“What about strength? Am I not bigger and stronger?”
Her tight smile was presented once more. “Who do you use that strength for? If we are engaged, that would be me. So I guess I win again, don’t I? That makes nine.”
Kellen laughed, startling many. He was incredibly amused at her reasoning. Also relieved that while she might be angry, and her talk strange, she not only seemed sane, but intelligent. His first impression of her was obviously wrong. Her way of speaking was still odd, but charming, now that she’d slowed her speech and he understood her. “How came you to be here?”
The girl’s shoulders drooped and for the first time she appeared lost. “I was drawing a castle and some men started chasing me.”
She looked so dejected that Kellen softened his tone. “Yes. This I already know. But how did you make the journey from your father’s keep?”
“What do you mean? How did I get to England? I flew here.”
Kellen glanced around. He did not want any accusing her of witchery. Obviously she was being sarcastic and did not wish to answer him, a trait he would soon break her of. He knew she could not have made the journey by herself and suspected her father sent her out for reasons of his own. Her temper? Perhaps she was in love with another? Did she seek to escape the match? Corbett’s reasons were unimportant now.
If her family did not know how to care for her, he would gladly do so.
She might think she owned him, but she belonged to him now.
And he was keeping her.
Chapter Six
This was going absolutely nowhere. With an exclamation of disgust, Gillian turned to leave. She didn’t have to stand around while this bozo questioned her.
She gave the knight one last, long look before heading for the door. The guy obviously wasn’t even the least bit sorry, so now would be a really great time for her to find a police officer to make him sorry!
Feeling uncertain, wondering if she’d be stopped, she left through the open front doors. When no one tried to intercept her, she breathed a sigh of relief and headed down the steps and into the courtyard. She spotted a couple of men nearby, dressed as peasants.
Gillian approached, hoping she wasn’t jumping from the frying pan and into the fire by asking a favor from complete strangers. “Excuse me.” She sounded a little breathless and cleared her throat, not wanting to sound like anyone’s victim. “I need to get a ride back into the town of Marshall. Do you think you could help me out? Or at least lend me a cell phone?”
The men looked at each other, at her, then as one they shook their heads, bowed slightly, turned and walked away, whispering and casting glances over their shoulders.
With a sigh, Gillian watched them go.
She was really starting to hate this place.
She looked around, hoping for someone more sympathetic. Everyone was busy. She could see a stable with several men at work, what looked like barracks being fixed by a couple more guys, and some buildings that could be storehouses with some kids playing in the dirt nearby.
There were a couple of workshops, doors open wide, with men inside. Herbs, plants, and roots hung from the rafters of one building, and in the other, what looked to be pieces of wood in various shapes and sizes. What she didn’t see were any friendly faces. People were casting wary glances in her direction or flat out ignoring her.
She looked at some men digging in the dirt on the side of one stone wall. Not one of them would meet her gaze, so no help there. Further on, a cart was being loaded by several men, and beyond them, a tall, rounded structure with a cross over the doorway looked to be a chapel, but its doors were shut tight.
Another building, from what she could see and hear, was a kitchen, filled with energetic women, coming and going.
She started in that direction when a woman with an armful of material bustled across the courtyard. Feeling a one-on-one conversation might be less intimidating,
Her tight smile was presented once more. “Who do you use that strength for? If we are engaged, that would be me. So I guess I win again, don’t I? That makes nine.”
Kellen laughed, startling many. He was incredibly amused at her reasoning. Also relieved that while she might be angry, and her talk strange, she not only seemed sane, but intelligent. His first impression of her was obviously wrong. Her way of speaking was still odd, but charming, now that she’d slowed her speech and he understood her. “How came you to be here?”
The girl’s shoulders drooped and for the first time she appeared lost. “I was drawing a castle and some men started chasing me.”
She looked so dejected that Kellen softened his tone. “Yes. This I already know. But how did you make the journey from your father’s keep?”
“What do you mean? How did I get to England? I flew here.”
Kellen glanced around. He did not want any accusing her of witchery. Obviously she was being sarcastic and did not wish to answer him, a trait he would soon break her of. He knew she could not have made the journey by herself and suspected her father sent her out for reasons of his own. Her temper? Perhaps she was in love with another? Did she seek to escape the match? Corbett’s reasons were unimportant now.
If her family did not know how to care for her, he would gladly do so.
She might think she owned him, but she belonged to him now.
And he was keeping her.
Chapter Six
This was going absolutely nowhere. With an exclamation of disgust, Gillian turned to leave. She didn’t have to stand around while this bozo questioned her.
She gave the knight one last, long look before heading for the door. The guy obviously wasn’t even the least bit sorry, so now would be a really great time for her to find a police officer to make him sorry!
Feeling uncertain, wondering if she’d be stopped, she left through the open front doors. When no one tried to intercept her, she breathed a sigh of relief and headed down the steps and into the courtyard. She spotted a couple of men nearby, dressed as peasants.
Gillian approached, hoping she wasn’t jumping from the frying pan and into the fire by asking a favor from complete strangers. “Excuse me.” She sounded a little breathless and cleared her throat, not wanting to sound like anyone’s victim. “I need to get a ride back into the town of Marshall. Do you think you could help me out? Or at least lend me a cell phone?”
The men looked at each other, at her, then as one they shook their heads, bowed slightly, turned and walked away, whispering and casting glances over their shoulders.
With a sigh, Gillian watched them go.
She was really starting to hate this place.
She looked around, hoping for someone more sympathetic. Everyone was busy. She could see a stable with several men at work, what looked like barracks being fixed by a couple more guys, and some buildings that could be storehouses with some kids playing in the dirt nearby.
There were a couple of workshops, doors open wide, with men inside. Herbs, plants, and roots hung from the rafters of one building, and in the other, what looked to be pieces of wood in various shapes and sizes. What she didn’t see were any friendly faces. People were casting wary glances in her direction or flat out ignoring her.
She looked at some men digging in the dirt on the side of one stone wall. Not one of them would meet her gaze, so no help there. Further on, a cart was being loaded by several men, and beyond them, a tall, rounded structure with a cross over the doorway looked to be a chapel, but its doors were shut tight.
Another building, from what she could see and hear, was a kitchen, filled with energetic women, coming and going.
She started in that direction when a woman with an armful of material bustled across the courtyard. Feeling a one-on-one conversation might be less intimidating,
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