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“This isn’t over,” he hissed
Coswold smirked “I think it is” In a whisper, he added, “And I win”
COLM WAS HEADING OUTSIDE TO GIVE ORDERS TO HISdown the stairs
“Goodto be a fine day today, isn’t it?”
He stopped and waited for her to reach hioas a royal blue, and though he would have preferred her to wear his colors, she still looked beautiful Had they already been married, he knew exactly what he would do at this very moment He would pick her up, carry her back to his bed, and take his ti her clothes
There was no way he was going toher, and he decided that as soon as he returned home, he would order the priest to bless their union When Colested that Colnant iht believe the babe was from another man Colm had another solution He would know the babe was his and kill any ested otherwise
He thought about telling her now that he would ed his mind He’d explain while the priest prepared for the ceremony
“Liae while I ao to him He will knohat to do,” he told her
“May I ask where you are going?” Gabrielle said
The question puzzled him He had already otten so soon?
“To war, Gabrielle”
She nearly fell over “Now? You’re going to war now?”
“Why do you act so surprised? I told you what I was going to do”
She grabbed his aret away frooing to kill MacKenna”
“Ah, so you do reo of me so that I may—”
“You can’t just go to war, Colotten up this , eaten his breakfast, called his ht he would ride into battle? “You are not prepared”
“How am I not prepared?”
Had he never gone to war before? Was that why he didn’t knohat he was supposed to do?
“You haven’t declared war first,” she instructed “Then you must spend weeks, if not months, on preparation There are weapons to be on, food to pack as well to sustain yourbattle, and all other necessary equip for your comforts”
He contained his laughter and asked, “Explain these necessary comforts to me”
She thought about what the nobles took with the tent so that you will be sheltered fro to place inside the tent so that you will not have to step barefoot on the hard ground when you get out of your bed”
“And do I take my bed with me?”
“Some would”
“What about wine? How many barrels should I take with me?”
“As many as you think you will need,” she said “There are rules, Colm, even for you to follow In a civilized war—”
“War is never civilized, and you have just described to lish prepare for war By now you should have noticed that I alish”
“You still must prepare”
“I have my sword, my bow, and a sound horse I have no need for more”
“Then I will pray that you finish your war before you get hungry or thirsty”
She tried to walk away, but he grabbed her and kissed her soundly
“Will you come back to me?” she asked
“I will”
And then he was gone
COLM AND HIS SOLDIERS had been gone frohts when Lady Joan Dunbar arrived to pay her sister a visit
Gabrielle was most curious to meet the woman Colm had intended to marry She made up her mind that, no matter how pretty Joan was or hoeet her disposition, she would not be jealous of her Colreed to ht even have loved her But Gabrielle would not be jealous
Colm didn’t love Gabrielle He had siiven her a second glance otherwise
Did Joan love Col man—a protector And if Joan loved him, so what? Gabrielle still wouldn’t be jealous
Perhaps she and Joan could even become friends It would be nice to have a woman hom to talk of matters that men would have no interest in And she and Joan did have one thing in coht become friends
But that was not to happen After spending five minutes with the woman, Gabrielle knew they would never be friends The reason was simple: Lady Joan was a bitch, and a mean one at that
Fiona introduced her sister Joan was much taller and thinner than Gabrielle She didn’t seem to haveit touched her waist, and the color was as pale as her co lashes fanned across her azure eyes She was pretty, and she knew it
Joan kept sweeping her hair over her shoulder with the back of her hand in a draesture meant to draw attention to her curls
“This is Lady Gabrielle, Joan,” Fiona said “I explained to her that you and Laird MacHugh were to marry and then Father formed an alliance with Laird Dunbar and forced you to marry him”
Joan stared at Gabrielle as she asked her sister, “Did you also explain that my husband is dead, and I am now free to marry Colm? And did you explain that I fully intend to do so?”
Lady Joan didn’t get quite the reaction she expected Gabrielle was so surprised by what she’d said, she burst into laughter
“Stop laughing,” Joan de”
“I would offer you my condolences on the loss of your husband, but you see him”
Joan wagged a finger at Gabrielle “I’ve heard all about you”
“It’s odd that I haven’t heard anything about you”
“Maybe that’s because I’m not a whore”
Gabrielle shrugged, and that action further incited Joan’s anger
“Colm won’t marry a whore, and that’s what you are”
Gabrielle knew that Joan wanted her to defend herself, but she wasn’t going to accommodate her “Enjoy your visit,” she said and then walked away
That night, as Gabrielle was pulling the covers back, she thought about Joan and what she had said
One day, after she was married to Colm, she would tell him she had saved him from a fate worse than death Aye, she’d saved him from Joan
THE WAR WASN’T CIVILIZED IT WAS BLOODY AND HARD-FOUGHT
MacHugh made no pretense of a surprise attack He hadword to surrounding clans that he was ready to avenge his brother
When the news reached the MacKenna holding, the laird rallied his soldiers to battle, but he hadn’t had tihs would never step foot on MacKenna land MacKenna would meet the enemy head-on and make the first strike
MacKenna never varied his strategy, believing what had worked in the past would work again He would strike and retreat, again and again, ave after wave of assaults Although his men weren’t as well-trained, they were twice in number, and he could e as well: his archers As the MacHughs poured down the mountain and crossed the flats, there would be no place to hide Even if they ed to reach the border of the flats, his archers would be waiting to finish them off
Colm counted on MacKenna’s stupidity