her cheeks. 'I'm so sorry, Gilard,' she whispered.
'And you believe what I've just told you?' Gilard demanded, his voice harsh. He wanted to make certain Lady Madelyne wouldn't be able to deny the truth any longer.
'A part of this story, aye,' Madelyne answered. 'Louddon is capable of beating a woman to death. I do not know if he could rape a woman, though, but if you say it is the truth, I will believe you. My brother is an evil man. I'll not give him my defense.'
'Then what is it you don't believe?' Gilard asked, back to shouting again.
'You make me think you value your sister,' Madelyne confessed. 'That is the confusion.'
'What in God's name are you talking about?'
'Do you rage against me because Louddon dishonored the Wexton name or because you actually love your sister?'
Gilard was enraged by such an obscene question. He grabbed hold of Madelyne and jerked her around to face him. His hands painfully gripped her shoulders. 'Of course I love my sister,' he shouted. 'An eye for an eye, Madelyne. We have taken away from your brother that which he most values. You! He'll come after you, and when he does, he'll die.'
'So I am responsible for my brother's sins?'
'You are a pawn to draw the demon out,' Gilard answered.
'There is a flaw in this plan,' Madelyne whispered. Her voice sounded with shame. 'Louddon won't come after me. I'm not significant enough to him.'
'Louddon isn't a fool,' Gilard said, infuriated because he suddenly realized Madelyne meant what she said.
Neither Madelyne nor Gilard heard Duncan approach. 'Take your hands off her, Gilard. Now!'
Gilard was quick to comply, even took a step back, putting distance between himself and their captive.
Duncan started toward his brother, intending to find out why Madelyne was weeping. He let Gilard see how furious he was.
Madelyne placed herself between the two brothers. She faced Duncan. 'He didn't harm me,' she said. 'Your brother was only explaining how I am to be used. That is all.'
Duncan could see the pain in Madelyne's eyes, yet before he could question her, she turned, picked up her satchel, and then added, ''Tis time to ride.'
She tried to walk through Gilard to get back to their camp. Duncan watched his brother hurry to get out of Madelyne's way.
The younger brother was looking worried. 'She wants me to believe she's not guilty,' he muttered.
'Did Madelyne tell you that?' Duncan asked.
'Nay, she didn't,' Gilard admitted with a shrug. 'She didn't defend herself at all, Duncan, but she acted so damn innocent. Hell, I don't understand. She seemed surprised that we would care about our sister. I think it was a true reaction too. Why, she actually asked me if we valued Adela.'
'And when you answered her?' Duncan asked.
'She seemed all the more perplexed. I don't understand her,' Gilard muttered. 'The sooner this plan is seen through, the better. Lady Madelyne isn't at all what I expected her to be.'
'She is a contradiction,' Duncan acknowledged. 'God's truth, she doesn't understand her own value.' He sighed over his observations and then said, 'Come, the hour grows old. We'll be home by nightfall if we make haste.'
Gilard answered the command with a nod and fell into step beside his brother.
On her way back to camp, Madelyne decided she wasn't going anywhere. She stood in the center of the clearing, her cloak wrapped around her shoulders. Ansel had taken her satchel and she hadn't argued with the squire. She didn't care if her baggage went with Duncan. God's truth, she didn't think she cared about anything anymore. She just wanted to be left alone.
Duncan started toward the squire, wanting to finish his battle dress. He motioned for Madelyne to get on his stallion, then continued on. He suddenly stopped and slowly turned back to look at Madelyne, however, disbelieving what he thought he'd seen.
She told him no again. Duncan was so amazed by her show of defiance, he didn't immediately react. Madelyne shook her head a third time and then abruptly turned and started to walk back into the forest.
'Madelyne!'
Duncan 's roar stopped her. She instinctively turned to look at him, praying inside for the courage to defy him again.
'Get on my horse. Now.'
They stared at each other a long, silent moment. Madelyne then realized everyone else had paused in his duties and was watching. Duncan wouldn't back down in front of his men. The way he was staring at her told her that much.
Madelyne picked up her skirts and hurried over to stand directly in front of Duncan. The men might be watching, but if she kept her voice soft, they wouldn't be able to hear what she said to their leader.
'I'm not going with you, Duncan. And if you weren't so stubborn, you'd realize Louddon won't come after me. You're wasting your time. Leave me here.'
'To survive in the wilderness?' Duncan asked, his voice just as whisper-soft as hers had been. 'You wouldn't last an hour.'
'I've survived worse situations, milord,' Madelyne answered, straightening her shoulders. 'My decision's made, Baron. I'm not going with you.'
'Madelyne, if a man were to deny my order the way you just have, he wouldn't live long enough to boast of it. And when I give a command, I expect it to be carried out. Don't dare shake your head at me again, else I'll backhand you to the ground in retaliation.'
It was a distasteful bluff on Duncan 's part, and he regretted it as soon as the words were out of his mouth. He was gripping her arm, knew that he was inadvertently hurting her when she grimaced in pain. He let go immediately, fully expecting her to run as fast as she could to do his bidding.
Madelyne didn't move. She stared up at him, that grand composure back on her face, and calmly said, 'I'm used to being knocked to the ground, so do your worst. And when I regain my feet, you may strike me down again if that is your wish.'
Her words disturbed him. He knew she was telling the truth. He frowned, infuriated that someone had dared to mistreat her and knew, in his heart, that Louddon was the one who'd meted out the punishment. 'Why would your brother-'
''Tis not important,' Madelyne interrupted before Duncan could finish his question. She was sorry now she'd said anything. Madelyne didn't want sympathy or pity. All she wanted was to be left alone.
Duncan sighed. 'Get on my horse, Madelyne.'
Her temporary bluster of courage deserted her when she saw the muscle in the side of Duncan 's cheek flex. The movement accentuated his clenched jaw.
Duncan made a low, growling sound deep in his throat, venting his frustration. He turned her until she was facing the area where his stallion was tethered and gave her a gentle push. 'You've given me yet another reason to kill Louddon,' he whispered.
Madelyne started to turn around to ask Duncan to explain his remark, but the look in his eyes suggested his patience had worn thin. She accepted the fact that she'd lost this argument. Duncan was determined to take her with him, no matter what she said or did.
She let out a long, sorry sigh and then started to walk toward Duncan 's horse. Most of the soldiers still hadn't resumed their tasks. They all watched Madelyne. She tried to appear serene. Inside, her heart was beating fast enough to burst. Though the fear of Duncan 's temper weighed heavily upon her peace of mind, there was a greater immediate concern that pricked her now. Duncan 's beast. It was one thing to be grabbed and thrown on top of the huge ugly monster, and quite another to mount without aid.
'What a coward I am,' Madelyne muttered to herself. She copied Father Berton now, for he often spoke to himself, remembered, too, that he once told her no one was more interested in what he had to say than himself. Madelyne actually smiled over that fond remembrance.
'Oh, Father, if you could see me now, how ashamed you'd be. I've a demon horse to mount and will surely
