Chapter 16

She snagged a breath, parted her shrunken lips, took her frozen gaze off nothing in particular.

"Well, I—I say—yes, that respect is something I have … I generally have, in … in abundance although, right now, that… seeing as I don't, I'm very, verysorry, my lord, to have displeased you so soon and I would like if you would accept my most sincere and humble—"

"I'm not meaning you, Princess." Why was her betrothed's tunic bunched in a lump below his windpipe though? His eyes glazed with sheer terror? "Ewen knows damn fine who I'm meaning. Now." The Wolf's eyes were stone cold with fury.He tightened his grip on Ewen's tunic. "Unless you want me to take her home again? Because believe me brother, you try another trick like this and there will be nothing stopping me. Do we have an understanding?"

Her breath drew like a noose across her ribcage. Home?If he tookher?What a horrible thought.He'd be killed. And not just him in all probability.Somehow she must sort this. Now.?Although sorting it meant further debasing herself, it meant marrying Ewen when her stomach curdled and her flesh crawled. And her fingers?Her fingers were frozen to the gown they clutched shut.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Callm." Ewen sprayed spittle down his unshaven chin. "So, the new lady o' Lochalpin's got spirit. Ye think I gie a shite, she's no' got nae respect?"

He swaggered to the table. For all his hands had been unsteady several moments ago, they were perfectly controlled as he sloshed more whiskey into the goblet.

"Respect can aye be learned. Aye. Ye ken Callm, just so ye ken, witnessing the wee display there, it will be mah pleasure tae teach her. Aye. Ye hae nae idea how satisfyin' it'll be'n ah."

When so much now hinged on the sheer necessity of getting into bed with him—andshe was going to have to get into bed with him now she was here--that wasn't heartening to know.

Because she also knew exactly what a man of his strength and brutality would do to a woman like her. Why hadn't the Wolf? And why the hell had he defended her? Another moment and she might have been able to make her case that you did not grope glen princesses. But that moment was gone. And actually, she had been drowning at the time.

"Ulla."

Now he opened his big mouth again, and she stood here trying to adjust the neck of her dress and feed droplets of air into her starved lungs, she prayed it wasn't with another bright idea.

"Take her ladyship upstairs, now."

It was.

"Confound and damn ye tae hell, Callm." Ewen thumped his fist on the tabletop, sending cups and plates flying. "Ye will no tell iz in mah ain damned castle—"

"Your castle?"

"--whit tae dae wi' mah ane damned disrespectful bitch o' a bride. Mah servin' lassies neither."

"I didn't think I was. Telling you what to do with them anyway. About you perhaps. But that's about it. Ulla?"

"Aye?"

"Take her ladyship upstairs."

Kara's stomach knotted. The one saving grace in this place with none? Ulla wasn't exactly likely to obey. Firstly she'd then have Ewen to contend with.

"Very weel." Ulla said before Kara could get to secondly. "This way, your ladyship. It's no far. Your bags and boxes are already here. I put them there mahself yestreen."

Kara swallowed the grimace. While any kind of distance, even a yard's one was a consummation devoutly to be wished for, she couldn't wish for it yet. Unless the Wolf was going to stand guard at her side from now on—not to be wished for either.

Although parts of her felt limp as the flag hanging on the pole above the fireplace and others were brittle as that same pole, she swished towards the table.

"But, of course it is not his place, my lord. I am sure whatever you wish to teach me, you will find me an apt pupil."

"An apt pupil?"

Why did everyone think it was beyond her to be such a thing? Even a toad she had barely been acquainted with for five minutes? A five minutes so fraught with difficulty, it was with difficulty she smiled now.

"Yes. Once … once the wedding ceremony has taken place, that is. Might … might you be so kind as to inform me when that will be? An expectant bride likes to know such things. So they also know how much time they have to prepare themselves to put right what they are doing that is wrong."

"Wrang?"

"I believe that is the word for it. I should hope there's not so very much that I need to put right that it will delay our nuptials which—"

"The—" Ewen stared over her shoulder as a footstep echoed behind her.Oh God, what now?"--isday."

Her gaze skittered sideways. Was this some foreign language? "Thursday?"

Ewen brought his gaze back. "Is that no' whit Ah jist said, madam? Are ye deef as weel as a'thing else?" he snarled, banging the goblet on the table.

Truthfully? She wasn't sure what he'd said. Or what had happened there. Firstly, Thursday was five days away. Secondly, she'd stake Arland's freedom on the night being what Lord Ewen meant to say. Thirdly? Was there a thirdly? Apart from the fact he blustered to save face.

"Aye. Thursday should be time enough for ye tae mak yourself at hame here in mah humble abode. Then … then on the subject o' marital treatment, Ah'll be haein' mah rights as a husband. Noo, get oot. And dinnae come back till then."

She didn't want to say with pleasure. Five days. She hadn't just won a reprieve. She needn't marry Ewen McDunnagh at all. But when she thought of who had earned her that, could she take it?