Taken By Storm Part 4

interfere. Besides, he marveled at her compa.s.sion and understanding.

He had been furious the day he rode into the Sioux camp and found people starving, no food to be

found. The little food he had brought with him had still been offered to him first, for it would have been rude for them not to share what little they had, just as Hannah did now.

He wished he had money with him so that he could give her enough to flee this wasteful life and start new

in America, on his ranch if necessary.

"I need your help," Storm said, taking Hannah's hand and sitting at the table with her.

"Whatever I can do for you," Hannah obliged, and filled two tankards with mead from the pitcher on the

table.

"I search for a man," Storm said, handing a tankard to Burke. "His name is Cullen Longton."

Burke stood beside Storm, since there were only two chairs.

"I was told he may have pa.s.sed through here, and there may be a bounty on him."

Hannah's eyes widened. "There was a man accused of poaching on Dunwith land, but he was taken to

Glencurry."

"Why?" Storm asked.

Burke didn't like the tone of her "why." Something was wrong.

Hannah shook her head. "None understood why. If he poached on Dunwith land, then here is where he

should be tried and convicted, but he was whisked away."

Burke took a step forward, but Storm's hand shot out and jabbed at his thigh. He heeded her warning

and stood still, fighting the urge to question the woman.

"More mead?" Hannah asked Burke.

He nodded and held out his tankard.

"When did this occur?" Storm asked.

"Three, maybe four weeks ago."

"Do you know for certain if his name was Cullen?" Storm asked.

"I cannot say for certain, but the name does sound familiar."

Storm stood. "We must go." She took Hannah's hand and dropped several coins in it.

"I cannot," Hannah protested. "There are those needier than me."

"And this man beside me has agreed to help them, leaving you free to accept this gift."

Burke finally spoke. "Storm is right."

Hannah wept, hugging the coins to her chest. "You are a G.o.dsend, Storm."

"Some claim I'm the devil." She laughed.

"No, an angel. This will feed my family and others. G.o.d bless."

After quick hugs and more tears, Storm and Burke took their leave and made their way to the woods

unnoticed.

"We wait for Tanin," Storm said, pacing the forest floor, the crunch of leaves distinct beneath her booted feet.

"You're upset. Why?"

Storm stopped pacing. "It makes no sense that this man was taken to Glencurry. His crime was here in

Dunwith."

Burke reached out and took hold of her arms. "What's wrong with that?"

Her hesitation upset Burke even more, but the rustle of branches had them both taking cover. Burke

wrapped his arm around her slim waist and dragged her behind a thick bush. Her waist was tiny. He

could practically wrap his arm clear around it. How she swung a sword, he'd never know. There was

strength in her small frame and feminine curves that reminded him that she was a woman, a woman who

felt good in his arms.

He wanted to hold on to her, offering security, safety, sanctuary.

She, however, broke free once she saw that it was Tanin.

"Food is stored for them where none will find it and there is enough to feed more families," Tanin said,

holding the rolled bedding out to her.Storm nodded and took the bedding, disappearing into the woods."You found what you needed?" Tanin asked."We found that we may have to go to Glencurry," Burke said.Tanin's head jerked, his eyes turned wide."Glencurry seems to cause an adverse reaction in people. Why?" Burke asked."Earl of Balford at Glencurry is not a man you want to deal with," Tanin advised."Why?""He cares little for human suffering.""Then my brother could suffer at his hands?""More than he can humanly endure."Burke grew alarmed. There was no way in h.e.l.l he'd let an earl or a duke or whatever some such nonsense-t.i.tled man harm his brother.

"How far is Glencurry from here?"

"Two, two and half days."

"Then we leave right away," Burke said.

"No, we return to camp," Storm said, tossing the rolled bedding to Tanin and once again clothed as a

young lad, stocking cap and all.

Burke approached her. "I need to get to my brother."

"We need to make certain your brother is at Glencurry," Storm argued. "It will do us little good to go

there uncertain and without a plan. When we go, we go to free him."

Burke wanted to argue but there was nothing to argue. She was right. If he charged in there like a fool, he could wind up imprisoned as well. What good would that do?

"I will send men to find out all they can. Then we will decide what is to be done," Storm said and turned.

"Come. We need to get back to camp. There is work to be done."Burke didn't want to follow. He wanted to head in the opposite direction and demand to see his brother,if it was indeed his brother, and then he would demand his brother be freed or he'd buy his way out ofprison. One way or another, he intended to free Cullen, his brother, and take him home to America. He had promised his father, and he intended to keep his promise. Besides, he wanted to get to know his brother; he was all the family Burke had left.

Nightfall found them camped behind a large boulder, a single fish serving as their meal. Storm ate little,

though Burke insisted she eat more. She insisted she wasn't hungry, and he wondered if that was her

standard response when little food was available.

Tanin was quick to seek his bed. Burke realized he was a man of few words but of great courage and compa.s.sion and a man who thought highly of Storm. He wondered what had brought the pair together and what bond kept them together.

Burke approached Storm where she sat perched on the edge of a boulder, staring into the night.

"Tell me of the Earl of Balford."