Free To Love a Thief (Steel Hawk) by Jane Beckenham Page A

upright, both her and Nathan still atop the beast.
    “We made it.”
    “Not yet.” Nathan reached into his pocket with his free hand and withdrew a pistol.
    “Where did you get that?”
    “Compliments of one of the guards. Now, hold her steady.” He took aim and fired off a shot at the leader of the pursuit.
    The man fell from his horse while the others following careened into the fallen man and his frightened mount.
    A cacophony of chaos reigned, a mishmash of shouts from the riders and the whinnies of the snorting horses.
    “We’ve made it, Rosie. You got us free.” Nathan leaned closer and kissed her cheek.
    For a fleeting moment, she wanted to stay exactly where she was, close to Nathan. Perhaps he might kiss her again. Like that first time.
    “No time for daydreaming.” Nathan’s voice cut into her thoughts.
    Damn it. That was exactly what she was doing. Dreaming.
    How could she, when her father’s life was at stake?
    Easing away from Nathan, she stiffened her spine and clutched the reins to stop her hands from trembling. What was wrong with her? It was a kiss on the cheek. Nothing more.
    “Where to?” she asked.
    “We need to keep off the main thoroughfares. Otherwise, we’ll be easy pickings.”
    “You think they haven’t given up?”
    “It’s unlikely, since they’ve gone to the trouble of hauling you off in the first place.” Nathan spurred the horse forward, and they made their way from the encapsulating coverage of the forest and down to the water’s edge. “There’s a small jetty not far ahead. Perhaps we can cadge a ride off a trader.”
    Rose kept her gaze forward, focusing on the river. She needed to get off this horse soon so she couldn’t feel Nathan at her back. “And if they refuse to take us?”
    “Let’s face that if it happens.”
    The jetty loomed ahead, and Nathan reached in front of her, his hands wrapping over hers as he tugged at the reins.
    The horse obeyed immediately. “It seems you’ve won the beast’s allegiance.” She grudgingly awarded Nathan a degree of admiration.
    Blood streamed down his face. “Your wound,” she prompted.
    “Can wait.” He swiped at the trail of blood with the back of his hand. “Only a flesh wound. Come on.” He urged the horse to the edge of the jetty and then jumped off, immediately holding up his hands to help her down.
    Rose hesitated, and Nathan shook his head. “I’m not going to bite, Rosie.”
    No, but he might kiss her, and she wasn’t sure she was strong enough to resist. He had disappeared once before. What was stopping him doing that again?
    Better to resist temptation.
    The moment her feet hit the ground she pivoted away from him, supposedly to ascertain which boat would be useful, but in truth it was to gather her scattered wits.
    “They all look like they’re set to sail.”
    “Aye, that they do.” He tethered the horse to a railing and walked along the river’s edge. “You. Boat master. Can you give us passage?”
    A gray-bearded man looked up from his task of tending a fishing net and peered through tired eyes at them. “Who are ye?”
    Rose stepped forward, dipping her chin and lowering her lashes. She tugged the collar of her jacket up a bit higher, anything so that the man would not recognize her as a woman. “We need to get back to the city as soon as possible.”
    “So why not go by road or coach?”
    “There they are.” The shout came from barely a hundred yards away.
    “The soldiers, Nathan. They’re here.” Fear sprinted down her spine, and she stepped closer to him.
    Nathan dug into his trouser pocket, the sound of coins rattling from within widening the man’s eyes. “How much do you want?”
    The man peered at the gaggle of guards—six in all, Nathan reckoned. They’d not have a chance if the riders closed in.
    The man shook his head. “Nay, it’s more than my life is worth to upset ’im up at the castle.”
    Rose clasped the old man’s worn hand. “Who is it? Who are you talking