Page 73 of Wicked Highland Wishes
It did not take long to reach the cave, and once there, Colin and Atholl brought the horses to a halt. Colin dismounted the destrier, then reached his hands up to Bridgette in a silent offer to help her. To her right, Bridgette saw Marion allow Atholl to help her down. Stubbornness rose up in Bridgette and she shook her head. She knew it to be foolish given her bound hands, but she didn’t care.
Colin snorted. “Ye may well break yer neck if ye try to dismount on yer own.”
“Then ye should untie me so I dunnae,” she said in a false sweet voice.
He grinned at her. “I like ye, Bridgette. Ye’ve spirit and will make a fine wife. Though ye’ll have to learn to obey. I’ve nae a doubt I’ll be able to teach ye easily, though, where yer brother failed.”
“My brother will kill ye,” she said through gritted teeth.
Colin scowled at her. “Ye will be my wife. Yer brother will make an alliance with me, my father, and Jamie.”
“He’ll nae!” she responded without hesitation. Her brother loved her, but he’d never offer his support and that of his men to betrayers and murderers, even if it meant her life.
Colin frowned at her. “Ye’re a woman. Ye ken nothing about the ways of men. Yer brother will support us when our clans are joined.”
The man was a fool. He did not understand her brother. Above all, Alex would do what was best for the clan, even if it meant going against the tradition of two clans being allies due to marriage. She eyed Colin askance. He was the sort of man that could not understand a commitment to the good of the clan. He only understood what he wanted. Her gut twisted, and a tremor of disgust ran through her. He would take her in marriage and then take her in body, and he would use Marion to do it. They had to escape!
Colin motioned impatiently with his hand, and reluctantly, she leaned into him as her need to survive became greater than her pride. He helped her down, sliding her body directly along his. With a glare, she staggered away from him as soon as her feet touched the ground. Her legs almost gave, but she locked her knees in place.
He cocked a dark eyebrow at her. “Dunnae make this difficult, Bridgette. Marion’s life is in yer hands.”
Bridgette moved to Marion’s side, and Colin focused on Atholl. “Lay out a pallet for the MacLeod’s wife. We dunnae want her dying…yet,” he added with a cruel smile. Atholl nodded, and Colin continued. “Ye sleep beside her to guard her, and I’ll keep first watch. I’ll wake ye, and then ye can keep the next watch.”
“As ye wish,” Atholl replied.
Colin grabbed Bridgette by the arm and dragged her into the cave. “Will ye untie me to sleep?” she asked.
“Nay,” he clipped, set his hands to her shoulders, and pushed her to the ground. She fell to her bottom with her tied hands lying helplessly in her lap. He loomed over her, staring, and she responded by glaring up at him. Suddenly he kneeled down in front of her and ran a finger down her cheek. “Get some sleep, Bridgette. Ye can rest easy kenning I’ll nae join with ye till we are married, as my father commanded he must witness our wedding afore I join with ye.”
She sagged with relief, and he chuckled. “I’ll nae take offense at yer obvious relief, as I ken it’s simply yer stubbornness. Tomorrow night we will be at Arthorn, and by the time darkness consumes the sky, ye will be mine.” He reached for her breast, and she jerked violently out of his reach. He did not attempt to touch her again. Instead, he rocked back on his haunches and eyed her. “I’m going to enjoy breaking yer spirit.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Ye will nae break me. Ever.”
Both his eyebrows rose slowly. “We shall see.”
She lay on her side, her cheek against the hard, cold earth and fought the tears swimming in her eyes. If she could not find a way to get her and Marion away, Scottish law would soon bind her to this man in order for her to save Marion’s life. While it would never make her his, it would mean she would never truly be Lachlan’s and he’d never be hers. He’d need to marry and produce legitimate sons. The black thoughts stole her sleep and left her thinking upon the horrors that awaited her as Colin’s wife.
