She picked up her pace as the other warriors walked past her, determined to find a way out of this and see to settling things with her husband before returning home.

One of the men in camp began waving frantically to Rhodes and pointing to a man, standing beside a horse.

Willow’s stomach soured. She dreaded her thought, but it seemed the most logical. News had been received about her abduction.

She hastened her step again so that Rhodes would, and he did, rushing past her. With all the warriors congregated in one place, Willow took a chance, turned the other way, and took off running.

She prayed they wouldn’t notice, at least long enough to give her a good start. She had only gained a short distance when Rhodes yelled out, ordering her to stop.

“Willow, stop!”

She paid him no heed. If she could get to the woods, she might have a chance, or so she tried to convince herself. As soon as she heard the thunderous beat of horses’ hooves pounding the ground, she knew she didn’t stand a chance.

“Willow!”

She turned recognizing the voice. It was Slatter and his horse was bearing down on her. She stopped and stood where she was and watched with amazement and shock as he leaned over the side of the horse, his arm extended out as he drew near to her.

She raised her arms, realizing what he intended, and in the next moment she was scooped up and deposited on her stomach to hang over the horse face down in front of him.

“Stay still,” he said, his hand pressed against her back, and headed for the woods.

Once there he hurried her off the horse, depositing her on her feet, and pulling her into a tight hug that she welcomed. It was a relief to feel his arms snug around her, holding her like he never wanted to let her go and to feel how their bodies melded together as if fearing they’d be parted again.

“I thought I lost you,” he whispered and brushed her lips with his before he eased her away from him when he wanted nothing more than to hold her close.

Her lips tingled and wanted more, but all she could do was stand there speechless. Had she heard him correctly? Had that been fear in his voice? Had he truly been worried that she had been lost to him? Had that also been her biggest worry all along… that she would never see him again?

“We have little time,” he warned. “You will go with Walcott.”

He didn’t wait for her to respond. His hands went to her waist and with one quick lift, she was deposited behind Walcott already mounted on a horse.

“Hold on tight and I will see you soon,” he said to her and gave her leg a squeeze, then looked to Walcott. “I’ll lose them. You know where to take her.”

Walcott nodded and took off before Willow could speak.