When the time came for them todepart, he said farewell to Graham, who was much improved, and bid him how toproceed as laird in Iain’s absence, with Angus as his guide. Angus had wantedto come to England, but Iain had to know that if he died, or God forbid, he,Lachlan, or Cameron—who was still on his journey to take Elspeth away—didn’treturn, that Graham would have a strong, trusted advisor by his side to rebuildthe MacLeod legacy.
Iain walked down the seagate stairsand beheld the line of his and the MacDonald’s men waiting to set sail, hopefilling his chest.
Lachlan set his hand on Iain’sshoulder from above him on the stairs. “We will triumph.”
Iain nodded. “We must.”
Froste’s fetid breath fanned Marion’s face as hepulled her roughly to him. She was acutely aware that only the thin material ofher léine separated her skin from his bare chest.
I’m going to be sick!her mind screamed, as he captured the edge of her léine and started pulling itup. Her mind flashed to the time when she had tried to teach Iain to dance, andthe lesson had ended with him stripping her of her léine. That had been likeHeaven while this…this was Hell.
Her ruse to keep Froste fromjoining with her had finally run its course. His watchwoman had reportedMarion’s flux had come and gone, and he’d appeared like a nightmare. Froste’s mouthfound her neck as he roughly tugged her clothing higher and higher. There wasno fear in her, only a deep disgust and fierce boiling anger. She tried to buckaway, but he crushed her between the wall and his body. Frantically, her gazedarted around the room, praying there was something to kill the man with thather father’s knights had left behind.
Her heart lurched with excitement.The maid who’d come in with Froste not long ago had left a tree branch by thefire that she must have used to tend to it! If Marion could reach it, she couldhit him in the head and flee.
The man pressed a slobbery kiss toher neck again, and she flinched, in spite of knowing she had to feign to likeit long enough to get him to release her. “Be at ease, Marion. This can bepleasurable, I assure you.”
That was it! She’d play up to hisarrogance and pride!
“I don’t want to fight you, but I’mafraid,” she whispered. “It was never pleasurable with my husband,” she added,trying to instill a sense of shame into her tone. “And I’ve never seen a man’sbody. He always joined with me in darkness.”
Froste pulled backward and staredat her with astonishment, then his mouth curved into a smirk. “I should haveknown a filthy Scot would not know how to please a lady. And what a fool the MacLeodwas not to see your body clearly by a blazing fire—or better still thedaylight,” Froste added while running his gaze over her. She clenched her jawagainst her revulsion. “Tomorrow, I’ll join with you in the daylight, buttonight”—he looked around the room—“go tend the fire.”
She had to bite down on her cheekto stop herself from showing any relief as he released her. This dim man wasused to giving orders, and this time was no exception.
Nodding, she stepped around him andambled to the hearth, thinking on how to take him unawares. She grimaced as sherealized unclothing was the best way to distract him, but she was prepared todo anything to escape that man joining with her. She slowly turned in a languidmotion, met Froste’s stare, and pulled her clothing up over her head. She letthe garment drop in a puddle at her feet, her stomach roiling violently.
“Do you like what you see,William?” she asked, using his Christian name. Her voice didn’t hold theslightest tremble. Iain would have been proud.
A lecherous look came to Froste’sface. “Very much.” He started toward her, and as he did, she bent down, pickedup the thick branch, and stuck the tip of it into the fire as if she meant totend to it. Her pulse raced as she heard him draw near.
She gripped the wood tightly. Ifshe didn’t kill him, or at least cause him to swoon, he’d surely kill her, butshe could not—could not—stand meekly by and let him take her.
“Marion, face me so I can see youagain,” he said in a low voice that made her stomach churn. She stood and turnedtoward him, swinging the branch hard. It smacked him in the face. He howled asthe fire singed his flesh and the wood made a deep gouge across his cheekbone.Blood poured from the wound, but when his feral gaze locked on her, she knewwith terrifying clarity that she’d not hit near hard enough to kill this man.Bellowing his rage, he raised a hand to hit her, and she scrambled to lift thewood once again to defend herself but he swatted the branch away from her. Thebranch fell to the floor at her feet.
His hand clamped like a vise aroundher neck. “You bitch,” he snarled, spittle flying from his mouth. “You will payfor that dearly.” His grip became tighter and tighter until specks dotted hervision and the room spun. He was going to kill her, but still she wondered ifdeath would not be better than his touch. Sluggishly, she remembered Iain. Shewould live for him. She began clawing at Froste’s hands, even as someonepounded on the door.
“Froste, open the damn door! TheScots are here!” her father roared.
Froste released her, and she fellto the floor in a heap, so close to the fire that heat consumed her.Instinctively she shoved her body away and curled into a ball, holding her neckas she gasped for air. His hard footsteps pounded across the room, and then thesound of the door banging open reverberated around her.
“We’ve a problem,” her father said,but Froste’s reply was muffled by their footsteps as they walked away…leavingthe door open!
Marion didn’t waste a second. Shecrawled to her gown and jerked it on as she ran to the window that pointed outto sea. Like spots in the ocean, ships peppered the water, and hope and fearboth bloomed within her. She was sure it was Iain, but she was also sure thatshe had to do something to help him win the battle. She hurried out the door,paused to make sure there was no one to see her, and then continued down thestairs toward the front entrance. If she could somehow get to the drawbridge,perchance she could lower it.
The main keep was deserted, whichdidn’t surprise her as everyone would have been ordered to take up arms. As sheburst outside, the sounds of men and horns filled the twilight. As far out asshe could see, the moat and the bailey below teemed with knights. She startedto make her way to the stairs that led to the bailey, but a hand clamped on herarm.
“Lady Marion, get back inside tosafety. The Scots are already winning the battle!”
“What?” Marion gasped turning tolook in Peter’s face.
“Don’t worry!” he rushed out. “Wewill triumph!”
He’d misunderstood her. She jerkedout of his hold. “You’ll not triumph, Peter,” she said, raising her voice overthe deafening noise. “My father is trying to take the throne from King Edward,and the king is my husband’s ally. Even if Father wins now, King Edward willcome for him. You must take me to my husband and join with him.”
Peter gaped at her. “Baron de Lacymeans to overthrow the king?”
Marion nodded. “With Froste’s help.Please, Peter. Feign that you’ve captured me and help me find my husband. Ilove him!”
