Lady Claire edged along the table, attempting to slip past him. He blocked her path at every turn and held out a hand, beseeching her to surrender.
“Give me the knife, my lady.”
“No. Perhaps you should take out your sword so it’s a fair fight, my lord,” she said tauntingly. The firm set of her jaw and her brave words were betrayed by her trembling hands.
His heart softened to her and he ached to gather her against his chest. He did not know much about the lady he had been commanded to wed, but he knew her late husband had been no saint. Lord Diterich’s first five wives had died in their sleep under mysterious circumstances. The elderly lord had been known for his violent temper, as well as his obsession with wealth and power. Galien hoped Lady Claire had not suffered too terribly at his hands. She was far too young to have been married to such an old man, and he wondered at the circumstances that had led to the marriage. Surely she had not been a willing bride.
Around them soldiers issued commands and ladies cried and gasped as they were escorted toward the great hall. Claire’s eyes filled with tears as she surveyed the scene, and her lower lip quivered. She met his gaze and anger flared in her brilliant blue depths.
“While you might have heard of my brother, I doubt you are the lord you claim to be. For all I know, you have concocted the story for some sinister purpose.”
“I am exactly who I claim to be. Even if I’m not, I am within my rights to claim you as mine. Enough of the knife play, my lady. Hand me the weapon now.”
She slashed the dagger through the air and he caught her wrist in a firm grasp. Stepping closer, he towered over her petite form and stared into her frightened eyes, cursing the circumstances of their first meeting. If therumors about her late husband and his son who now ruled in his place were true, she would have welcomed his arrival at Diterich with open arms. But now instead of her savior, he was her enemy.
He squeezed her wrist just hard enough to force the knife out of her hands. It clattered to the floor and for a moment he simply stared down at her, wordlessly beckoning her to trust him. She struggled against his hold, kicking at his legs and flailing around like a woman possessed.
“Release me!” She landed a hard kick and then winced, her foot hitting his armor.
“If you don’t calm yourself, my lady, you will get hurt.” He pulled her arms down to her sides and backed her against the table. “Now listen to me and listen well. I am indeed Lord Galien of Minrova, and your brother the duke of Leuthold has commanded me to take you as a wife, even to use force against Diterich to remove you from their castle if necessary. We are leaving Hohenzollern now, and if you continue giving me trouble I will not hesitate to exercise my husbandly right to discipline you, Claire. You will behave, my lady, or you will feel the sting of my sword belt on your bare arse.”
Chapter Two
Claire relaxed within Lord Galien’s hold and swallowed hard. Heat flooded her face at his threat of chastisement. She bowed her head and felt tears of frustration burning in her eyes. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She was supposed to enjoy a nice, long visit at Hohenzollern away from Diterich and her late husband’s relatives, especially her conniving stepson. She had eventually hoped to ask Princess Susanna for assistance in traveling to one of her brothers’ estates, but now it was too late.
Even if the story Lord Galien told her about Leuthold held true, she did not understand why her brother wished for her to marry the man. Leuthold, along with the rest of her brothers, had stood by without uttering a single protest when their father announced she was to wed Lord Diterich, all for the sake of an alliance that had proven troublesome in the end.
“I would rather not fight with you, Lady Claire.” Lord Galien’s deep, rumbling voice sent a flutter through her insides.
She inhaled a long, drawn-out breath and closed her eyes, willing herself to wake up in her bed, but when she opened her eyes Lord Galien was still staring down at her and still holding her captive. She tore her gaze away from him and listened as the chaos in the castle started to settle. She heard murmuring voices, punctuated by the occasional shout or bawdy laugh, coming from the great hall around them. The soldiers who apparently weren’t bride hunting today rushed by with armfuls of stolen goods, some of them lugging trunks through the halls.
“Do you have any belongings you wish to bring with you?”
Lord Galien’s question caught her by surprise, as did the kindness she glimpsed in his dark brown eyes. She cleared her throat. “Aye, my lord. I didn’t travel here with much, but if you would permit me to go to my chamber I will gather my things.” The longer she stalled, the longer she remained in the castle, the better her chances of escape. If she somehow managed to evade Lord Galien and slip down to the underground passage again, she might find her way into the north woods and catch up with Glenda,Hazel, and the others.
“Very well. Show me to your chamber and I will have my squires collect your belongings. If you attempt to cause any mischief though, my sweet Claire, I will make you sorely regret it.” He snapped his fingers and two squires emerged from the horde of looting men.
The four of them traveled through the halls and up a busy set of stairs. Lord Galien kept a firm hand on her upper arm, guiding her through the crowd. She noticed that he commanded great respect, or perhaps he incited fear, because all the soldiers stepped out of his path and gave him a wide berth.
The armored men swept past them carrying their treasures, everything from golden candelabras, to jewelry, to ladies’ dresses. Claire wondered if her chamber had already been ransacked. Once she reached the room she had been sharing in the east wing with Hazel and four other ladies, she frowned at the open door.
“That’s it,” she said, nodding. “If you would permit me some time to collect my things, I will be quick about it.” She glanced into the empty chamber and groaned inwardly to see it in such disarray, but at least some of her belongings remained untouched. The lid of Claire’s trunk rested open, but many of her dresses remained hanging over the side. She made to move into the chamber alone, but Lord Galien followed her inside with a possessive grip on her arm.
His assessing gaze swept around the room and he gestured for the squires to enter. “Please collect all of Lady Claire’s belongings in her trunk, and be quick about it. I would like to depart Hohenzollern within the hour.”
Claire’s mouth fell open and she wrenched from Lord Galien’s grasp. “I will pack my own things!” she snapped. “All of you, get out! Bloody get out!”
“My lady, I insist you calm yourself.”
“I said to get out! All of you!” She required time to think, damn him. She had never intended to marry again. She had already done her duty to her family by wedding the awful Lord Diterich, and she saw no benefit to a match with Lord Galien, for her family or for his. Her brother’s command puzzled her, and she hoped to talk her way out of the marriage. Yes, she would speak with the duke before the nuptials took place. Surely Lord Galien would not deny her a visit to her brother’s castle on the way to his keep. She took a deep breath and peered into her intended’s soulful eyes, fighting off the desire to sink further in his arms. His hold on her had turned gentle, though his censoring gaze burned into her.
“It appears you do not listen very well, do you, my lady?”
“I am sorry for my outburst. Your squires may pack my things. Th-thank you, Lord Galien, for your kindness.” It grated her nerves to speak so civilly to the man, but she forced the words out in hopes of garnering his favor long enough to see her to her brother’s castle. Her cheeks ached behind the smileshe forced.
Lord Galien waved a hand at his squires, but instead of packing up her trunk, the young men slipped from the chamber and shut the door behind them. She inhaled a shaky breath, the sudden darkness in Lord Galien’s eyes stirring fear in her heart. The last thing she wanted was to be alone with the man!
“My lady, I will not have you speaking disrespectfully to me or any of my men, squires included. As my wife, your behavior reflects on me, and it is my duty to ensure you are well-mannered and ladylike. Furthermore, I will not be mollified by a fake smile and placating words. No wife of mine will make a fool of me.” His harsh tone and his sudden grip on her shoulders made her wince. Still, she hated to cower in fear.
