tell me that,' she retorted bitterly. 'I am a stranger and unwelcome, and so I had best leave the tribe.'
'That is not the answer,' he replied. 'I do not wish you to leave, whatever some of them say. They will accept you when you are married to me.'
Yasmin gaped at him, astonished. She had realised, naturally, that he was attracted to her, but thought it was her strangeness that induced him to offer the attention he did. As he had ceased many of these in the last few days Yasmin had hoped that as he became accustomed to her he would leave her alone. It appeared she had been wrong.
'I did not think you wished for marriage,' she stammered foolishly.
He laughed. 'What did you expect? If you became my mistress you would most certainly be driven out of the tribe, for that would not be condoned. And I would not be content to set you up elsewhere, for I would be jealous of what you were engaged in while my back was turned! I know that if I want you I have to offer marriage. And since I do want you, and what is more mean to have you, that is what I am doing.'
'I do not wish to marry you,' she retorted angrily, furious he should imagine she might ever have contemplated the prospect of becoming his mistress, let alone marrying him.
'No?' Subtly his tone changed, and there was menace in it. 'Do not hope for Leon, my love, for he will be no help to you. Even though his father is our chieftain, I have more influence than either of them. I am the only one that can ensure your acceptance in the tribe. They will permit you to remain only as my wife, not as Leon's. So there will be more than the usual advantages in marrying me.' He laughed and Yasmin shuddered, which only caused him to laugh even more heartily. 'Are you cold?' he asked suddenly, and pulled her towards him before she realised what his intentions were. She struggled, but helplessly, for he was powerful and had her in a firm grip, his arms about her and his mouth seeking for hers.
Yasmin writhed to avoid him, but it was useless. She kicked out at his shins, but they were puny blows and he laughed at them. Inwardly she berated herself for her folly in leaving the camp alone and allowing this to happen, and wondered how best to escape.
At last he released her and she gasped for breath.
'Are you warmer now, my pretty?' he asked, laughing.
Yasmin bit back the retort that sprang to her lips, for she had concluded the only way she might win free from this coil was to appear to comply with him. He had said he proposed marriage – although it had not been phrased felicitously – and Yasmin did not imagine he would harm her so long as she did not anger him, but she decided if she appeared to capitulate too easily he would suspect her. She moderated the anger and revulsion she felt and spoke quietly.
'You would not have dared to treat me so had my grandmother been alive,' she told him, allowing only a little of the anger she felt to show.
'But since she is not, no one can protect you apart from me.'
'I – I am not so certain of that,' she said, appearing to hesitate.
'I am.' He grasped her arm and she flinched. 'Do not be afraid of me, Yasmin. I have no wish to harm you.'
'You frightened me and treated me badly,' she replied.
'I am sorry for the fright I gave you, but I could not allow you to scream. I had to make sure you would be quiet before I let you go. As I said, there were things to be discussed between us.'
'They have been said,' Yasmin answered quietly.
'But you have not answered me.'
'How can I give an answer so suddenly? I had no idea you wished to marry me. You have not paid me so much attention of late.'
'When will you answer me?'
She hesitated. How long dared she suggest? What could she do in the meantime if she gained a respite? Yasmin was well aware it would not serve her simply to promise and then repulse him once she was safely back in the camp. That way all the others would turn against her more than they had already. She would have to leave the
'That is not the answer,' he replied. 'I do not wish you to leave, whatever some of them say. They will accept you when you are married to me.'
Yasmin gaped at him, astonished. She had realised, naturally, that he was attracted to her, but thought it was her strangeness that induced him to offer the attention he did. As he had ceased many of these in the last few days Yasmin had hoped that as he became accustomed to her he would leave her alone. It appeared she had been wrong.
'I did not think you wished for marriage,' she stammered foolishly.
He laughed. 'What did you expect? If you became my mistress you would most certainly be driven out of the tribe, for that would not be condoned. And I would not be content to set you up elsewhere, for I would be jealous of what you were engaged in while my back was turned! I know that if I want you I have to offer marriage. And since I do want you, and what is more mean to have you, that is what I am doing.'
'I do not wish to marry you,' she retorted angrily, furious he should imagine she might ever have contemplated the prospect of becoming his mistress, let alone marrying him.
'No?' Subtly his tone changed, and there was menace in it. 'Do not hope for Leon, my love, for he will be no help to you. Even though his father is our chieftain, I have more influence than either of them. I am the only one that can ensure your acceptance in the tribe. They will permit you to remain only as my wife, not as Leon's. So there will be more than the usual advantages in marrying me.' He laughed and Yasmin shuddered, which only caused him to laugh even more heartily. 'Are you cold?' he asked suddenly, and pulled her towards him before she realised what his intentions were. She struggled, but helplessly, for he was powerful and had her in a firm grip, his arms about her and his mouth seeking for hers.
Yasmin writhed to avoid him, but it was useless. She kicked out at his shins, but they were puny blows and he laughed at them. Inwardly she berated herself for her folly in leaving the camp alone and allowing this to happen, and wondered how best to escape.
At last he released her and she gasped for breath.
'Are you warmer now, my pretty?' he asked, laughing.
Yasmin bit back the retort that sprang to her lips, for she had concluded the only way she might win free from this coil was to appear to comply with him. He had said he proposed marriage – although it had not been phrased felicitously – and Yasmin did not imagine he would harm her so long as she did not anger him, but she decided if she appeared to capitulate too easily he would suspect her. She moderated the anger and revulsion she felt and spoke quietly.
'You would not have dared to treat me so had my grandmother been alive,' she told him, allowing only a little of the anger she felt to show.
'But since she is not, no one can protect you apart from me.'
'I – I am not so certain of that,' she said, appearing to hesitate.
'I am.' He grasped her arm and she flinched. 'Do not be afraid of me, Yasmin. I have no wish to harm you.'
'You frightened me and treated me badly,' she replied.
'I am sorry for the fright I gave you, but I could not allow you to scream. I had to make sure you would be quiet before I let you go. As I said, there were things to be discussed between us.'
'They have been said,' Yasmin answered quietly.
'But you have not answered me.'
'How can I give an answer so suddenly? I had no idea you wished to marry me. You have not paid me so much attention of late.'
'When will you answer me?'
She hesitated. How long dared she suggest? What could she do in the meantime if she gained a respite? Yasmin was well aware it would not serve her simply to promise and then repulse him once she was safely back in the camp. That way all the others would turn against her more than they had already. She would have to leave the
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