Page 50 of The Warrior's Innocent Captive

‘Yes, I—’

A loud pounding sounded at the door.

‘Who’s that?’ Linota edged closer to Emma. The sound had a frantic edge to it, as if the person on the other side would bash through the thick wood if they couldn’t get through.

‘I don’t know.’ Emma bundled Linota into a tight hug, turning slightly so that she was in front of Linota.

The sound of something banging against the metal lock reached them. Linota’s legs weakened and she clung to Emma, her only thought,Please don’t let it be Gamel.

Clayborne ran into the room just as the front door crashed open. He placed himself in front of the women and Linota was grateful for his solid bulk between her and whatever was heading their way.

Pounding footsteps raced up the staircase and the intruder burst into the room.

Linota gasped.

The Earl of Borwyn stood in front of her, his lips drawn so tightly they were almost white. His fists were curled tightly and he advanced on Clayborne, who backed up quickly, clearly startled to be confronted by the furious Earl.

Lighter footsteps followed and then stepping into the room was the last person Linota expected to see.

‘Katherine,’ she cried.

She broke free of Emma’s grip and ran to her sister, flinging her arms around her and holding on to her tightly.

‘There you are.’ Linota breathed heavily against her sister’s hair. ‘I’ve been so worried about you.’

Katherine stiffened in her embrace and Linota held out her arms so she could look at her sister. A large, purple bruise was visible near her hairline, but otherwise she looked well. ‘Erik told me you’d been hurt. Are you all right?’

‘Erik,’ said Katherine blankly.

‘Yes, Erik, he’s been looking after me since those horrid men grabbed me. He said we couldn’t trust anyone apart from Emma and her husband. Oh, I’ve been so worried about you.’

Linota wanted to shake her sister. Katherine wasn’t smiling. She didn’t seem overjoyed to see her. What could possibly be wrong? They were reunited and they weren’t hurt. Katherine should be beaming from ear to ear.

‘What’s going on?’ she asked, turning to glance at the rest of the occupants of the room. Nobody was moving and every line in Borwyn’s body was rigid.

‘Emma?’ she said, hoping that the woman who’d spent the day mothering her would have an explanation for the tension that crackled in the small room.

‘I’m sorry, pet,’ said Emma, dropping her gaze to the wooden floor.

Linota’s heart pounded. ‘Sorry...?’ What did Emma have to be sorry about? She’d been nothing but lovely to her since the first moment they’d met. She turned back to her sister. ‘Katherine, what’s happening here?’

‘Katherine—’ Borwyn’s austere voice sent a sharp shiver down Linota’s spine ‘—take your sister to the bottom of the stairs. I’ll join you both shortly.’

‘What’s he going to do?’ demanded Linota as Katherine tried to tug her from the room. ‘He’s not going to hurt them, is he? They’ve been so kind to me over the last two days. Don’t let him hurt them, Katherine.’

‘Nobody’s going to get hurt,’ said Katherine, as she began to tug Linota harder. ‘The Earl just wants to talk to them.’

Borwyn grunted and Linota twisted to look at the scene behind them. Neither Emma nor Clayborne were putting up any sort of fight. Both of them were looking at the floor, their shoulders slumped. They looked...they lookedguilty. But that couldn’t be right. They had done nothing wrong. They had taken her in and kept her safe and fed.

‘I’ll explain outside,’ said Katherine gently. ‘Please, trust me.’

Linota didn’t want to leave her two new friends to the mercy of the stern Earl, but it seemed she didn’t have a choice. She couldn’t defend them if she didn’t know what the problem was.

On trembling legs she followed Katherine downstairs and out into the street below.

She hadn’t been outside for over a day and she’d forgotten how cold it was. The frigid air hit her lungs, making her gasp in shock.

‘Are you truly all right?’ Katherine asked.

---