Free Never Never by Susan Kiernan-Lewis Page A

to be holding steady.
    But why is it Mike couldn’t look his own sister in the eye? Is it because deep down I know what Sarah said is true? I’m willing to sacrifice Declan for my own commitment to this castle idea?
    Obsession, she called it.
    He looked over his shoulder but knew he wouldn’t see her from where he was. In fact, he’d seen damn little of her in the last couple of days and he was sure that was deliberate.
    Probably just as well.
    He had to believe that once they were settled and she began to feel safe again, she’d revert back to the Sarah he knew—the stubborn but fearless Sarah he’d fallen in love with.
    He turned his head at the sound of horse hooves to see Gavin and Tommy approaching.
    â€œReady to move out, Da?” Gavin called.
    â€œBefore breakfast?” Mike asked, surprised.
    â€œThought you were in a hurry,” Tommy said.
    â€œAye, so I am,” Mike said, dumping the contents of his tea cup and tossing it to Gavin. “Take the rear, Gav. Is your lass with Sarah?”
    â€œAye. In the last wagon,” Gavin said as he turned his horse toward the back of the wagon train.
    Mike had moved the wagon with Fiona and Declan in it to the middle of the pack and assigned Kevin to drive it. Kev knew horses and would be able to avoid the frequent obstacles in the road better than anyone else.
    As he moved back down to check the line of wagons, Mike thought that if he had one prayer, it would be that Declan would strengthen.
    He had to believe all of this was worth the risk.
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    F iona felt the wagon begin to move. She hadn’t realized she’d dozed off. When she opened her eyes she saw that someone had left a fried egg biscuit for her breakfast and a cup of no longer hot tea.
    Declan groaned but didn’t open his eyes. She put a hand on his knee and he settled.
    For the millionth time since she’d climbed into the wagon she wondered if she was doing the right thing. Mike seemed so sure that going forward was best for all of them, including Declan. But she well knew how stubborn her brother could be.
    Declan was at least no worse. Sarah’s antibiotics and pain medications had eased him, and his back wound showed no sign of infection.
    No, going forward was the right thing to do. Declan would be the first to agree—if he was in any mind to even know what was going on. Which he wasn’t.
    The morning mist still hung in the air but it was better than yesterday when they’d ridden for nearly half the morning before a strong gale had finally relented. There had been so much moisture in the air that the rocks in the road were slick and slippery.
    Fiona knew this part of the country although she’d had little reason to visit it in the last five years. The pastures on both sides of the road—long fallow and unused—were brown with bright patches of purple here and there of late blooming heather. There wasn’t a tree in sight.
    She ate her sandwich and drank the tea, grateful for the weak sun filtering through the cloud cover. They were lucky the weather had cooperated. October usually meant rain and fog.
    She looked at Declan and her heart contracted painfully. The last time she’d seen him whole and well was ten months ago—the day the Garda had come to Ameriland. After an agonizing separation where she didn’t know if he was alive or dead, he’d been miraculously returned to her—changed forever.
    She closed her eyes and felt the sun’s wavering rays on her upturned face.
    There was a better life coming. She had to believe that.
    Hours later, Fiona felt the temperature drop noticeably. She’d dozed again and the chill woke her. Reflexively, she put a hand on Declan. He was sleeping peacefully and for that she was grateful.
    The sun was no longer visible through the clouds, the rays no longer in evidence. Shivering, she pulled a blanket around herself and tucked in Declan’s cover. She felt