delightful
bride-to-be."
Chapter 6
As the whispering crowd filed from the room,
Graemme watched Colyne lead Elyne to stand alongside the window
opening. She glared a look of loathing at Graemme then stared down
on the practice field, her shoulders set stiff in defiance. He
waited until they were alone then stalked over to her, his fists
convulsing with tightly controlled rage.
"Come. Sit." He grasped her elbow and led her
to a bench facing the altar. A firm pressure on her shoulder forced
her to sit.
"How could I have poisoned ye?" she muttered.
"I merely gave ye something to rid yerself of yer ill humors. I
give Father the same thing each sennight."
"Hah. You rid me more of my
good
humors than aught else. I had thought to deal lightly with ye, to
treat ye kindly. After the way ye made a fool of me afore the whole
castle, I have changed my mind."
"I did not make a fool of ye. If naught else,
ye are more of a warrior than ever. The men think ye are a
gladiator from Roman times. The senseless women drool like Adonis
has come to life."
"Aye. An Adonis whose throne was a bucket in
a stall; his crown another bucket clutched tight to his chest!"
He burned with resentment at her having made
him a laughing stock with the warriors. The stable boys most likely
babbled to one and all about the hapless Highlander in the
stall.
Elyne looked at him strangely before
understanding dawned in her eyes. "Oh."
"I will speak slowly so ye canna misread my
intentions. Ye will be here. In this keep. Two months from this
day.
We will wed
. Once the ceremony is over, ye will
return with me to Clibrick Castle. Is that clear?" He waited for
her nod. She stared stonily at him, her mouth tightened into a
stubborn line. He bent down and grasped her chin between his right
thumb and forefinger and tilted her head upward.
"Is...that...clear?" The words hissed with
menace between near-clenched teeth. His eyes narrowed until he saw
naught but her brown eyes glaring at him. To show her he was out of
patience, he jerked at her chin.
"Aye! Are there any other orders? Mayhap ye
wish to demand what I wear, what I eat, what I think while ye are
gone, lord and master?"
"There is! Never again will ye pretend to be
a witch. I am surprised no one has sought to burn ye at the stake.
I canna have word of yer unholy doings reaching the Highlands. They
are not so forgiving."
"Why do ye insist I was the crone?"
"Oh, come now. Do ye think I have not eyes to
see?"
"Do I look..."
"Piss, woman! I saw yer near nekid body atop
me in the bailey. Yer wet smock was like a second skin. And when ye
stood in my bedchamber doorway, the light was behind ye." He
straightened and put his hands on his hips. "No supposed old hag
has the body of a nymph." When she opened her mouth to argue
further, he added, "And no ancient woman has lush hair guardin' her
private parts. Ye stood with yer legs spread, if ye remember?"
Thinking of the picture she had made, his
cock pulsed and began to swell. He did not try to control it. He
doubted she was an innocent lass, not with the way her eyes had
strayed to his cock last eve.
Shame spread heat over Elyne. He accused her
of making a fool of him, yet he had humiliated her by making her
repeat those horrid vows in front of the ladies and knights of the
entire castle.
"If ye are done ordering me around, mayhap ye
can go about yer business and get the Hades away from Raptor!"
"'Tis my intention to leave on the morrow's
first light." He started to whirl away, then turned back and
pointed a finger at her. "See to Squat. The poor beastie canna move
without farting and leaving a trail behind him."
As he was leaving through the doorway, he
heard her mutter, "Flea-bitten bastard." Had he not needed to seek
relief, he would have returned to swat her backside.
He regretted not having the time.
o0o
Graemme's favorite warhorse sidled and shook
his head, near upsetting the young groom off his feet as they
passed the middle stall. The chief's
bride-to-be."
Chapter 6
As the whispering crowd filed from the room,
Graemme watched Colyne lead Elyne to stand alongside the window
opening. She glared a look of loathing at Graemme then stared down
on the practice field, her shoulders set stiff in defiance. He
waited until they were alone then stalked over to her, his fists
convulsing with tightly controlled rage.
"Come. Sit." He grasped her elbow and led her
to a bench facing the altar. A firm pressure on her shoulder forced
her to sit.
"How could I have poisoned ye?" she muttered.
"I merely gave ye something to rid yerself of yer ill humors. I
give Father the same thing each sennight."
"Hah. You rid me more of my
good
humors than aught else. I had thought to deal lightly with ye, to
treat ye kindly. After the way ye made a fool of me afore the whole
castle, I have changed my mind."
"I did not make a fool of ye. If naught else,
ye are more of a warrior than ever. The men think ye are a
gladiator from Roman times. The senseless women drool like Adonis
has come to life."
"Aye. An Adonis whose throne was a bucket in
a stall; his crown another bucket clutched tight to his chest!"
He burned with resentment at her having made
him a laughing stock with the warriors. The stable boys most likely
babbled to one and all about the hapless Highlander in the
stall.
Elyne looked at him strangely before
understanding dawned in her eyes. "Oh."
"I will speak slowly so ye canna misread my
intentions. Ye will be here. In this keep. Two months from this
day.
We will wed
. Once the ceremony is over, ye will
return with me to Clibrick Castle. Is that clear?" He waited for
her nod. She stared stonily at him, her mouth tightened into a
stubborn line. He bent down and grasped her chin between his right
thumb and forefinger and tilted her head upward.
"Is...that...clear?" The words hissed with
menace between near-clenched teeth. His eyes narrowed until he saw
naught but her brown eyes glaring at him. To show her he was out of
patience, he jerked at her chin.
"Aye! Are there any other orders? Mayhap ye
wish to demand what I wear, what I eat, what I think while ye are
gone, lord and master?"
"There is! Never again will ye pretend to be
a witch. I am surprised no one has sought to burn ye at the stake.
I canna have word of yer unholy doings reaching the Highlands. They
are not so forgiving."
"Why do ye insist I was the crone?"
"Oh, come now. Do ye think I have not eyes to
see?"
"Do I look..."
"Piss, woman! I saw yer near nekid body atop
me in the bailey. Yer wet smock was like a second skin. And when ye
stood in my bedchamber doorway, the light was behind ye." He
straightened and put his hands on his hips. "No supposed old hag
has the body of a nymph." When she opened her mouth to argue
further, he added, "And no ancient woman has lush hair guardin' her
private parts. Ye stood with yer legs spread, if ye remember?"
Thinking of the picture she had made, his
cock pulsed and began to swell. He did not try to control it. He
doubted she was an innocent lass, not with the way her eyes had
strayed to his cock last eve.
Shame spread heat over Elyne. He accused her
of making a fool of him, yet he had humiliated her by making her
repeat those horrid vows in front of the ladies and knights of the
entire castle.
"If ye are done ordering me around, mayhap ye
can go about yer business and get the Hades away from Raptor!"
"'Tis my intention to leave on the morrow's
first light." He started to whirl away, then turned back and
pointed a finger at her. "See to Squat. The poor beastie canna move
without farting and leaving a trail behind him."
As he was leaving through the doorway, he
heard her mutter, "Flea-bitten bastard." Had he not needed to seek
relief, he would have returned to swat her backside.
He regretted not having the time.
o0o
Graemme's favorite warhorse sidled and shook
his head, near upsetting the young groom off his feet as they
passed the middle stall. The chief's
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