Glancing down the passage, she didn’t see Hazel. Her cousin must be well on her way to safety. After taking just a moment to catch her breath, she would start down the passage herself. It would be hard going without light—she should have thought of that before sending Hazel on ahead with the only remaining torch—but she would have to find her way somehow.
Before she could take a step, however, the door at her back was suddenly thrown open. An arm snaked through the opening and grabbed her roughly, and a large man dragged her into the cellars again. It happened in a blur of movement, and no matter how hard she fought her captor, he didn’t falter as he carried her away from the promise of freedom. Almost before she knew it, she had been dragged through the cellars and back upstairs into the great hall. Throughout the ordeal, she managed to conceal the blade of her small knife against her wrist, and she grasped it beside her skirts, determined to hold onto the dagger until the opportunity to wound her captor arose.
“Ah, now let’s get a better look at you, milady.” The man, whom she suspected was a mercenary, pushed her to sit atop a table and held her upper arms in a bruising grip. She kicked and kicked, but her booted feet only connected with his armor. He wore no helmet, but he still wore full armor and chainmail. She assessed the situation and planned her method of attack, knowing she must aim for his face when the time came.
“I am Lady Claire of Diterich, widow of Lord Diterich. My brother is the duke of Leuthold. If you don’t unhand me, I assure you that you will regret it. My late husband’s family is powerful and would seek swift justice if you damage a single hair on my head, and my brother the duke would have your head for even looking at me.” Though she spoke a half-truth, she infused her tone with confidence and lifted her chin. If she spoke it like she believed it, mayhap this man would unhand her.
He tightened his grip on her arms and displayed a yellow-toothed grin that made her cringe. The heavy stench of ale on his breath turned her stomach. An unshaven savage with greasy dark hair plastered to his head, his eyes glistened with more cruelty than she’d ever witnessed from her late husband. At least Lord Diterich had been old and weak, and she’d had no trouble dodging his fists. Most of the time. This man, however, was young and strong, and sickness rose in her throat at the thought of becoming his wife. She turned the dagger around so the point faced him and clutched the handle with renewed determination.
“Ah, such a pretty girl,” the man said, his grin widening. His gaze lowered to her bosom. “I’ve always wanted a taste of a noblewoman, and now I shall have one as my wife. God has surely smiled upon me!”
He backed up to ogle her further and Claire wrenched from his grasp. She swung the knife at his face and slashed deep. His scream pierced the air and he covered his left cheek, staring at her with a look of surprise that quickly shifted to cold anger. She pointed the knife at him, holding it between both her hands. Though tremors besieged her body and her hands shook around the dagger, she put on a brave face and rose up from the table, but when she made to slip around the man, he blocked her path.
“You will let me pass,” she said, lifting the knife higher.
“No, I will not let you pass, you fucking bitch. I will make you my wife, and then, little lady, I will spend the rest of the day pounding into your noble cunt.” He struck out at her hands and knocked the knife from her grasp. The bloodied weapon clattered to the table, and she backed against the wall.
His fist flew through the air, but Claire ducked and his knuckles crunched into stone. A snarl erupted from his throat and he loomed over her with murderous intent reflecting in his dark eyes. Her blood ran cold.
He raised his fist again, but a large figure knocked him off his feet before he had the chance to swing.
* * *
Galien pushed the mercenary to the floor and stood over him with a hand hovering on the hilt of his sword.
“I saw her first,” the man spat. “She’s mine.”
“Aye, but it doesn’t look like you’re able to handle her,” Galien replied with a smirk. “Shall we fight over her?” He inched his sword halfway out of its scabbard, and the drunken mercenary’s eyes went wide with alarm. The man turned and scrambled away, leaving behind a bloody handprint on the floor.
“Thank you, sir,” the lady said, straightening her skirts. “That was chivalrous of you; however, I am quite certain I could have handled the miscreant myself.”
Galien released his hold on his sword and gave a slight bow to the lady. “You can put your knife away now, Lady Claire.”
