“Tell me, Lord Douglas, had I not proven to be your wife, had my marriage license not been legal, would I have walked freely from this place?”
He arched a brow at her. “Are you asking if I would have raped you? Slain you—scalped you?”
“You ripped my clothes to shreds. Would I have walked out of here naked?”
He merely shrugged. “You’d have walked out dressed as you are now. I’d have seen that you received whatever sum was necessary to replace your clothing and get you home. Generous, had you been an impostor other than a gold digger.”
“Generous!” Skylar exploded. “Well, then, had it been that way, I’d have sued the pants off you. I’d have prosecuted. I’d have taken you to court for kidnapping and rape. I’d have?—”
“You did inform me of all the torture you’d have dealt out had you been able. Get your stockings and shoes on. Have coffee if you wish. I’ll saddle Tor and call Wolf.”
He left the cabin. She stood there, shaking, enraged with her own impotence to act against him.
But she couldn’t go back…
She finished dressing, then discovered that the black coffee was delicious, that it raced warmly into her system, and she was grateful for it. He had cleared the soup dishes from the night before. She had taken the coffee pot, ready to discard the grounds, when he came back in. He broke up the fire in the grate. He turned to her. “Ready?”
“I—should I dump these? And the water…in the tub will grow stagnant.”
“Someone will be out to look after it all,” he said briefly. “Let’s go.” He took the coffee pot from her hands, indicating the door. She walked on outside.
A bark greeted her. She jumped back alarmed, but the dog, Wolf, was wagging his tail furiously. He was huge, half her own size, Skylar thought, and looked as if he could shred her into numerous pieces. But even as her heart seemed to stop and she hung back, he came close to her, shoving his wet nose against her hand.
“He just wants attention,” Hawk said, coming out and closing the door behind him. He hunkered down on the balls of his feet, petting the dog. “Good boy. Let’s ride, eh? Let’s get Tor.”
Wolf barked and leaped on ahead. Skylar hurried down the steps, realizing the copse where they’d come was very pretty. High oaks shaded a trail down to a clearing where Tor waited. Wildflowers grew at the base of the trees. There were pines as well as the oaks, lending a sweet fragrance to the air and a soft carpeting to the earth.
Skylar reached the horse and came to a halt. He was saddled and bridled, though she hadn’t seen a saddle on him the other day when she’d first taken a wild ride across his haunches. She glanced at Hawk, who read her thoughts. “Stable is right back there,” he said, pointing down a path that led toward the right of the cabin. She nodded. He leaped up on his horse, reaching a hand down for her. She hesitated, wondering if she could manage such a leap, but she needn’t have given her own abilities any thought. He reached down impatiently, grasped her arm, and easily swung her up in front of him. His horse instantly began a trot that sent her slamming against his chest time and again.
A few moments later, it was worse. They were racing across open plains. The breakneck speed terrified her, while it seemed that Hawk barely held her, barely kept her from flying from the mount. She grasped the horse’s mane, clinging for dear life.
If she died, he’d be free again. The thought was not a comforting one. Yet even as Tor slowed his gait, she felt Hawk’s hand against her waist, the rock wall of his chest behind her. She had been safe the entire time. He didn’t intend to kill her. Not yet, at any rate.
When they reached Riley’s, Riley and Sam were sitting on the long bench in front of the inn and stagecoach stop. Sam, his white whiskers twitching, his face red, rose quickly, coming forward to help Skylar down from Hawk’s horse. “Afternoon, Lady Douglas. I’m glad to see you, I am?—”
“You should be!” Skylar told him.
He stood duly chastised as Hawk leaped down to stand behind her. Wolf barked, wagging his tail, and Sam quickly patted him on the head in welcome while addressing Skylar. “Ma’am, I’ve got to admit, none of us here had an idea of who ye might really be?—”
“Turns out she is Lady Douglas,” Hawk said.
Sam’s big blue eyes went moon wide. “You were married up with David?—”
“No, she’s married up with me,” Hawk informed him. “Seems my father made the arrangements, just forgot to tell me. Sam, did you bring my father in yet?” he asked quietly.
Riley had come by then to stare at him and Skylar. “Your pa is in the parlor, Hawk. I sent word out to Mayfair. Guess you weren’t there. I’m expecting someone back with a wagon so your pa can be laid out right at his home.” He spoke to Hawk. He stared at Skylar, then scratched his head. “So—you’re married?” he said in astonishment to Hawk.
Hawk tethered Tor in front of the inn. “Seems so. I’m going to see to my father. Have you anything good on the menu today, Riley? I’m starving.”
“Some of the best damned venison you’ll find either side of the hills!” Riley said proudly. “Fresh bread, apple pie?—”
“We’ll take the lot,” he said. Without glancing in Skylar’s direction, he walked into the inn.
Sam turned to Skylar then. “Lady Douglas.” He spoke quickly. “I’m rightly sorry, miss, I am. Taking part in—what do you call it—sub-ter-fuge.”
“Downright trickery,” Riley said sadly.
“But you got to forgive us. Hawk didn’t know who you were no how, and it just seemed as if you had to be playing some kind of that trickery on the lot of us. Do you understand?” Sam asked anxiously.
