Page 48 of Desire's Ransom
Chapter 14
“Shite!” Warin spat.
Laurence bit out a much worse oath.
Ryland ground his teeth. “What is the meaning of this?”
“Lay down your weapons,” Gray said.
“The hell we will!” Ryland raged.
The gentleman outlaw reasoned with him. “Ye’re outnumbered. We could fire a bolt through all your hearts ere ye could lift your blades. Ye know that.”
Aye, he did know that. But Ryland felt he’d completely failed his men today. And the last thing he wanted to do was to make them surrender their arms.
“We mean ye no harm,” Gray assured him.
The treacherous woman’s words were unconvincing, considering there were almost a dozen deadly arrows trained on them.
“Surrender your blades,” she said, “and I’ll explain.”
For a long moment, he only glared at her, venting his fury on her with a piercing, smoldering gaze. How he’d ever imagined she was a desirable, tempting sweetmeat of a woman he didn’t know.
At last, he stared her down. She averted her eyes, as if she recognized hers was a betrayal of the worst kind.
With an angry growl, he commanded his men, “Lay down your blades.”
With palpable fury, they did as they were ordered.
“Your daggers as well,” Gray said, “and any other weapons ye’re carryin’.”
They tossed their remaining weapons to the ground.
“Your men are free to go…” she said.
“My men?”
“But ye’ll be stayin’ with us.”
“What?” Warin exploded.
Laurence barked, “Impossible.”
“We don’t go anywhere without Sir Ryland,” said Osgood.
Godwin agreed. “That’s right. If he’s staying, we’re staying as well.”
They crossed their arms over their chests, stubborn to a man.
“Your loyalty is admirable,” Gray told them. “But if ye want to keep your lord safe, ye must take a message to theclannchieftain.”
“A message?” Ryland asked. “What message?”
Gray’s eyes narrowed to smoky slits. “Tell him he can have the king’s man back for five hundred pounds.”
Everyone gasped. Five hundred pounds was an absurd amount.
“Five hun-…” Warin said, gaping. “What the bloody hell do you…” He shot a quick glance at Ryland, who glowered back at him. “Not that you’re not absolutely worth that much, m’lord, but…”
