“That does it,” her father said. “The proxy ceremony was only last week. She is wed to Arran.”
“How do you know she tells the truth? Was there a witness to this wedding? Who wed them? And where is this husband of yours?” Brynjar demanded his nostrils flaring in anger.
“RIGHT HERE!”
All heads turned at the strong shout and Purity almost collapsed with relief hearing her husband’s voice and she almost took a step back when she caught sight of him. The look in his eyes left no doubt he was ready to kill and Hope showed the same anger, pounding the ground with her hooves. The gathered crowd hurried to part and let him through. Princess kept pace with Hope, King strutting in front of the dog.
Arran dismounted once he was near Purity and the lad who had tended Hope once before hurried to take the mare’s reins from him. His hasty strides had him at his wife’s side and his arm around her waist in no time. The animals followed taking up a protective stance by Purity.
Instinct and relief had Purity leaning against him, not to mention she needed to take some pressure off her injured leg.
Relief and anger warred in Arran. He was relieved to get home and angry that he hadn’t been here for Brynjar’s arrival. That anger soared when he caught sight of the red marks Brynjar’s meaty hand had left on his wife’s slim neck.
“He’s hurt you,” he whispered, trying to contain his rage.
Purity kept her voice to a murmur, her words intended for her husband alone. “I am good. You must save your hate for another day. It is what he wants.”
Her stark warning penetrated his rage. She was right. Brynjar fed off hate and used it to his advantage.
Hate had been foreign to Arran’s nature. Brynjar had changed that and the hate that the man had taught him, he would one day use against him, but not today.
“You are not welcome here in my home, take your leave now,” Arran ordered.
Brynjar snarled. “Not without my wife.”
His words twisted like a knife in Arran’s gut.
Purity hurried to explain before her husband said anything different from what she had already told them. “I explained to him that we wed several weeks ago and since my father wed me by proxy to Brynjar only a week ago, the marriage is invalid.”
“I demand proof of this marriage,” Brynjar bellowed and looked to Galvin. “I will not leave until proof is provided to me that they are wed and that they wed before the proxy marriage.”
“Arran wouldn’t lie about this,” Galvin said in his defense.
“She says he refused your request that he marry her, and suddenly he changes his mind?” Brynjar shook his head, a scowl creasing his brow. “Your daughter is no one’s wife until proven otherwise. She stays away from him until proof is given.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Arran warned with a strength that left little doubt it would be any other way.
Purity thought the hate she had seen in her husband’s eyes overwhelmed, it was nothing to what she saw in Brynjar’s eyes—his held pure evil.
“It matters little anyway,” Brynjar said with an indifferent shrug. “If your seed has taken root in her, I’ll pound her hard enough with my shaft to kill it. She’ll be on her knees when I do it so I don’t have to look at her ugly face. And I intend to chop that claw hand of hers off since it’s too offensive to look at.”
Purity held tight to her husband’s arm, feeling his body grow taut with rage and hurried to shout for all to hear, “I DOUBT YOUR STUBBY SHAFT IS BIG ENOUGH TO POUND THE LIFE OUT OF ANYTHING LET ALONE GIVE PLEASURE.”
Purity’s eyes widened in shock when her husband burst out laughing and the crowd joined in as well.
Brynjar’s face grew so red, Purity thought it would explode and she gripped her husband’s arm tighter when the angry man went to take a step toward them.
Arran’s laughter died abruptly as he lurched forward, Princess and King quick to join him. “Go on, give me a reason to kill you in front of everyone.”
The sound of approaching horses brought everything to a halt and all turned to see Royden riding through the village toward the keep, Quiver alongside him, and several warriors following behind.
“Your brother comes to your rescue again,” Brynjar sneered.
“Unlike you, I have people who care for me,” Arran said, proud he had a family that didn’t hesitate to help him.
“I don’t need anyone to care. I only need them to obey.” Brynjar gave a nod to Purity. “I’ll enjoy teaching her to obey.”
“Purity is my wife now and always. You have no claim on her. You will take your leave,” Arran ordered, not hiding his sneer of disgust for the man.