Page 5 of Sutherland's Secret
Her eyes opened and she stared right at him. For a moment they both froze.
And then she screamed.
Brice slammed his hand over her mouth and rolled on top of her to keep her still. Damnation, but if any English were about, they surely heard her.
“Quiet,” he commanded. “Do ye want to alert everyone to where we are?”
She was frozen beneath him, her eyes wide and round. He could feel the terrified pounding of her heart against his chest.
“I’m no’ going to hurt ye,” he said. “Do ye understand?”
She didn’t nod or shake her head or in any way indicate that she had heard him. All she did was stare at him in terror.
“If I pull my hand away, will ye scream again?”
When she didn’t respond, he repeated his question in Gaelic but received no better response.
Carefully he pulled his hand away. She did not scream, much to his relief. Christ, but his heart was about to pound out of his chest. He could only pray that no redcoats were in the area.
She scooted away from him, whimpering, her head whipping back and forth as if she were trying to figure out where she was.
Brice watched her. He held his hands out to the sides, telling her without words that he meant her no harm, but that didn’t appease her. She dug her heels into the dirt and scooted back.
Brice grabbed her ankle.
Chapter 3
Eleanor scrambled in the dirt away from the barbarian crouched before her. She looked around frantically, her heart pounding wildly.
His large, meaty hand tightened on her ankle, digging in to her bruises. Immediately she kicked out at him, trying to scream, but no sound emerged.
He was speaking, but she couldn’t hear him above her ragged breathing. Her only thought was to escape. Run. Flee.
He dragged her closer and she whimpered.No, no, no! Not again.She dug her elbows into the dirt and tried to pull back, but he was far too strong. He pulled her as if she were nothing, hardly worth his effort at all.
“Easy, lass. Ye’re about to crawl into the fire.”
His words penetrated her fear, and she glanced behind her to find that indeed she was perilously close to the fire. The warmth heated her back until it nearly burned, but still she did not move. Fire was definitely preferable to what this brute had in mind for her.
“Who are ye?” he asked in a deep voice with a thick Scottish accent that had her stomach twisting. “Where are ye from?”
She was breathing so fast that it was impossible to answer. Not that she had any inclination to answer. She’d learned a long time ago that silence was her best defense and her best protector.
“What’s yer name?” He was sounding frustrated and she began to tremble. She looked at his large fingers, still curled around her fragile ankle.
He was crouched before her, but she could tell he was tall. And wide. Lord above, but his thighs were enormous. And his expression was so fierce that it stole her breath with terror. He wore a savage frown, dark blond brows dipped in anger. His dark blond hair was unbound and hung in unruly, uncombed waves to those massive shoulders. Blue eyes glared at her.
And he was wearing a kilt. Lord have mercy, but what horrific fate had befallen her now? She’d been convinced she’d run from the worst fate ever, but now she was not so certain. She looked around the small clearing. There didn’t seem to be anyone else about. That was either good or bad. He could do what he wanted to her and no one would be the wiser. However, if others were about, then they could do what they wanted with her as well. She shuddered at the thought.
His fingers on her ankle tightened, drawing her attention back to him.
“I am Brice Sutherland, Earl of Dornach and chief of clan Sutherland. I found ye unconscious on the side of the road. How did ye come to be there?”
Tears welled in her eyes at the thought of how she had come to be on the road in the middle of Scotland. She’d thought that her tears had run out months ago. Apparently she had a few more, and this heathen was not happy to see them. He cursed and scowled. “Dono’cry.”
Against her will, the tears spilled down her cheeks. Her body began to shake uncontrollably. His expression went from fierce to stern.
And then, to her immense surprise, he released her ankle and stood slowly. She looked up at him from her prone position and tried very hard not to appear shocked. As she had guessed, he was enormous. Towering above her. From where she lay sprawled, he appeared taller than the trees. Definitely wider than some of the trunks. She slowly sat up, her body in agony, protesting each motion. Lord, but she’d never thought her body could hurt so much.