She clutched it low at her side, eyeing him with suspicion. “I think I’ll keep it handy for now.” Her thin dark brows narrowed together. “How do you know my name?”
“I overheard you threatening the mercenary.” Galien studied the lady before him, taking in her full bosom, narrow waist, and ample hips her dress displayed in an inviting fashion. He still couldn’t believe his luck at finding Lady Claire at Hohenzollern of all places. He cleared his throat and stepped closer to her. “I am Lord Galien of Minrova.”
“Minrova? I thought Lord Galien was an old man. I did not know he had a son. Of course, there are so many lords and castles of late that it makes my head spin.”
“The late Lord Galien was an old man. I will inherit my father’s title upon my return to the family household. After my departure to find you, I received a missive that he passed away. You may call me Lord Galien if it pleases you.” He gave her a wicked smile. “However, I would much prefer you call me husband.”
“Husband?” A crazed laugh escaped her, but when he didn’t crack a smile she fell silent and stared at him with wide eyes. “You’re serious, aren’t you?” She pointed her knife at his face and gave him a hard look. The tip of her blade shone dark with the mercenary’s blood.
“Aye, my lady, I am serious. Your brother wishes for us to be married. He deployed me to Diterich to retrieve you from your late husband’s castle. My men and I joined with the army to defeat Hohenzollern on our way south to Diterich. Imagine my surprise to find you here in this castle, so far from home.”
“My brother?” she gasped. “Which brother? I have six of them.”
“The duke of Leuthold, and my overlord.”
Still, the lady did not lower her weapon. He watched as her expression transformed from suspicious to astounded, and then from fearful to suspicious again. “Even if you’re telling the truth, you are wasting your time with me. I have no need of a husband, and Leuthold is a fool for thinking I do.”
He crossed his arms and regarded her, amused by her stubbornness. Her beauty also mesmerized him. When the duke had none too gently commanded him to marry his sister, he had not been pleased. Being ordered about by an overlord a decade younger than him was riling at the very least, and he had no desire to marry a woman he’d never once laid eyes on. Refusing the duke’s orders was not an option, however, so he’d assembled his men and set off for Diterich, his mood dark until the opportunity to battle Hohenzollern arose. Two and a half days of fighting had proven a fair distraction from his father’s recent passing and his impending nuptials.
Ah, but the lady’s sparkling blue eyes drew him in, especially when anger flickered forth. She had lifted her chin and clenched her jaw, emphasizing high but delicate cheekbones he longed to reach out and stroke. Her full, pink lips called to him, and images of what she might do with that pretty mouth of hers left his cock straining against his armor.
She made a sudden jabbing motion with the knife in his direction, jarring him from his salacious thoughts. He glared at her, annoyed that she viewed him as no better than the mercenary who’d been pawing at her.
“My lady, I am losing my patience with you. I would like to leave Hohenzollern soon. Daylight is fading and I prefer to travel as far as possible before dusk. If we don’t dally, we will arrive at my keep before nightfall tomorrow.” He arched an eyebrow at her and looked pointedly at the knife, silently urging her to place the weapon down. It wouldn’t take him more than an instan
t to disarm her, but he wanted the lady surrender on her own free will. Trying to gain her trust after forcibly taking her dagger and hauling her out of the castle would be no small feat.
Lady Claire edged along the table, attempting to slip past him. He blocked her path at every turn and held out a hand, beseeching her to surrender.
“Give me the knife, my lady.”
“No. Perhaps you should take out your sword so it’s a fair fight, my lord,” she said tauntingly. The firm set of her jaw and her brave words were betrayed by her trembling hands.
His heart softened to her and he ached to gather her against his chest. He did not know much about the lady he had been commanded to wed, but he knew her late husband had been no saint. Lord Diterich’s first five wives had died in their sleep under mysterious circumstances. The elderly lord had been known for his violent temper, as well as his obsession with wealth and power. Galien hoped Lady Claire had not suffered too terribly at his hands. She was far too young to have been married to such an old man, and he wondered at the circumstances that had led to the marriage. Surely she had not been a willing bride.
