“You will dine with us tonight,” her father invited Torin when he mounted his horse and reached them. “We have things to discuss.”
Torin shook his head. “If Bennett knows she’s free, he will come for her. We cannot stay in your village.”
“Then…” her father’s voice dipped low, “where should she go?”
“She should stay with me.”
Braya’s heart sank and raced at the same time. “Just a moment. What is going on? What else has Bennett done?”
She noted the side-glance her father shot Torin and bristled between his thighs. “What has happened?”
“He wants to marry you.”
She turned around to look in Torin’s eyes and laughed. “I do not care what he wants. He will not have me.”
“He went to great lengths to have you kidnapped, Braya. He wants your family’s protection against the Scots.” He turned to her father. “You should promise your allegiance to him. You do it so that he does not have to marry your daughter to have it. If he questions you further, tell him that I have taken her and thatIplan on marrying her.”
Braya turned around completely and gaped at him. “What are you saying?”
“I must keep him from having you.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I will not marry you for that reason.”
“Now let me say something,” her father exclaimed. “I did not give you my permission for this.”
“He told me you would have no choice but to agree to a marriage,” Torin argued with him—with them both. “He will not stop at this. I must take you somewhere.”
“Where?” her father demanded.
“I do not know yet.”
“Take her to Rothbury,” Adams suggested. “To the earl. You were employed by him before. I’m sure he will take her in and ’tis far away enough to—”
“I do not wish to go to the Earl of Rothbury!” Braya insisted. “I will not run and hide from Bennett. I will—”
“Do you want us to fight the Scots?” her father asked.
She swallowed and shook her head.
“Then you will do as I say. We will discuss this further with your mother and decide what is best.”
They were quiet for the rest of the ride home. Braya was afraid to turn around and look at Torin. Was he sincere? Would he marry her to keep her safe from Bennett? She would have been more receptive to appreciating him if she didn’t suffer feelings for him. She wanted more than protection. She wanted him to feel something for her, something powerful and profound.
When the Armstrongs took her, she thought about Torin and about the kind of life she would like with him. She knew her family would come for her, but she had no idea what Torin would do. She hadn’t been expecting him to sneak into the house, kill the guards, and rescue her before the afternoon meal.
She leaned back against his chest. He closed his arm around her tighter. Did he care for her? What would happen after he took her to Rothbury? Why the hell did Bennett think she would become his wife? The bastard had her kidnapped! She wanted to kill him the next time she saw him, which was likely why Torin wanted to get her out of Carlisle.
They made it back to the Hetherington holding and were greeted by her mother and Lucy and a dozen others.
Instead of things being spread by word of mouth, they alerted everyone to come to the town hall.
When everyone had arrived, Torin told them that he believed the Scots were coming soon. If the Hetheringtons fought with Bennett and lost, they would pay a heavy price. If they stayed out of it, even if it meant Bennett losing, the Scots would leave them alone.
“You do not have the supreme protection against your enemies that you thought you had,” he told them. “The warden has been behind every raid and the last two attacks to frighten all of you. You,” he pointed to her father, “can gather a thousand men and you would do it because you hate the Scots.”
“Aye,” her father agreed.
“You were easy prey,” Torin told him and looked away before her father glowered at him.
