“And I suppose she begged you to bed her?”
There was no answer, which was answer enough. A low growl, very much like pain, came from the depths of Jamie. He shoved the older man away. He wanted more than anything to tear him apart, to beat him until there was nothing left to beat. But damn the man to hell, he was right. Jamie had no claim on Sheena. And, banished from her home, without family, she could do as she chose with her life. But not any longer, by God!
‘Get her down here, Jameson, quickly, ’afore I forget what’s reasonable and what isna reasonable.”
Jamie was left alone in the hall then, staring at the fire, its heat no match for the jealousy burning him. He tried to remind himself he had no real right to Sheena, but that didn’t stop the hurt. He would rather have the pain of a hundred wounds than a tortured spirit.
“Sir Jamie?”
He swung around sharply. There was a timid smile on her face, but it vanished when his eyes met hers. Cursing himself, he knew he would not blame her for what had happened. He was not her keeper. She had every right to make her own choices. But Will Jameson? That puny, sorry excuse for a man? He shut his eyes against the pain. Sweet Mary, he would never understand it! But he would not blame her. Well, he wouldtrynot to, anyway.
When he opened his eyes again, some of the furywas gone from his gaze. But Sheena kept her distance. She had been about to thank him for rescuing her, but she wasn’t so sure she wanted to be rescued by him. How angry he looked!
Jamie watched her watching him, saw the wary look in her eyes. He should have been used to her fear of him, but he wasn’t. And she did not look well. She was wearing the same blue gown she had left in, and it was in terrible condition. Dark crescents had formed under her eyes. She was so pale. Maybe she was unhappy with Jameson. Or maybe…
“You will be coming with me, and I’ll hear no nonsense about it,” he ordered tersely. “Where’s Jameson?”
Sheena looked behind her, then shrugged. “I dinna know. He brought me down here, but I guess he was too afeared to face you after—”
“’Tis just as well.” Jamie cut her off gruffly. “I’m sore tempted to kill the man.” He shouted at the rafters then. “You hear that, Jameson? Dinna let meevercatch sight of you again!”
Sheena’s eyes widened in amazement. And when he grabbed her arm and escorted her roughly from the hall, she went right along. Did he know she had been kept prisoner there? Maybe he was not angry with her after all, but with Jameson. To be so furious over her was certainly not what she had expected.
Jamie’s retainers gathered the horses, and Sheena saw quickly that there was no extra horse for her. She let Jamie help her up onto his big gray stallion,tensing when he joined her. The others rode off, leaving them to follow at a slower pace.
With Jamie’s arms wrapped around her, Sheena felt herself growing hot despite the biting wind. She half turned so he could hear her. “Sir Jamie, is it to Aberdeen you’re taking me?”
“Nay.”
She ignored the curtness of his reply. “But I want you to. I would rather go to Aberdeen.”
“Would you?” he said darkly.
Sheena frowned. “You said you would take me there. Well, I’m asking you to.”
“If you longed so for Aberdeen, then you should have had Jameson take you there while you had the chance,” Jamie snapped. “My offer is withdrawn, Sheena. Permanently. Dinna be asking me again.”
“But…why?” she cried.
“It has been pointed out to me that I have been negligent in no’ putting my claim on you. I will remedy that as soon as we return by announcing our handfasting.”
“I refuse!” she gasped.
Jamie said coldly, “It can be done without your approval. ’Tis only a matter of a formal announcement to my kin, for them to know I commit myself to you. I should have done it sooner.”
“That is barbaric, and no’ fair! You canna force me, Jamie. Only my father could force me into a commitment I oppose.”
“And if he did?”
“He wouldna give me to an oaf like you!” Shewas growing angry, and quite forgot herself, “I willna agree, and I’ll be telling your kin I willna agree. So if you try to take me, ’twill be rape and you know it!”
“Curse you, woman! Rape for me, but willingness for Jameson, eh? How could you, Sheena?”
“How could I what?” she gasped, quite confused by then. “What are you accusing me of?”
He drew the horse up abruptly and gripped Sheena’s shoulders painfully, making her face him. His eyes were smoldering. Even in the dark, she could see it. She held her breath, terrified.
“He offered you naught, yet you gave yourself to him willingly. I offer you a binding commitment, and you refuse me. All right. I know why you refuse me. I know the reason, and I’ll overcome it. But by the saints, Sheena, I’ll never understand what you saw in Jameson!”
