Page 20 of Highland Dove

Mari felt as if her life were over. Why hadn’t she just told Duncan what happened instead of him having to hear it from Eideard? That was the worst thing ever. She’d had the chance to do it. If only she hadn’t been so frightened of how he’d react, mayhap she would have. A part of her didn’t want him to know about it until after she’d talked with her father and they’d straightened it out. She thought if the annulment was in progress before she told Duncan, then mayhap it wouldn’t be so devastating to him. After all, he’d been through so much lately that she didn’t want to throw more problems at him before he was rested and healed.

Riding with Eideard was horrible. He kept his arm around her, and kept kissing her neck and whispering in her ear. She was so disgusted by it that she wanted to turn around and punch him.

“As soon as we’re inside those castle gates, I’m goin’ to plow into ye like I’m plantin’ a field,” he told her. “I’m so big right now with lust that I think I’m goin’ to burst.”

Just as he said that, he pressed his erection up against her back. She had to bite her tongue so she wouldn’t cry out. “I have to use a bush,” she said in desperation to get away from him.

“Nay, just wait. We’ll be back to the castle soon.”

“I canna wait,” she insisted, hoping to find a way to escape. “I’m tired and hungry and I’m goin’ to wet the horse if ye dinna stop right now!”

“Och, ye are a troublesome wench,” he complained.

“The horses could use a rest and I’m hungry, too,” said his right-hand man, Baldair.

“Fine, stop at the creek,” he finally agreed. “After all, I dinna want an ornery wife when I finally get to bed her. We’ll stop for a short break and somethin’ to eat. Baldair, ye make sure to water the horses.”

Thankfully, he halted the horse. Mari started to dismount but he stopped her.

“Nay, let me help ye, Wife,” he said, sliding off his steed and reaching up to her. She had no choice but to accept it. He grabbed her under her arms and slid her off the horse, right down the front of him, letting her feel his bulge beneath his plaid again.

“After I use a bush, I’m goin’ to need to warm myself by a fire,” she told him, trying to stall.

“What for?” he growled.

“It’s cold out here.” She blew her breath into her hands to prove her point. It was a sunny day but, still, the wind was sharp. She was warm under her cloak, but he didn’t need to know that. The longer she could stay here, the more opportunities she’d hopefully have to figure out a way to escape. There was no way she was going back to the castle and coupling with Eideard. She’d die before she did that.

Sneaking off toward the creek, she kept checking over her shoulder as she headed in the opposite direction of the men. After being gone a while, she was starting to think she’d managed to pull it off when she heard a wagon crashing down the road at an unbelievable speed. She ran toward it to signal for help.

“Stop! Please, help me.” She waved her arms wildly, realizing it was Malmuira’s wagon. However, the old gypsy wasn’t the one driving the cart. Instead, there was a huge gypsy woman sitting next to her holding the reins that Mari had never seen before.

“Whoa!” called out the big woman in a gruff voice. Mari ran over to the wagon before it even came to a stop.

“Malmuira, I’m so glad to see ye.”

“Mari?” Malmuira looked around. “Where are Eideard and his men?”

“I managed to escape them. Now please, hide me in yer wagon and turn around and go back the other way.”

“I dinna ken about this,” said the big woman. Mari jerked at the sound of the woman’s low voice. She was the ugliest, scariest woman that Mari had ever seen.

“Who is yer friend, Malmuira?” asked Mari. “I dinna remember seein’ her before.”

“Dinna ye recognize me, lass?” This time, the big woman’s voice sounded higher.

“Nay, I dinna think so.” Her eyes traveled down the woman’s body. Her shoulders were broad and she had big bones.

“Och, hell, I dinna think I like havin’ diddies. They just get in the way and never stay in place.” The big gypsy reached out and grabbed herself, hiking her breasts up higher.

“Pardon me?” Mari’s jaw dropped open at what she’d just seen.

“Get in the back of the wagon, Mari, and make it fast,” said someone else.

She turned to see Duncan dismounting his horse behind the cart, walking over and holding open the canvas flap for her.

“Duncan? What’s goin’ on?”

“I canna believe this fooled her,” came a deep voice from the front of the wagon, followed by a chuckle. She looked closer at the big woman and shook her head.