"The bride has to say she is willing,” Jolene said. “You must know I will never mouth such a lie.” The way Harold smiled gave her such a chill, she actually shivered.
"I have been most careful in my choice of the priest who shall marry us. Once wed, I can claim your very healthy dowry and use your place as my wife to try and get Reynard back in Drumwich."
There was such a calm, firm certainty in his voice Jolene felt unable to argue his plan. It was all too easy to believe a priest would just ignore her protests and denials. The man did not even have to be corrupted by a heavy purse. Too many men of the church felt a woman was too weak-minded to know what was best for her. Harold could even threaten her life and she was not sure she would choose death over even a short time as his wife. If he had the wit to know he would lose, too, if he killed her, she knew he could use pain to bend her to his will. Jolene knew she was no coward, but her endurance had never been tested before. It took only one small crack in her will, one whisperedaye, and she would be married to Harold before God and the laws of England. She would be trapped. And, he was right to say he could get Reynard through his marriage to her. The laws of both lands would demand it and the Camerons could pay very dearly if they tried to keep Reynard, tried to hold him safe with them.
Jolene sternly pushed aside the sense of defeat creeping over her. She might weaken, might slip deeper into Harold's grasp, but that did not mean she had to stay in his hold. Nor did Harold's plans have to go as he had laid them out. It might not come now, but a chance to escapewouldcome. She had to believe that or all hope was lost.
"Am I to get a chaste bride?"
His abrupt question startled her out of her thoughts and she stared at him. Suddenly she thought of Sigimor's kisses and felt herself blush. The rage on Harold's face frightened her, but, again, he managed to bring himself under control. He probably did not wish to drag a badly beaten woman before a priest, she thought cynically.
"So, you have let that bastard Scot touch you, have you?” he demanded.
"Which bastard Scot do you refer to?” she asked sweetly, wondering what possessed her to goad him so.
"Would you have me believe the too-proud lady of Drumwich has become naught but a common whore?"
"Common? Nay, ne'er common. Yet, such lovely, big, handsome men—” she began.
"Filthy Scots! You dishonor the Gerard name and blood!” Harold took several deep breaths to calm himself. “I do not believe you,” he said after a few moments, the tremor of rage still lingering in his voice. “Nay, you would never demean yourself so, not with one of those Camerons. Barbarous lot. Infamous. They are known throughout this cursed land for their tempers, for their proclivity to breed only redheads, and for their eccentric ways. Tis how I know where the fool is taking you."
"At least they are not infamous for murdering their own kinsmen because of greed."
"Twas bad fish that killed Peter."
Jolene ached to scratch the smug look from Harold's face. “Twas poisoned wine."
"That can ne'er be proven. No one will heed the claims of a disobedient wife against her husband, the lord of Drumwich. Once we are married, your word will count for naught against mine, and there is no one to stand with you against me."
"My kinsmen will heed me."
"You best pray that they do not, not if you wish them to live."
"You cannot kill them all."
"I can silence enough of them to put the fear of God, or me, into the others.” He grabbed her by the chin. “And, if you cause me too much trouble, even the pleasure of having your soft body at my command will not stop me from silencing you. That would be unfortunate,” he murmured, stroking her cheek, then scowling when she pulled away from his touch, “for I would prefer to hear you cry out in pleasure as I bed you. The two of us could make the Gerards of Drumwich the greatest power in all of England."
It did not really surprise Jolene that Harold had plans far beyond the stealing of Drumwich. Far beyond his capabilities as well, she mused. Then again, he had learned to control his rage, to harness that urge to blindly strike out. If he has learned caution and subtlety, he could be a threat to far more than her, Reynard, and Drumwich. The mere thought of Harold gaining any real power, power over more than Drumwich, was frightening. She had to put an end to this man's plans.
Jolene was just considering a blind attempt to flee, praying surprise would aid her, when one of Harold's men shouted in alarm. His cry was followed by a panic among the horses. Both of Harold's men were suddenly, fully occupied in trying to keep the horses from fleeing. One of the men cried out something about an adder. It seemed her prayers were about to be answered. Although Jolene thought a snake a strange savior, she took immediate advantage of Harold's distraction.
Clutching the rock she had kept hidden beneath her skirts, Jolene leapt to her feet. Harold turned back toward her, but he only had time to shout one curse before she struck him in the side of the head with the rock. He was still crumpling to the ground when she retrieved her dagger and started to run.
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Chapter Six
"Run, lass!"
Jolene did not hesitate as she ran through the woods. She had the wild thought that it was odd how her heavenly guardian sounded like a Scot. Then Liam was at her side. He moved to keep just far enough in front of her to lead her, yet be near enough to immediately help her if she needed it. She wanted to tell him that all she needed was someone to point the way, but decided she had better save her breath for running.
Liam stopped her only once. He gave the call of a blackbird. Jolene was just about to compliment him on how perfectly he did that, when it was answered. Knowing that meant other Camerons were not too far away, she did not really need his signal to start running again. She suspected that, if she knew where to go, she would run right on past Liam, so anxious was she to get back to Sigimor and the others.
Her first sight of Sigimor was him scowling at her. Jolene did not think she had ever seen a more beautiful sight. She gave into an urge she did not fully understand and ran straight for him. To her relief, he opened his arms and caught her, holding her almost too tightly against him. She wrapped her arms around him and let the feeling of being safe again flow through her.
"Trouble?” Sigimor loosened his hold on Jolene slightly, but took due note of the fact that she did not ease her tight grip upon him.
"Harold,” Liam said as he caught his breath.
