“Stop it, girl,” Simon answered. “Her name is Dara,” he told his son. “Don’t abuse her like you did the last one.”
“Simon?” a woman’s voice said from the house.
“That is my wife, Tommy’s mother. You won’t have to mind her much,” Simon said as if Elise had asked. He raised his voice. “We’re busy,” he stated bluntly. “I brought Tommy another girl.”
Elise caught a glance of a woman hovering just inside the door. Simon’s wife was a gray thing, thin and pale like a ghost. She didn’t show a sign of curiosity. Elise had seen that in a woman before. There had been a gamekeeper at Wiltham who had been cruel to his wife to the point that the woman had no spirit. Gram had let him go. She’d offered to take in the wife, but the woman had left with her husband.
There was no mettle left in Simon’s wife. Her only reply to his rude words was, “Let me know when you want dinner.”
Simon looked up at his son. “Don’t be cruel to this one. Word has gotten around. It’s harder to find you girls.”
“Dara.” Tommy tested out her name. He smiled. His teeth were brown.
And Elise decided the time had come to leave. Without warning, she lifted her skirts and took off as fast as she could.
There was a whoop behind her. Simon said with a laugh, “Go after her, Tommy. Give her a chase. But remember, not too rough.”
Once again, Elise found herself running. Did her feet hurt now? She had no idea. Fear drove her. The rowdy laborers appeared tame compared to this danger. She reached the woods.
“Dara, you can’t run from me,” Tommy called. “I know this land better than you.”
She kept going, believing she could escape him—
He shocked her by jumping right into her path, launching himself off a pile of trees and debris.
Elise screamed.How did he get there?She’d thought he was behind her and she’d been terribly wrong.
She pivoted, ready to race away, but he reached out with his long arms and grabbed her braid.
Her head jerked back. Pain shot through her. With a laugh, he began wrapping her braid around his meaty hand, bringing her toward him.
But a Lanscarr did not give up.
In a fit of pure rage, she spun around and, clasping both of her hands into a fist, whacked him hard right between the legs.
Tommy released his hold with a howl of pain. He doubled over and Elise was off again. However, she had not gone more than ten steps when he caught the left shoulder of her dress and tackled her to the ground.
He rolled her over. “You bitch,” he growled, placing a hand around her throat.
Elise felt his grip, felt her air being closed off. He didn’t even need both hands to choke her. She pleaded with her eyes for him to let go, and that is when she saw him poised with a fist raised in the air, ready to bring it down on her—
A figure slammed full force into Tommy.
His grip on her neck released as he lost his balance. Crying out in outrage, Tommy confronted his new attacker.
It was Kit. He was here.
He’d thrown himself at Tommy only to bounce off the giant and land heavily on the ground, the wind knocked out of him.
Tamsyn came rushing forward, as brave as she was with the laborers. She snapped and snarled, but this was a different adversary.
Tommy rose, forgetting Elise, who was busy taking great gulps of sweet, blessed air. He picked up a good-sized branch from the ground and swung it at the dog. He struck Tamsyn’s hindquarters. She gave a yelp and backed away. Tommy then started for Kit, who had finally rolled over but was still weak.
“This will be fun,” he gloated, and Elise knew she must stop him.
Chapter Nine
God is good, but never dance in a small boat.