Around them soldiers issued commands and ladies cried and gasped as they were escorted toward the great hall. Claire’s eyes filled with tears as she surveyed the scene, and her lower lip quivered. She met his gaze and anger flared in her brilliant blue depths.
“While you might have heard of my brother, I doubt you are the lord you claim to be. For all I know, you have concocted the story for some sinister purpose.”
“I am exactly who I claim to be. Even if I’m not, I am within my rights to claim you as mine. Enough of the knife play, my lady. Hand me the weapon now.”
She slashed the dagger through the air and he caught her wrist in a firm grasp. Stepping closer, he towered over her petite form and stared into her frightened eyes, cursing the circumstances of their first meeting. If the rumors about her late husband and his son who now ruled in his place were true, she would have welcomed his arrival at Diterich with open arms. But now instead of her savior, he was her enemy.
He squeezed her wrist just hard enough to force the knife out of her hands. It clattered to the floor and for a moment he simply stared down at her, wordlessly beckoning her to trust him. She struggled against his hold, kicking at his legs and flailing around like a woman possessed.
“Release me!” She landed a hard kick and then winced, her foot hitting his armor.
“If you don’t calm yourself, my lady, you will get hurt.” He pulled her arms down to her sides and backed her against the table. “Now listen to me and listen well. I am indeed Lord Galien of Minrova, and your brother the duke of Leuthold has commanded me to take you as a wife, even to use force against Diterich to remove you from their castle if necessary. We are leaving Hohenzollern now, and if you continue giving me trouble I will not hesitate to exercise my husbandly right to discipline you, Claire. You will behave, my lady, or you will feel the sting of my sword belt on your bare arse.”
Chapter Two
Claire relaxed within Lord Galien’s hold and swallowed hard. Heat flooded her face at his threat of chastisement. She bowed her head and felt tears of frustration burning in her eyes. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She was supposed to enjoy a nice, long visit at Hohenzollern away from Diterich and her late husband’s relatives, especially her conniving stepson. She had eventually hoped to ask Princess Susanna for assistance in traveling to one of her brothers’ estates, but now it was too late.
Even if the story Lord Galien told her about Leuthold held true, she did not understand why her brother wished for her to marry the man. Leuthold, along with the rest of her brothers, had stood by without uttering a single protest when their father announced she was to wed Lord Diterich, all for the sake of an alliance that had proven troublesome in the end.
“I would rather not fight with you, Lady Claire.” Lord Galien’s deep, rumbling voice sent a flutter through her insides.
She inhaled a long, drawn-out breath and closed her eyes, willing herself to wake up in her bed, but when she opened her eyes Lord Galien was still staring down at her and still holding her captive. She tore her gaze away from him and listened as the chaos in the castle started to settle. She heard murmuring voices, punctuated by the occasional shout or bawdy laugh, coming from the great hall around them. The soldiers who apparently weren’t bride hunting today rushed by with armfuls of stolen goods, some of them lugging trunks through the halls.
“Do you have any belongings you wish to bring with you?”
Lord Galien’s question caught her by surprise, as did the kindness she glimpsed in his dark brown eyes. She cleared her throat. “Aye, my lord. I didn’t travel here with much, but if you would permit me to go to my chamber I will gather my things.” The longer she stalled, the longer she remained in the castle, the better her chances of escape. If she somehow managed to evade Lord Galien and slip down to the underground passage again, she might find her way into the north woods and catch up with Glenda, Hazel, and the others.
“Very well. Show me to your chamber and I will have my squires collect your belongings. If you attempt to cause any mischief though, my sweet Claire, I will make you sorely regret it.” He snapped his fingers and two squires emerged from the horde of looting men.
The four of them traveled through the halls and up a busy set of stairs. Lord Galien kept a firm hand on her upper arm, guiding her through the crowd. She noticed that he commanded great respect, or perhaps he incited fear, because all the soldiers stepped out of his path and gave him a wide berth.
