Page 45 of The Warrior's Innocent Captive

Linota laughed. ‘I can hardly miss the fortress.’

Even in the darkness last night it was hard to miss the giant edifice looming over the walled town that stood in its shadow.

Emma bustled over to the fire and prodded it violently. Sparks flew into the air and a few flakes of ash settled on Linota’s sleeve. Emma leaned over and brushed them off. ‘I don’t want you running into those men again. Gamel might get lucky next time you encounter him. Now you must try to eat something. You’re practically skin and bones.’

Despite Emma’s words of warning Linota wanted to rush out of the room and out on to the street below. Only the good manners Katherine had drummed into her all of her life kept her in the room with her host. Emma settled down in front of the fire, rubbing her chapped hands together. Linota sank down next to her and tried to force down some of the mutton stew.

‘Tell me more about your brother,’ said Emma, resting her elbows on her knees. Emma seemed fascinated by Linota being related to such a fearsome and renowned warrior when, in Emma’s words, Linota was such a tiny little thing.

Linota bit back a sigh. She didn’t really know Braedan that well and had already told Emma all that she knew about Braedan’s warrior years. But Emma had been so kind to her, keeping her company whenever she could and giving her plenty of food and a safe place to stay so she obliged her host and described the way in which Braedan had fallen in love with his new bride. Emma nodded and exclaimed in all the right places.

‘And now my sister and I are going to live with them.’ Linota ended the story with a smile, hoping it didn’t look as strained as she felt.

Emma sighed. ‘It’s so romantic.’

Linota frowned. Her sister-in-law had nearly died several times as a maniac had chased her across the country, trying to force her into wedlock so that he could get hold of her land. The chase had only ended when Braedan had killed the man. It was hardly a romantic tale.

But she wanted to keep Emma happy. ‘Yes, it’s very romantic. How did you meet Clayborne? Was it as...exciting?’

Emma snorted. ‘No. I had to marry him. The old Earl insisted on it.’

‘Oh?’

‘I was widowed young. He chose my second husband for me. I got lucky with Clayborne. He’s a good man. I know women who have not been so fortunate.’

Emma stared into the fire, her eyes sad. Linota shifted to her knees—should she go to Emma and offer some sort of sympathy? But Clayborne and Emma seemed so well matched that surely pity was the wrong emotion.

She settled back down. She’d known lords arranged the marriages of unwed women, but she’d never spoken to anyone who’d experienced it before. She’d imagined peasants having more choice in their potential spouses than noble-born women, but it appeared they had even less.

Emma turned away from the fire and smiled, her melancholy moment apparently over. ‘I think the old Earl didn’t like me getting close to Erik. He was a mean old coot. He didn’t like anyone being happy.’

All the air whooshed from Linota’s lungs. She’d thought there was a familiarity with the way Erik had referred to Emma. She should have known they used to be lovers. Perhaps they still were. She was so naive.

She stood quickly. ‘I need to leave.’

‘What? No!’ Emma stood up in front of her, holding her hands aloft as if to catch her. ‘You can’t go. We’ve already discussed this. I’m sure Erik will return soon. He—’

Fury pumped through her veins. ‘I am not Erik’s chattel. If I want to leave, then I can.’

A fine trembling started up in Linota’s fingers and began to spread through her body.

‘I know, pet. I know he doesn’t own you, but he wants you to be safe. He cares for you.’

Linota folded her arms across her chest. Yes, he cared about her so much he had left her in the home of his mistress. She was a fool. A young, besotted fool, who needed to take a hold of her own destiny and find out what was going on.

Emma dropped her arms. ‘Are you upset because of what I said about Erik?’

Linota turned her head towards the stairs. She refused to see the look of pity on Emma’s face. She didn’t need sympathy from Erik’s ladylove.

‘I’m sorry, pet. I wasn’t thinking. All I shared with Eric was some clumsy kisses, years and years ago, when he was a young lad. It was never anything more than that.’

Linota could feel heat slowly creeping up her neck.Why had she made it so obvious that she cared either way what Erik got up to with his women?

‘Pet?’ Emma reached out and gently touched the sleeve of Linota’s robes. ‘I don’t think you have anything to worry about on that score. I saw the way he looked at you yesterday. I’ve never seen him look like that before. I don’t think he’ll as much as glance at another woman if you’re in his life.’

Linota closed her eyes. It was all that she wanted to hear, but it did nothing to alleviate the pain in her chest. In the end, it didn’t matter if Emma was his lover, or all the women in Borwyn’s town and fortress. Nor did it matter if he did only look at her the way she looked at him. It didn’t change anything. She would still have to marry Borwyn, or some other nobleman, and Erik would still continue to have lovers that weren’t her.

Linota sank back down to the floor, all the anger leaving her in a rush. She picked up the bowl again and bit into a chunk of mutton. The meat was melt-in-the-mouth-tender, but when she tried to swallow it got stuck in her throat. She coughed.

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