Page 33 of Bride of Fire
The whispers were increasing in volume and agitation, though the words were too muffled to understand.
He’d have to sort everything out soon. He’d never taken hostages before. He was not in the habit of dealing with lasses much at all. Especially lasses as hostile, outspoken, and prone to squabbling as these Warrior Daughters of Rivenloch.
He didn’t want to hold them any longer than necessary. With any luck, the documents from the king would arrive today, proving his claim. By afternoon, he could return the maids to their proper home and put all this behind him.
Then he could proceed with settling in to his new keep—exploring the land, purchasing provisions, finding a more suitable chamber for Miles, where his cries wouldn’t disturb Morgan’s sleep.
He frowned. It seemed the name Jenefer had given the bairn was going to stick.
He didn’t care. Not really. The bawling bairn could be called Jehoshaphat, as far as he was concerned. He just didn’t like the self-satisfied lass who believed she was the Laird of Creagor to think she could issue commands inhishousehold.
From the other side of the door, he heard the self-important lass now.
“Aye, ’tis my handiwork. But you can see I’m still here,” Jenefer was insisting. “Don’t try to blamemefor this!”
He couldn’t hear her cousin’s reply.
But Jenefer’s response was, “I hope her da’s knightsdocome. I told you from the beginning, we should have used force.Nowmaybe we’ll get somewhere.”
That brought Morgan to his feet.
He flung open the door.
The dark lass called Feiyan was standing beside the open window. In one hand was looped the rope of bedsheets Jenefer had made.
Jenefer wheeled toward him, her arms akimbo, her gaze defiant. Despite her rebellious expression, by day, she was even more captivating. The light of dawn filtered through the pale saffron of the leine, outlining her body in tempting relief. Her tawny tresses looked as inviting as sunshine.
Then he noticed the enticing flash in her emerald eyes. A flash that told him she kept a fatal secret.
“What have ye done?” he asked, afraid of the answer.
“Ihaven’t done a thing,” she said smugly.
He turned to Feiyan. “What’s happened?”
Before Feiyan could reply, Jenefer responded with a silky, self-assured smile. “Exactly what I warned you about.”
“Jen,” Feiyan scolded.
Jenefer clucked her tongue. “You shouldn’t have taken what wasn’t yours…Morgan.”
She’d omitted the “Laird” just to annoy him again. But he wasn’t going to take the bait.
He turned to Feiyan again. She might at least give him a straight answer. “What are ye two up—”
He stopped abruptly as a swift perusal of the room told him what was wrong.
He narrowed his eyes. “Where’s the third?”
Chapter 18
Jenefer had to give Hallie credit. She knew her cousin was clever. But she hadn’t expected such ingenuity from her. Though Hallie had commanded Feiyan and Jenefer not to flee, she’d never said anything about making herownescape.
Apparently, sometime in the night, she’d done just that.
Using the rope of sheets Jenefer had conveniently left, it seemed Hallie had climbed out the window, dropped to the ground, and, if Jenefer’s suspicions were accurate, lit out for Rivenloch.
Her domineering cousin must have finally seen the wisdom of summoning troops to take Creagor by force.
