Stealing the Bride by Mary Wine Page B

signing his name to orders such as those.
    But he wanted to beat Pherson Dalry to death with his bare hands.
    Sheathing his sword, he turned and began running back toward Leask land. Stealing brides was Scottish but that didn’t change the fact that he was going to wrap his hands around Pherson’s throat for giving that order.
    And that was a Scottish promise.
    “You cut my dress.”
    Elspeth glared at her captor and resisted the urge to retch on his steps. That man was too fortunate because her stomach was near empty so her nausea had nothing to send up.
    “Fabric is expensive.”
    “I know that. I’ve two sisters who remind me constantly by having their accounts come to me to be settled.”
    Pherson Dalry raked her from head to toe with his blue eyes. The man had a keen gaze but Elspeth discovered that she had no liking for the man at all. Let him think her shrewish. All that much better for him to long to be rid of her.
    “Well, I have to wonder why you need to kidnap another woman when it sounds like you have no patience for the ones related to ye.”
    He smiled, his lips parting to flash even white teeth at her. “Well, because, little ruffled hen, I can nae be thinking what I’m thinking about me own sisters. That would be a sin.”
    Elspeth refused to be so easily shocked. She propped her hands on her hips and scowled at the man.
    “It is still a sin and ye’re a poor excuse of a man for trying to frighten me.”
    His smile faded, replaced by a pensive look. “Well now, maybe I wanted to test yer courage. Rumor has it ye ride that stallion of yer brother’s with yer thighs holding ye in the saddle. I confess that I’m interested in seeing what manner of woman ye be.”
    She wished she could muster up some tears but her temper refused to allow her any expression save for a scowl. If she could weep he’d be finished with her, but her hands remained poised on her hips and her back straight and strong.
    “Ye had plenty of time to come and meet me if that was yer wish. Do nae play me for a fool. Ye want to toy with Hayden Monroe and it has naught to do with what sort of woman ye might have heard I am.”
    “Maybe, lass, and then again, maybe I’m enjoying this fortunate turn of events. Every man overlooks an opportunity from time to time. Fate seems to be tossing ye into my hands and I plan to listen to her.”
    “Ye will nae be keeping me.”
    His expression hardened and he reached out to grasp her arm just below her elbow.
    “Careful lass, ye seem to think me more English than Scot, but I’ll warn ye just this once that I am pure Scot and I do nae ignore a challenge.” His gaze lowered to her chest where the swells of her breasts were in sight beneath the stained fabric of her worn chemise. She cursed herself for not changing into a newer one that would have concealed more.
    “Especially when that challenge comes from such a delightful package. I believe I’d enjoy proving my worth to ye.”
    Elspeth jerked against his hold but his grasp proved solid. Yet it did not pain her. He controlled his greater strength as expertly as Hayden did.
    That comparison only made her long for Hayden even more. Her temper stirred and she became torn between directing her scorn at Pherson Dalry and being horrified that Hayden Monroe meant so much to her.
    “Men are always so sure that women are soft hearted. As for myself, I find the lot of ye an annoyance.”
    She reached over and pinched his hand. “Get yer hands off me. My hearing works just fine.”
    An amused chuckle was her response but the man released her and offered her a mocking reverence that his men laughed at. Pherson turned to look at them and their amusement died.
    Well, at least she would only need suffer his arrogance. Part of her was grateful that he was refusing to allow his men to make sport of her. A small amount of security against the imposing tower rising up in front of her. The Dalry stronghold was sturdy and impressive. Three towers that