“Some,” Rufus said. “But no deaths on our side.”

There was a moment of silence. Portia couldn’t bear the suspense. Even if it jeopardized this moment of reunion, she had to find out. Had she betrayed Cato to his death? “Cato?” The one-word question seemed to crash through the silence.

Rufus set her on her feet. “Granville did not take part in his ambush,” he stated. “Left it to his minions… fortunately for him,” he added with a harsh laugh. “We routed them so thoroughly, had he been there we would have had our reckoning, he and I.” Then, with almost visible effort, he wiped the darkness from his eyes and said briskly, “So what are you doing fencing with Will?”

Will looked at Portia, who looked at Will. Then Portia took a deep breath and said, “Will and George have been teaching me all the necessary skills to fight in the militia.”

“What?” Rufus demanded.

“I told you I wish to join your men,” Portia said steadily. “And I can prove to you now that I’m quite capable of doing so. I’m good enough, aren’t I, Will?” She fixed him with a gimlet gaze, willing him to speak up.

Will felt the ground shift beneath his feet. Rufus was looking as if he couldn’t believe his ears. But Will was no coward. He said, “Her swordplay’s better than mine, and she’s decent enough with a bow.”

“Thank you, Will,” Portia said softly.

He glanced at her quickly, then shrugged. “ ‘Tis the truth. You saved my life once, and I’d not fear if you were beside me again.”

High praise indeed! Portia flushed with pleasure. She had the impulse to kiss him, but soldiers did not go around embracing their comrades in arms.

“Are you telling me you dragged George into this ridiculous business?” Rufus demanded.

“Aye, m’lord. I’ve been teachin‘ ’er pike and musket.” George spoke from behind him. He’d heard of the master’s return and had come immediately to hear news of the expedition. Judging from the master’s fulminating countenance, it seemed Portia’s plan was in danger of foundering. “The lass’ll do well enough, sir. The men’ve been watchin‘ ’er practice. They’re all of the same opinion.”

That was something Portia had not heard. Her flush deepened. She said with swift determination, before Rufus could react, “I’ll prove it to you, Rufus. You saw me fence just now, but I’ll fence with you.” She darted to pick up her rapier, drawing it in a swift salute through the air. “And then I’ll hit three bull’s-eyes on the target out of six arrows, and I’ll show you how I can fire and reload a musket in just over a minute… and then I’ll show you how I can disembowel a hay bale.” Her eyes shone with the overpowering need to convince him; the words tumbled from her mouth in an exuberant cascade. “If you’ll just let me-”

Rufus held up a hand. “I don’t need to see you do these things,” he said, his voice clipped. “If Will and George say you can do them, then that’s good enough for me. But it doesn’t make any difference, lass. D’you really think I’m going to let you expose yourself to the dangers of a battlefield?”

Portia squared her shoulders and faced him, her chin tilted, her mouth set. “If I wish to expose myself to those dangers, that’s my business, not yours, Rufus. I’m good enough to fight under your standard, and it’s insulting for you to say that just because I’m a woman you won’t permit it. If your own men are willing to have me join them, why should you prevent it?”

At the end of this impassioned speech, the silence in the barn was so thick it would have smothered a conflagration. No one noticed that George had beaten a quiet retreat.

Rufus’s expression was unreadable, then he said brusquely, “Will, in an hour, I’ll give a briefing on the expedition. General muster in the drill hall.”

Will gave a half salute and left the barn with clear relief in his step.

Rufus turned back to Portia, who was still regarding him with an air of fierce challenge. “Must you glare at me like that?” he asked with a slightly quizzical smile. “I’ve had warmer welcomes from a stone.”

Portia hesitated. She saw now how tired he was. He was gray with fatigue, his eyes dark ringed, his fine mouth drawn within his beard. And she felt a surge of guilt at having launched her attack before he’d had time to recover from the journey. The issue was not so vital that it couldn’t wait until they’d greeted each other properly.

“I’m sorry,” she said with instant remorse. “You look so tired, love.”

“An understatement,” he said, passing a hand over his chin. “I’m in sore need of a bath and a change of clothes, and a cup of mead wouldn’t come amiss.”

“I can provide all of those things,” Portia said with a smile, taking his hand and leading him out into the lane. She swung on his hand as they walked to the cottage in a silence that was now both contented and anticipatory.

Rufus pushed open the cottage door. “Yes… yes, I’m delighted to see you too, Juno… I think.” He addressed the puppy, who was prancing on her hind legs and yapping in a shrill ecstasy of greeting.

Portia reached up and lightly touched Rufus’s face, running the tip of her finger‘ over his mouth. “I’ll bring you the mead.” She filled a tankard from the pantry. “Shall I get the bath for you?”

“Please.” Rufus groaned as he sat down at the table, stretching out his long legs. “God, I’m awearied. We’ve been riding for twelve hours straight.”

Portia dragged the tub before the fire and hefted the copper kettle from its hook, staggering slightly under its weight, but when Rufus moved to help her she shook her head. “I can draw a willow bow, Rufus, and massacre a bag of straw with a pike. And I can certainly carry a kettle of hot water.”

Rufus raised an eyebrow but he said nothing. However, he left her to pour the steaming water into the tub herself while he began to unbutton his buff leather jerkin. He kicked off his boots and rolled down his stockings, before standing to unbuckle his swordbelt and divest himself of his britches and drawers.

Maybe she was being selfish, but without the slightest nudge of guilt Portia threw self-restraint to the four winds. “Are you so tired because you didn’t sleep in Newcastle?” she inquired innocently, as he stepped into the tub and eased himself down, his long legs dangling over the end. “Or were you too busy with town amusements for something as dull as sleep?”

Rufus regarded her with narrowed eyes. “Are you perchance trying to pick another fight?”

“This one’s as an alternative to loving,” she said, kneeling beside the tub. “I feel the need for some excitement.” She leaned over and kissed him, running her fingers through his beard, her tongue, sinuous and importunate, demanding entrance to his mouth. Her hand moved down over the strong column of his throat, over his chest, lingering at his nipples, her fingers lifting the red pelt that sprang in energetic curls across his upper body.

Rufus rested his head on the back of the tub and closed his eyes, yielding to the wicked little caresses, the tantalizing darts of her busy fingers as her hand slid beneath the water, played a tune on the muscle-taut skin of his belly. And then lower, between his thighs, lifting his soft organ, cradling it in her palm, squeezing gently, pulling back the little hood of flesh to find the sensitive tip.

He leaped into life against her palm and she laughed softly, nibbling the corner of his mouth, dipping her tongue into the cleft of his chin.

“God’s grace, but you’d tempt a man from the grave,” Rufus murmured. “Just what have you been up to while I’ve been away?”

Portia leaned over and kissed him with her eyelashes, fluttering the golden fans across his lips. “Let me see… archery, swordsmanship, murdering sacks of straw, loading muskets… oh, and dreaming. I had plenty of time to dream alone in that great bed. And I believe I dreamed to good purpose,” she added with a triumphant little crow of laughter, sitting back on her heels. “What say you, Lord Rothbury?”