“Nay, I can stand what pain you inflict.”
“Then why are you crying?”
“I never cry!” she snapped childishly.
“You deny the tears that fall from your eyes, Brenna?” He shook his head. “Is it because I am intent on making love to you again?”
“You do not make love, Viking. You force yourself on an unwilling victim.”
“Would you let me make love to you?”
“I—nay, I would not.”
He bent down and kissed the tears that fell on her temples. “Then why do you mention it?” he asked softly.
“You would not understand.”
“Ah, but I do,” he said, and held her face between his hands, then kissed her softly. “You would rather I made love to you gently than force you.” He lowered his lips to her neck. “But more than that, you would rather I not have you at all.” He kissed her lips again, passionately this time, and her arms circled his neck without her knowing it. “Is this not so, Brenna?”
She felt like a puppet in his hands and answered mechanically. “Yea, you are right.”
“Then go.”
Brenna opened her eyes wide, the sensuous spell now broken. “What?”
He rolled to her side and fastened his trousers. “You may go. Is it not what you want?”
“But I do not understand,” she replied, her surprise evident as she quickly got off the bed and faced him. “You don’t want me anymore?”
He laughed. “You tell me you hate me, that you do not wish my attentions, and when I grant your wish, you argue with me. Make up your mind, Brenna. Have you had a change of heart?”
Her gray eyes widened even more. “Oh!” she gasped and stalked from the room.
Brenna hurried down the stairs and met Janie on her way into the hall, her hands full of empty tankards. On hearing Garrick leave his room, she stopped Janie and offered, “I will take those in.” Quickly she took the tankards, before Janie could refuse.
When she entered the hall, she groaned inwardly as she saw who the tankards were for. Anselm and Hugh had arrived, along with Bayard and two other men. Brenna gritted her teeth and continued to the long table where the men were gathered.
When she passed Perrin, he winked at her, which made her smile despite herself. She handed tankards to the two men she did not know. They dipped them into the enormous cauldron filled with foaming mead that sat on the table. Then she set one beside Bayard, who was, fortunately, involved in a discussion with Gorm, and did not notice her. When she came at last to Anselm and Hugh, her expression was filled with loathing as she set the tankards down by them, but this quickly changed to a tight smile when she met Garrick’s eyes as he took his place at the table.
In the next moment Brenna gasped as Hugh grabbed her about the waist and pulled her down on his lap. “So you tamed the vixen after all, brother,” Hugh said to Garrick, chuckling. “I would not have thought it possible.”
“Did I not say I would?” Garrick replied.
Brenna forced herself to remain still. If it were anyone but Hugh who held her, she might even consider flirting with him. But not with Hugh, whom she despised.
“You have had her for three months now and you are seldom home to make use of her anyway. Why not sell her to me?” Hugh offered. “I will give you three of my finest horses—four if you insist.”
Brenna watched Garrick closely for his answer. His brows were knitted together in thought, his hands clasped over his middle as he slouched back in his chair. When he did not answer immediately, Brenna felt panic rise within her. She had not considered that he might sell her. She realized with dread that he really did own her. He had the right to sell her and she could not say yea or nay.
Brenna was about to disclose her secret, that she knew what Hugh had offered and plead with Garrick to refuse him. But Hugh’s impatient voice stopped her. “Well, what say you, brother?”
“You could have had the girl for naught, but you chose her sister instead,” Garrick reminded him.
“In truth, I did not think she would ever be manageable. I wanted a spirited wench, but this one nearly bit my tongue off when I tried her out. But yet you have tamed her, it appears.”
“So you have changed your mind, eh? Methinks you would start a harem as those caliphs have in the East. ’Tis fortunate you have a timid wife who does not mind your dalliances, Hugh.”
Laughter resounded round the table from those who were listening, and even Anselm joined in. All but Hugh were amused, and Brenna cringed as his hold tightened around her waist.
