Page 101 of When A Laird Loves A Lady
“Go on,” Bridgette encouraged.
With obvious hesitation, Glynnisplaced the cloth at the babe’s mouth, and the babe immediately began to suckle.
“He’s drinking!” Glynnis said,stunned, as her husband grinned and kneeled beside her.
For a long while, they all stoodaround the babe and watched him drink and then waited tensely to see if he’d besick. When a period had passed and he let out a large belch after Glynnis puthim over her shoulder, they all began to laugh.
“Thank ye,” Glynnis cried, standingto hug Marion.
“You’re very welcome,” Marionreplied, as the door to the cottage opened and Graham poked his head in.
“It’s getting late,” he said. “Wemust return before dark.”
Marion and Bridgette nodded, andafter providing the Beacons with some further instruction and a vow from Marionto send them a cow for the bairn, they departed.
The sun was starting to set as theyrode, and surrounded by trees as they were in the woods, deep shadows rose uparound them. Marion didn’t feel nervous, though, with Graham beside them andher dagger sheathed at her side. Besides that, they were on MacLeod land. Shehappily listened as Bridgette and Graham chatted. But when Graham suddenlystopped talking mid-sentence and his hand went to his sword, the hairs on theback of Marion’s neck prickled.
“What is it?” she whispered,glancing around them and seeing nothing but trees and descending darkness.
“I thought I saw— Get down!” Grahamyelled as he jerked his stallion in front of them. Marion barely had time toregister the command before an arrow flew out of the woods and hit Grahamdirectly in the chest. He slumped over immediately, and Marion heard her screammingle with Bridgette’s. Both women dove off their horses and scrambled to helpGraham, who was gallantly trying to push himself up and grasp his sword, but itwas futile.
Knights started pouring out of theforest dressed in the all-too-familiar surcoats of Froste and her father. Shockrushed the blood to her head and left her momentarily dizzy.
She forced a deep breath to calmherself when beside her, Bridgette screeched. “Traitor!”
For one brief moment, Marionthought Bridgette was talking to her, but then she caught sight of Archibaldcoming out of the woods beside Froste. Marion’s jaw dropped open as her handwent to her dagger. What was Archibald doing with Froste? Was he a traitor, asBridgette clearly thought?
Marion raised her dagger at thesame time Graham finally managed to bring his sword up and Bridgette lifted herbow.
Froste nudged his horse towardthem, and Archibald did the same with his. Marion’s heart thumped in her earsas she stared at the two men, Froste offering a cruel smile and Archibaldstaring almost through them.
Froste motioned to Graham. “Sheathyour weapon, boy. You have no hope of winning against so many knights, and ifyou insist on fighting us, I’ll kill the redheaded wench in front of you beforeI kill you, too. But if you throw down your sword, I vow to let the highlandlass live and kill you quickly.”
Marion saw Archibald flinch, butshe cut her gaze away from him and toward Bridgette.
“Dunnae do it, Graham.” Bridgette’svoice was pleading and fearful.
Graham, pale faced and with bloodrapidly staining his plaid, held his sword steady. “How do I ken ye’ll keep yerword?”
“You don’t,” Froste said with glee.“But I can vow to you that this woman”—he motioned to Bridgette—“will pleasureall my men here while you’re made to watch, and then I shall personally carveher up before killing you if you make me waste time fighting you.”
Bridgette gasped, and bile rose inMarion’s throat.
“I’d rather die than watch Grahamsubmit to ye,” Bridgette yelled and pulled back her bow.
“No!” Graham shouted, and Marion,thinking to save Bridgette and Graham and knowing they were far toooutnumbered, grasped Bridgette’s bow from her hands.
Bridgette turned to Marion withstunned eyes. “Are ye a traitor, too, then?”
“Of course not!” Marion said. “I’mtrying to save your life. Look around you. You’ll perchance fell one man, butwhat of the other twenty?”
“Ah, Marion, my sweet, I would havesaid it was impossible, but you are more beautiful than I remembered, and yourtime away has made you wise, as well.” Froste’s dark gaze penetrated her,making her skin crawl. “I look forward to enjoying your body.”
Marion spit at his horse’s hooves.“Never.”
“We shall see,” he replied beforeturning his attention to Graham. “Well?”
Graham shook his head. “I dunnaetrust ye.”
