shaking her head with each word.
“Lord Devlin is a powerful lord. You’ll do well to remember that.”
Her father released her and moved to his table. Sobbing now, Julianna looked at him with revulsion. She slid off the chair, hoping to protect herself if he should strike again.
“He’s a hard man, but will make ye a fine husband. Not that I should explain that to you. Be off so I can do my accounts.”
“I won’t marry him.” Until that moment, Julianna hadn’t known she had the courage to stand up to the monster. Her father returned to her and kicked her side. Julianna swore she wouldn’t cower to him, but he did frighten her. She was afraid to look at him, his face surely reflected his hatred.
“You will not gainsay me. You’ll do as your bid.” He walked off, letting her know the interview was at an end.
Pain shot through her ribs and she put her arms around her middle to ease it. Someone’s hands lifted her. Bleeth, she thought hopefully. Suddenly standing upright, she glanced behind her and saw Edwena.
“You’re not worth the trouble. You’d better do as your father says.” Edwena led her to her chamber and closed the door.
Julianna flung herself upon the bed and wept. “Oh, God help me. This is not my path.” Continuing to weep at the thought of marrying her father’s chosen groom and at the pain from the attack, she shuttered. Crying certainly wouldn’t help, she thought, drying her eyes.
Bleeth entered her chamber, stopping abruptly at the sight of her. “My lady, what happened?” He sat next to her, holding her face lightly. “He is pure evil.”
“Bleeth, please, ye must help me. I’m to leave soon for the wedding.” Julianna sobbed with each word.
“Worry not, my lady, I will send him to another realm.”
She sighed at his attempt at humor. “Be serious, Bleeth. My father intends to marry me to Lord Devlin, a monster. I must escape and go to Aunty’s.”
“I’ll make the arrangement. Rest and I shall return shortly.” Bleeth went to the basin and applied a cold cloth to her face then left the room.
Aunt Mathilda would be able to hide her until she could figure out what to do. Julianna would devise a plan to get herself to Scotland. Placing a few items in her satchel, she grabbed her letters from Sara. The letters contained Sara’s whereabouts, and since that’s where she planned to go, she didn’t want him to find them. Somehow she would reach the Highlands.
Her stepmother arrived sooner than anticipated and banged the chamber door upon entering. Julianna was certain her stepmother wanted to be rid of her this night.
“Your father wouldn’t beat ye if you were a good daughter. Finally …” She laughed harshly. “I will be rid of ye. You will only take what’s needed. Where is that lazy maid of yours?”
Julianna didn’t answer.
“Agnes, bring in the small trunk. We shall be done before nightfall.”
The maid, Agnes, came through the doorway, pulling a trunk behind her and set it beside Julianna’s wardrobe. Her stepmother pulled garments from the wardrobe and tossed them on the floor. Edwena had always been harsh, since she had married her father when Julianna was but seven. She would spank her for naught and would complain to her father. Julianna never understood why Edwena disliked her. Edwena deserved to be married to her father—they were two rotten apples in a basket.
Sitting beside her window, she watched her stepmother pack. It hadn’t taken long, and the horrid woman would soon leave.
“I will let your father know ye can leave sooner than expected.” With that, Edwena walked to the door, laughing in her undignified way. Agnes followed and pulled the door closed.
Julianna composed herself after Edwena left. Now she could continue with her plan. She went to her table and decided to write her father a missive in hopes he wouldn’t come after her. In her letter, she told him she would never follow his plan to marry Lord Devlin. He could
“Lord Devlin is a powerful lord. You’ll do well to remember that.”
Her father released her and moved to his table. Sobbing now, Julianna looked at him with revulsion. She slid off the chair, hoping to protect herself if he should strike again.
“He’s a hard man, but will make ye a fine husband. Not that I should explain that to you. Be off so I can do my accounts.”
“I won’t marry him.” Until that moment, Julianna hadn’t known she had the courage to stand up to the monster. Her father returned to her and kicked her side. Julianna swore she wouldn’t cower to him, but he did frighten her. She was afraid to look at him, his face surely reflected his hatred.
“You will not gainsay me. You’ll do as your bid.” He walked off, letting her know the interview was at an end.
Pain shot through her ribs and she put her arms around her middle to ease it. Someone’s hands lifted her. Bleeth, she thought hopefully. Suddenly standing upright, she glanced behind her and saw Edwena.
“You’re not worth the trouble. You’d better do as your father says.” Edwena led her to her chamber and closed the door.
Julianna flung herself upon the bed and wept. “Oh, God help me. This is not my path.” Continuing to weep at the thought of marrying her father’s chosen groom and at the pain from the attack, she shuttered. Crying certainly wouldn’t help, she thought, drying her eyes.
Bleeth entered her chamber, stopping abruptly at the sight of her. “My lady, what happened?” He sat next to her, holding her face lightly. “He is pure evil.”
“Bleeth, please, ye must help me. I’m to leave soon for the wedding.” Julianna sobbed with each word.
“Worry not, my lady, I will send him to another realm.”
She sighed at his attempt at humor. “Be serious, Bleeth. My father intends to marry me to Lord Devlin, a monster. I must escape and go to Aunty’s.”
“I’ll make the arrangement. Rest and I shall return shortly.” Bleeth went to the basin and applied a cold cloth to her face then left the room.
Aunt Mathilda would be able to hide her until she could figure out what to do. Julianna would devise a plan to get herself to Scotland. Placing a few items in her satchel, she grabbed her letters from Sara. The letters contained Sara’s whereabouts, and since that’s where she planned to go, she didn’t want him to find them. Somehow she would reach the Highlands.
Her stepmother arrived sooner than anticipated and banged the chamber door upon entering. Julianna was certain her stepmother wanted to be rid of her this night.
“Your father wouldn’t beat ye if you were a good daughter. Finally …” She laughed harshly. “I will be rid of ye. You will only take what’s needed. Where is that lazy maid of yours?”
Julianna didn’t answer.
“Agnes, bring in the small trunk. We shall be done before nightfall.”
The maid, Agnes, came through the doorway, pulling a trunk behind her and set it beside Julianna’s wardrobe. Her stepmother pulled garments from the wardrobe and tossed them on the floor. Edwena had always been harsh, since she had married her father when Julianna was but seven. She would spank her for naught and would complain to her father. Julianna never understood why Edwena disliked her. Edwena deserved to be married to her father—they were two rotten apples in a basket.
Sitting beside her window, she watched her stepmother pack. It hadn’t taken long, and the horrid woman would soon leave.
“I will let your father know ye can leave sooner than expected.” With that, Edwena walked to the door, laughing in her undignified way. Agnes followed and pulled the door closed.
Julianna composed herself after Edwena left. Now she could continue with her plan. She went to her table and decided to write her father a missive in hopes he wouldn’t come after her. In her letter, she told him she would never follow his plan to marry Lord Devlin. He could
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