“You could try kindness, son,” she said softly.
“Nay, ’tis not my way.”
“There was a time when you were not so hard, Garrick. Has Morna destroyed you so?” Seeing that his eyes narrowed, she added quickly, “Forgive me. I did not mean to remind you of her. But this girl is not Morna. Can you not practice a little tolerance for her sake?”
“Is she mine?”
“Yea,” she replied reluctantly.
“Then leave me to handle her as I see fit.”
Brenna bristled. That they assumed she could not understand them was what she wanted, but it was becoming exceedingly difficult not to retaliate when the conversation was about herself. Garrick had proved himself to be a cold, heartless adversary, no better than she expected. At least she knew for sure now.
She found him looking at her with icy eyes. “Give me the knife, mistress.”
His voice brooked no refusal, yet she shook her head vehemently. “Nay, you will have to take it.”
“Garrick, for God’s sake, let her keep it for now!” Heloise said earnestly. “Would you chance a wound here?”
“By Thor!” he stormed. “Her words are brave, but you greatly overestimate her, mother, as she does herself. She is no match for a man.”
“Please, Garrick!”
He battled quickly with his emotions, but finally his mother’s pleading won out over his instincts. He turned to Brenna, who faced him defiantly.
“Will you come with me peaceably?”
“Yea,” she answered readily, knowing the victory was hers. “I will leave this hall.”
He motioned for her to precede him, and she did so proudly, looking neither left nor right. She returned the knife to her belt as she walked, assured that no one would accost her now.
At the top of the stairs, Garrick stopped Brenna when she turned left, and instead shoved her toward his room. She did not object. At least his chambers had a soft bed. But as soon as she stepped through the doorway, he took her by surprise, lifting her off her feet with one arm, while the other snatched her knife away. He then swung her viciously across the room, and she fell hard against the cold floor.
“I should have done that below,” Garrick snarled cruelly, “to put you in your place properly.”
“Liar!” she hissed as she got to her feet. “You were afraid to face me when I was prepared for you. You had to attack me from behind like the cowardly swine you are!”
“Careful, wench,” he warned her menacingly. “Or you will get the beating you so greatly deserve.”
“So you also beat defenseless women? Is there no end to your despicable ways?”
“Not defenseless women, mistress—incorrigible slaves!” he said furiously.
“Ohhh!” she screamed and started to rush him.
“Hold, girl, if you value your life!”
She did not heed his words, intent only upon doing him harm. But she did stop in her tracks when she heard vicious growling coming from the bed. She turned fearful eyes in that direction and saw a huge white shepherd crouched on the bed, baring his sharp teeth at her.
“Had you struck me once, mistress, he would have been at your throat in an instant.”
“Call him off,” Brenna whispered fearfully, her face a deathly white.
“Nay, I think not. The dog is just what you need to keep you from mischief,” Garrick replied, his lips turning up at one corner in a sneer.
She turned wild eyes on him. “You cannot leave me here with him!”
“He will not harm you, as long as you stay put.”
