tried to push herself off the ground. She staggered to her feet, wondering why Anyon seemed to be waiting for her to stand. Her ignorance ended when the girl lifted her skirt and stuck her foot directly in the center of her belly, shoving Jemma into the water.
Jemma fell into the river, and the water rose up around her, burning her eyes and nose as she struggled to push her head back above the water’s surface. Her muddled senses caused her to flail about in the water, trying to decide which way was up.
A hard hand hit her between her shoulder blades. The blow was harsh and sent her remaining breath out in a whoosh that filled the water in front of her eyes with white bubbles. Anyon didn’t stop there. The girl held her down, pushing with all her weight to keep Jemma beneath the water.
She should have been frightened, but her temper rose in a burning rage. The water cleared, allowing her to see Anyon’s ankles. Reaching out, she grabbed one and used all the fury that was burning in her to yank it out from beneath the girl. Anyon fell back into the river with a huge splash and a startled screech.
Jemma stood up, gasping for breath. Her lungs burned and her vision was blurry from the soap left in the water from the washing. Strong lye soap that made her eyes tear.
“Stupid whore!”
Anyon came up out of the water with her fingers curled like talons. She launched herself at Jemma like an animal attacking.
“You still want to fight? Well, I won’t stand and let you drown me, that’s for sure.” Jemma balled up her fist and sent it straight toward Anyon’s face.
Pain exploded in her hand, but Jemma carried through with the blow. Anyon howled with outrage, but her neck twisted and she fell into the water with a snarl. The water suddenly splashed all around her as men plunged into the river between them.
“That’s enough out of ye, Anyon.” One of Gordon’s captains hauled his clanswoman out of the water with a disgusted frown while she kicked and fought them. Someone gripped her arm, and Jemma shrugged it off.
“I don’t need restraining. It wasn’t my idea to fight, but I’ll surely not stand idle while someone is attacking me.”
Jemma turned and discovered that the laundresses that Ula had set to working along the riverbank were lined up watching her. More men came around the tower at a dead run with a couple of women trailing them, telling her how they had known about Anyon’s attack.
But there were far more standing and watching.
That was the blow that hurt most of all. Jemma wiped the water from her eyes and took a second look. These were Anyon’s friends and blood. The fact that Anyon had tried to drown her didn’t seem to distress any of them too greatly. None of them had tried to stop her.
Of course not, she was English. No doubt most of them had lost kin to her countrymen.
“What manner of devil play is this?” Gordon’s voice made all the women flinch. Their eyes widened as they turned to face their laird. He came around the corner and swept the scene, his keen gaze stopping when his attention landed on her still standing knee deep in the river.
He snarled something in Gaelic and turned a furious look on Anyon.
“Put her in the stocks. She’s to be lashed.”
The laundresses gasped, gaining them their laird’s attention. “And the lot of ye will join her for standing about while this savageness was being done.”
“I don’t need you to rescue me, Laird Barras.”
Gordon turned an incredulous look on her, and the laundresses gasped in unison once more.
“Oh, enough of that gasping. The lot of you seemed to be sturdy enough to watch one of your own try and drown me; I hardly see why you are so shocked by a few disagreeing words now.”
Jemma trudged out of the water. Her legs felt weak as though they might crumble beneath her at any moment. She drew a deep breath to fend that off.
“No one disrespects my orders, Jemma.”
Gordon was furious, but she refused to bow her head. “Of course, but I need to make it clear to your clanswomen that I do not need anyone coming to my aid simply because I am English. I took care of Anyon well enough, and I will defend myself if any of them find it necessary to attack me, even if I do find it horrible to harbor such hatred for complete strangers based only on where they were born.”
Several sputters arose from the laundresses, and Jemma turned her head to glare at them. “Do you deny it? There is nothing that you object to in me but the fact that I was born ten miles from here on land that is considered English. It is naught but something you learned from your—”
She lost focus of what point she was attempting to make, her mind simply going blank. Shutting her mouth, she stared back at the laundresses until she forgot why she was looking at them. Turning her head, she discovered Gordon standing only a foot from her.
“Well, as you see, I handled everything myself. I meant no disrespect of course.”
“Aye, of course.”
“Yes, that’s right.” Her thoughts began to turn hazy. “I believe so . . . hmm . . . what did I say again?”
His blue eyes suddenly fascinated her. He caught her arms and she sighed, because it was the most perfect moment. His gaze settled on the top of her head, and he reached up to touch her, triggering a startling pain that spread through her head.
“Yer head needs stitching, Jemma.”
She offered only a soft mutter before everything became a blur of morning sunlight. Bright and perfect with each point of light shattering into a brilliant display of colors that she smiled at.
“So why is
