because they've never encountered anything like her before.' He couldn't fault them for freeing her for a morning even as his ire grew just thinking about it. He was responsible for this—he'd brought a delicate foreign beauty among a band of coarse Highlanders. 'I wonder if they ever considered her unbounded hatred of Scots?'
'Aye, she mistrusts us, and finds our ways strange, but her prejudice amuses the men. They know she's no' a spiteful lass, she just does no' know better. Hell, when they asked to touch her hand, she even shyly allowed it.'
That made him gnash his teeth. 'And how'd you find it, Niall?'
He hesitated. 'Softer than I could conceive,' he finally said. 'But that's no' what's important. You ken she's never been treated like this, and if you'd be a wee bit more gentle in your dealings with her, she might no' be so quick to believe the things she's heard.'
'Gentle? She was no' gentle when she bashed my head yesterday.'
'She was afraid,' he said, waving it away. 'A woman like that needs to be cosseted, which she's no' been. I saw her face.'
Court exhaled, then reluctantly admitted, 'I doona want to be so with her.' But everything about her made him crazed. Her feminine mannerisms, her accent, even the way she blushed all combined to drive him mad. In a low tone, he said, 'I want to be different with her, but…I canna seem to.'
'Then why do you no' just ride ahead to Toulouse? We can meet you at the posting house.'
That thought infuriated him. 'No.'
'Why, Court?'
'Because I'm no' ready to be done with her yet.'
'Christ, you can be a selfish bloody bastard. Sometimes I feel I doona even know you anymore.'
'Of course, I can be. I'm still a mercenary and a killer. Hell, I'd sell my own sister. Is that no' what they say in the clan?'
'They say that because you will no' return—'
'I'll return when I've paid off my land—which I canna do now short of riding for Otto.' At Niall's raised eyebrows, Court added, 'Everyone needs that pay. I need that pay.'
Niall gave him a disappointed look. 'Life is not all about money. I thought you realized that when we broke from him.'
'What is it about, Niall?' he snapped. Inside, two men glanced up from arm wrestling. Court lowered his voice. 'If I canna have a woman and family of my own, and if I lose the land I've worked bloody hard for, then what exactly is my life about?'
'I doona know. You'll have to figure that out for yourself. But I do know it's no' about staying near a young woman until you destroy her life.'
'You're that sure I'd destroy it?'
'Ethan did with his woman.'
Years ago, Ethan had gotten engaged to Sarah, a girl he hardly knew from the neighboring MacKinnon clan. Her family had been eager, even after hearing of the curse, and Ethan's title demanded an heir, so he'd agreed. Sarah died at the age of nineteen, she died the night before the wedding, and no one knew how. 'I'm no' Ethan, and I doona intend to get engaged to the chit!'
'And what about your da?'
Court swung around to face Niall, brows drawn, feeling as though he'd been punched. 'I…We dinna mean…' He trailed off. What to say? That he and his brothers hadn't been responsible for their father's death? 'You would remind me of that?'
'I'm sorry I needed to, Court.' Niall put a hand on his shoulder before turning for the door. 'You've much to consider.'
To consider? Court would no more want to purposely revisit the morning his father had died than he would desire to truly contemplate his future. But hadn't he been doing both in the last few days? Since he'd met Annalía, he'd thought more about what he was missing than he had in the previous decade.
He started for her room, not knowing what he would say to her, not caring if she insulted him, but just wanting…something. He unlocked the door, then eased it open.
The air escaped his lungs, and he leaned his head on his forearm against the doorway. 'Bloody hell.'
Chapter Thirteen
The hand mirror. The one he'd forced her to clean up.
She'd taken the heavy silver-plated frame and hammered it against the equally heavy hairbrush handle to chisel away the bottom pins of the shutters. Yes, they were locked. Yes, they were thick.
But now they opened from the bottom.
He stormed from the room bellowing, 'Liam, saddle up my horse.'
Just then, Liam lurched inside from the stable, eyes unfocused, hand on his head. 'She's—'
'Aye, I know,' Court snapped, shoving his pistol in his trouser waist. As he rushed to saddle his mount, he thought about the scene in her room. He'd never forget it for all his days. She'd propped up her battered tools, carefully arranging them, to let him know the extent of her trickery. Gloating…
Since there was only one route back to Pascal's, Court knew how to follow. But she must've ridden like hell was at her heels, because he didn't catch up with her for nearly half an hour. Just as he got his first glimpse of her, she disappeared. Once he rode to the spot where he'd last seen her, he understood why and didn't even have time to tense before he and his horse went charging down a steep drop-off covered in slate. She'd taken it without even pausing.
Even now, toward the bottom, she hadn't slowed her breakneck pace. Daft woman! His own horse was having difficulty flying down the terrain. He could hear the hooves fracturing the stone.
After this, the land twisted into canyons and wider coulees, and soon he was able to pull alongside her, yet every time he neared she veered away. Her riding was impressive, but in the end it was only a matter of time. His hand shot out to snag her reins, and in seconds he had them stopped and her swooped from her horse.
'Let—me—go!' She slapped at him, sounding like she was on the verge of real violence. Which she'd proved she didn't mind using.
'Riding like this at night?' He set her down but took her shoulders. 'On slate? You're lucky you dinna break your neck.'
'You rode like that, too. Yet I'm the one who's supposed to be considered fortunate?'
His hands tightened on her. 'Why will you no' listen to reason, lass? Your brother's gone and you'd sacrifice yourself for nothing. If you'd cooperate with me, I'll get you to safety. You ken we will no' hurt you.'
She narrowed her eyes accusingly. In the stark moonlight he could clearly see the abraded skin on her chin.
'That will no' happen again,' he said, but she still fought to break his grip.
She kicked out, connecting with his leg, too high and too close for comfort. 'Annalía, do you want a graphic lesson on exactly why it is you should no' kick a man like that?' Bloody hell if she didn't do it again and closer. 'One more time and I swear tae you I'll snatch up your skirts and turn you over—' He went silent, and drew her to him, her back to his chest, covering her mouth with his hand. A sound nearby put him on edge.
Her teeth found his skin, of course, sinking deep, and he clenched his jaw. Something rustled in the bushes, getting closer. 'Who's out there?' he called, as he pulled his pistol free.
After several tense moments, they heard, 'We're here to return Annalía Llorente to Pascal.'
'My arse,' he muttered, cocking his gun. Had to be the Rechazados. No one else could have found them here. 'Listen to me, Anna. These men are no' here to collect you—they're the Rechazados. Have you heard of them?'
She nodded, releasing her teeth.
'So you know they're assassins, no' escorts. Now will you cooperate with me?'
She said a muffled, 'Yes.'
He eased his hand away, shaking it to regain some feeling in the skin she'd chewed. 'Now we need to get
