“As you wish.” He sat away from her slightly and spoke more loudly. “Eat now. We have a room for only a short while and then we will be on our way again.”
“We?”
“Forgive me. I misspoke.Youhave a room.”
Ivan turned his little body toward the serving woman and snapped his fingers. She jumped at his command.
Tears threatened Brighit but she blinked them away. They would do her no good. She picked up the cider and took a deep swallow for fortitude. She was left totally at this man’s mercy. She glanced toward the door. Her uncle could not be far. Surely if he would listen to her, he would see her better protected.
“I need to relieve myself.” Brighit stood slowly, fearful he would grab at her to keep her from rising.
Ivan kept his hands to himself. “Attempting to escape would not be wise.”
The room was filling now, but any one of them could be more of a threat to her than Ivan. He’d said he would hold to his promise unless she gave him reason.
“I will not try to escape.”
She darted to the door. Opening it, she assessed which way her uncle may have gone. The gloaming was quickly being replaced by darkness. To her right, two tall figures, heads together in close conversation, were barely distinguishable. Their voices carried.
“She’s not a burden. It will be as we’d planned.” Her uncle’s voice.
“As if you can speak openly with her nearby? I need assistance not—”
She hesitated a hair’s breadth before interrupting their impassioned conversation.
“But Leofrid, I promised—”
“Uncle?” The sudden silence fell like a sheet enshrouding them.
Uncle Ronan turned toward her and grabbed her arm. The other man gave them his back and receded deeper into the darkness.
“What is amiss? Why have you followed me?” He hissed and led her back toward the inn, away from the other man.
“I am afeared—”
“I care not how you feel!” He all but shoved her through the door.
She struggled not to lose her footing.
“Stay with Ivan. I will see you at the shore on the morrow. Now go.”
Brighit stood stock still facing the now closed door. Her breathing was shallow. What should she do?
“Come, lady. You need sustenance.” Ivan’s voice resounded in the room. All turned toward her but Ivan.
Slowly, she confronted the only slim chance she had for protection. The slobbering sound of him shoveling food into his mouth grew louder at her approach. She moved as if in a dream. Sitting in the spot she’d just left, she picked up the leg of lamb and began to gnaw at the meat. She would need her strength if she were going to survive whatever they had planned for her. Something was happening that she didn’t understand. She would follow Ivan’s advice and give him no cause to put his hands on her. She only hoped he would be true to his word.
Chapter Four
Between avoiding Ivan’s lecherous “protection” and trying to make out the land across the sea, it wasn’t until Brighit was deposited on the curragh that she realized her uncle was not joining her.
“Why are you not coming?” Her words were quick. Irritated.
Uncle Ronan stared at her before he answered. “Do you hear anything besides your own prattling in that head of yours? These men know the area much better than I. They will get you safely to the Priory.”
He puffed out a sigh then took both of her hands. Was he finally aware of her dilemma? His lecherous friend stood close enough behind her that she could feel his breath on her neck. No, her uncle didn’t seem to notice and was not aware of her distress.
“My dear niece,” he said and kissed her primly on both cheeks. “You will arrive safely and your new life will be all that you could have imagined.”
