. The true test of courage comes when ye must confront them, and what ye do then decides whether or not ye or someone else dies.”
    â€œI pray that day never comes,” she whispered, shivering at the mere thought of it.
    â€œSleep, lass. The beasts willnae trouble us this night.”
    Gisele nodded and closed her eyes. The wolves did not grow silent, but she knew she would have no trouble sleeping. She was not sure if Nigel’s assurances or his presence at her side calmed her fears the most, but either reason still left her feeling very disappointed in herself. After being alone and caring for herself for nearly a year, she had thought she was strong enough and capable enough to endure alone, to survive anything with no one’s help. It troubled her to discover that she might have been wrong or just vain, for she could still have a long fight ahead of her and might not always have Nigel at her side. As sleep weighted her body, she decided that she would worry about it later.
    Nigel heard her breathing grow slow and quiet, and softly cursed. It could prove to be a very long night. He could understand her fear. He did not like to hear the wolves, either. That sound meant that he might be wrong to think the forest was safer than the open road. Then he shook his head, abruptly dismissing that concern. There was only a small chance of confronting an animal that could hurt him or Gisele, but a very good chance of meeting with a DeVeau or someone who hungered after the bounty if he and Gisele did not stay hidden as long as possible. It was still a good plan to keep their forays into the more settled areas to as few as possible.
    When she murmured in her sleep and moved closer, her lithe body touching his side, Nigel closed his eyes and struggled to rein in his errant desires. She was not inviting him to take her into his arms,