The Defiant Bride by Leslie Hachtel

horse’s back. The horse leaped forward. Pressing her lips together against the pain, she kicked the horse’s sides, encouraging it into a gallop.
    Dariana had to find a place to hide. William would come after her. She must get word to Tamara. It would not be easy. Her thoughts were cut of by the sound of approaching hooves. By the saints! Why could he not leave her alone?
    The horse caught up to her. The rider was not William, but his man, John. “Stop, my lady,” he ordered. He kicked his horse so it jumped ahead and cut her of. Dariana’s mount reared and she grasped for purchase to keep from falling.
    Resigned, Dariana dropped her head. John pulled her onto his saddle.
    “My lady, this will not do. No one knows you fled. I will keep your secret, provided you do not try to run again. My lord would be very unhappy. I will see you back to the hall before it is discovered you are gone.”
    “Do you not understand? I have to go.” Dariana swiped a stray tear from her cheek.
    “No. You are the one who is unclear. You only need to trust Lord William. Now promise me.”
    Dariana knew she was without an ally here. She had no choice but to acquiesce.
    John grabbed the mare’s reins and then kicked his own mount forward. They galloped back to the castle, dismounted, and John escorted her to the main hall. Then he was gone.
    It seemed but mere moments later when a young maid appeared.”I am Erin and I will help you to your room, my lady. Your bath awaits.” The girl was young, perhaps fourteen summers, but she seemed genuinely pleased to serve. Dariana felt immediately that this was one place where the servants were well treated and happy in their work and it spoke much about the lord here. Perhaps it would not be so terrible to remain.
    By now her legs felt like water and she had trouble standing. Erin helped her up the stairs into a lovely room dominated by a huge bed with a thick cover in a pretty shade of deep blue. There was a chest and a table and chairs in the corner. The window would usher in the afternoon sun. The walls were hung with more tapestries, these depicting Greek characters from mythology. It was truly lovely.
    She was helped out of her garments and into the bath. The water had been delicately scented with rose petals and cinnamon. With a sigh of pleasure, Dariana sank into the soothing heat up to her chin. She inhaled deeply. When she closed her eyes she could almost hear the singing of the birds in the forest. It suddenly hit her—almost like a physical blow—that her life in the forest was no more and her discovery was fraught with much danger for the ones she loved. Tears coursed down her cheeks, unchecked.
    “My lady?” Erin said, concerned.
    Dariana opened her eyes and saw the fear in the young woman’s expression. “It’s all right. Naught is amiss that can be helped for now. I miss my home, is all.”
    Erin breathed out her relief. “Aye, my lady. I well understand. I came here not so many years past and I was in an awful state for weeks. It was terrible without my family but I got used to it. Oh, forgive me. I do tend to go on.”
    Dariana lost herself in the caress of the bath and the confusion of her thoughts. She was unclear as to what she should do from now on. It was fruitless to try and run away. Where could she go and find sanctuary? Besides, she had given her word to John. There was much to be considered. Not the least of which was how much she wanted to stay with William, even though he had taken her against her will. She surprised herself with this realization. After all, how dare he? But she knew. She was a woman in a world where the will of men prevailed. However, that certainly did not mean she should lay back and accept whatever men doled out. She had resisted before and could again, even knowing in the depths of her heart that her pride and willful nature could wreak havoc, not just for herself, but for others.
    What of the convent? The nuns would not turn her away. It