The armored men swept past them carrying their treasures, everything from golden candelabras, to jewelry, to ladies’ dresses. Claire wondered if her chamber had already been ransacked. Once she reached the room she had been sharing in the east wing with Hazel and four other ladies, she frowned at the open door.
“That’s it,” she said, nodding. “If you would permit me some time to collect my things, I will be quick about it.” She glanced into the empty chamber and groaned inwardly to see it in such disarray, but at least some of her belongings remained untouched. The lid of Claire’s trunk rested open, but many of her dresses remained hanging over the side. She made to move into the chamber alone, but Lord Galien followed her inside with a possessive grip on her arm.
His assessing gaze swept around the room and he gestured for the squires to enter. “Please collect all of Lady Claire’s belongings in her trunk, and be quick about it. I would like to depart Hohenzollern within the hour.”
Claire’s mouth fell open and she wrenched from Lord Galien’s grasp. “I will pack my own things!” she snapped. “All of you, get out! Bloody get out!”
“My lady, I insist you calm yourself.”
“I said to get out! All of you!” She required time to think, damn him. She had never intended to marry again. She had already done her duty to her family by wedding the awful Lord Diterich, and she saw no benefit to a match with Lord Galien, for her family or for his. Her brother’s command puzzled her, and she hoped to talk her way out of the marriage. Yes, she would speak with the duke before the nuptials took place. Surely Lord Galien would not deny her a visit to her brother’s castle on the way to his keep. She took a deep breath and peered into her intended’s soulful eyes, fighting off the desire to sink further in his arms. His hold on her had turned gentle, though his censoring gaze burned into her.
“It appears you do not listen very well, do you, my lady?”
“I am sorry for my outburst. Your squires may pack my things. Th-thank you, Lord Galien, for your kindness.” It grated her nerves to speak so civilly to the man, but she forced the words out in hopes of garnering his favor long enough to see her to her brother’s castle. Her cheeks ached behind the smile she forced.
Lord Galien waved a hand at his squires, but instead of packing up her trunk, the young men slipped from the chamber and shut the door behind them. She inhaled a shaky breath, the sudden darkness in Lord Galien’s eyes stirring fear i
n her heart. The last thing she wanted was to be alone with the man!
“My lady, I will not have you speaking disrespectfully to me or any of my men, squires included. As my wife, your behavior reflects on me, and it is my duty to ensure you are well-mannered and ladylike. Furthermore, I will not be mollified by a fake smile and placating words. No wife of mine will make a fool of me.” His harsh tone and his sudden grip on her shoulders made her wince. Still, she hated to cower in fear.
“One marriage was enough for me, Lord Galien. Whatever my brother’s intentions are, I wish to discover them before we are wed. I demand that we travel to Leuthold at once so I may have an audience with him.”
He lowered his head and a vein on his temple pulsed. “I need to hurry back to my keep, my lady. We will be wed soon and I’m afraid a visit to the duke is out of the question. Already the first snowfall is upon us, and I have business to take care of at Minrova. We will visit your brother in the spring, Lady Claire.”
The last vestige of her control slipped and she pushed out of his grasp, then shoved at him with all her strength. She stood, utterly stunned, as he wobbled and almost fell backward on the bed. Panic swirled within her when he righted himself and pinned her with a livid glare. Her mind screamed for her to turn and run away, to try to rush out the door, but her legs became rooted to the floor. When he finally spoke, the quiet anger in his voice washed through her like a rush of cold water.
“Lady Claire, I have just lost my patience with you. Now, I want you to go stand in the corner over there. Put your nose to the wall and do not turn around until I beckon you.”
She gulped and stared at the corner he’d nodded at. “Th-the corner? Why?”
“Because I intend to spank your naughty bottom, that’s why. I have given you plenty of opportunity to conduct yourself properly, my lady, but you have crossed the line. I have no doubt a sore bottom will help ensure your good behavior for the duration of our trip to Minrova, or for the rest of the day at least.”
The Conquered Brides Collection Page 38