Chapter Eight
Giselle woke at dawn to find Lyall standing over her. She squinted up at his hard and handsome face.
‘You must rise. We are leaving within the hour,’ he said.
‘Where are we going?’ Giselle rubbed her eyes, trying to clear a head heavy with exhaustion.
‘Home, to Scotland.’
‘No, I don’t want to go with you,’ she said, sitting up in bed. ‘Let me go, please, I cannot go to Scotland.’
He grabbed her by the arm and hauled her onto her feet. ‘You are coming with me to Scotland, where you will remain until your ransom is paid and I get some reward for my trouble. Don’t bother arguing, just get dressed and hasten.’
His demeanour had gone from day to night. Last night there had been some rough kindness in him. By letting him kiss her, she had hoped to get him on her side, make him take pity and release her. Now, he was all fierce soldier and jailor, and she was a little fearful of him as he hurriedly untied her hands and turned his back to her.
‘Hurry and get dressed. Best not keep Lord Douglas waiting.’
‘You are hateful.’
‘Am I to get more of your defiance today? Do I need to put you over my knee and thrash it out of you?’
‘Of course, you would do that, you animal.’
‘I suppose you think that all Scots are so.’
‘I think it because I have seen it in you.’
‘Well, it may surprise you to know that I am an educated man. My family has wealth and position. I can go to King Robert’s court with dignity and comport myself well.’ He turned and loomed over her. ‘I can also be an animal, when I have to be because that is how wars are won, that is how freedom is secured.’
‘You don’t give a fig for my freedom.’
‘You have none, for you are English, and you are the spoils of war. It is time to stop being a child and open your eyes to ruin your countrymen have unleashed on Scotland for years.’
Giselle backed away. His eyes had darkened in anger, and he had quite the glare on him. For a moment, she believed he could be an animal.
‘My servant, Agnes. What has become of her?’
‘I sent your witless servant south, at first light, to make her way back home.’
‘But how can she get there safely?’
‘Not my concern. I put that woman on a horse, while she cursed me soundly, smacked it on the rump, and set her on her way.’
‘Why would a villain like you give her a horse?’
‘Because she dared to stand up for you, and I admired her loyalty.’
‘Do you want me to think that you are a good man now?’
‘I am all manner of men and, if you test me, you will find out. Here,’ he said, thrusting a bundle of cloth into her hands, ‘I will be back for you shortly. Gather what things you can.’
Giselle shouted after him. ‘Why are you so nasty to me? It is not my fault I am here in this predicament, it is yours.’
‘Aye, and I’m not angry with you, I am angry with myself. Because I interfered, I have now burdened myself with a woman to slow me down and, worse, an English one at that. I don’t know what I was thinking last night to do such a thing. I am not here to rescue damsels in distress, I am not here as your protector, I am here to fight and kill as many English bastards as I can, as punishment for years of violence they have brought on Scotland. Last night your coy charms made me forget that for a while, but I have come to my senses in the cold light of day, and I have remembered who I am.’
‘And who you are is a filthy barbarian, a murder, a thief and a villain for taking me hostage.’
‘Aye, I am all those things, and I am also your master, so do as you are told. And Giselle, I’m glad I saved you from Banan, but you’d best not give me any trouble. You had better pray your rich father pays your ransom as soon as may be, so I can send you back to him and be done with you.’