The Bride Hunt Read Online Free Page B

down the sides of her face. Mayhap the chieftain would forget he’d left his knife there if she did not call attention to it with her gaze. ’Twas within reach if only she could manage to distract him enough to take it.
    First, she would have to get him to cut the ropes that bound her hands together. Did he wear a knife upon his belt? She ventured a glance toward him and saw that he did. There was also a long sword, which he removed as he closed the door behind the village men.
    When they were alone, he turned and spoke to her.
    Isabel swallowed thickly. She struggled to her feet and turned, showing him her wrists and arms. “Free my hands,” she said. Her voice did not sound nearly as strong as she would have liked, nor did she think he understood her words, but he could surely see what she meant.
    When he started to walk toward her, Isabeltried not to quiver in fear. He was easily twice her size, and when he loosened his belt and let his leggings drop to the floor, she clamped her lips tightly together to keep herself from crying out.
    He displayed his male essence as though proud of the damnable thing—the cock between his legs that would put a brutal end to her virginity.
    She took a shuddering breath and averted her eyes. She had to remain composed if she was going to outmaneuver him and get her hands on that knife.
    She moistened her lower lip and saw that the action inflamed him. The cock grew even larger, though that hardly seemed possible. “I-I’ll cooperate with you,” she said, as though he could understand, as if she were not quaking in fear and revulsion. If she did not fight him, mayhap he would cut her loose. She could only hope he would lower his guard long enough for her to grab that knife.
    Isabel’s legs quivered as he approached. He slid his knife from his belt, and she held her breath as he took hold of the cords that bound her wrists and sliced through them.
    Her hands dropped painfully to her sides. “Thank you.” She smiled tremulously, forcingherself to turn and face him. Isabel was no seductress, but she was going to have to imitate the flirting she’d seen at Kettwyck. Between maids and grooms, ladies and knights…Isabel had witnessed many of their rituals, their courting behavior. Yet she had not known exactly what lay concealed within the grooms’ braies, nor had she realized they could wield the thing like a weapon.
    She backed up slightly, veering toward the table. Dark-Eyes followed her. He spoke again, but Isabel concentrated on what she had to do. She lifted one hand and touched his forehead, then smoothed back his hair as though caressing him. She forced herself not to recoil from the coarse, filthy texture of his unruly mane, but to follow through with her plan.
    She had to entice him, to make him forget everything but what he wanted from her.
    She let her hand drop to the neckline of her torn chemise and took hold of the single, ragged cord that held it in place. One more step, and she would reach the edge of the table. “I hope we don’t have to take this too much farther,” she whispered as she groped for the knife with her free hand.
    Slowly, she loosened the drawstring, but before the bodice fell free, Dark-Eyes pounced.
     
    ’Twas almost fully dark. Ignoring the pain in his side and the hammering at the back of his head, Anvrai sat up and pulled out the last stake that held him down. With both hands and legs loose, he should be able to take on his Scots guards without too much difficulty.
    Only one of them came at him.
    The man drew a sword and struck, but Anvrai rolled aside and rose to his knees, swinging the chain that was still attached to his manacles. It hit the sword, knocking the weapon out of the guard’s hand. Without wasting a moment, Anvrai stood and rammed the man in his midsection, knocking him down.
    Before the guard could come to his feet, Anvrai lifted him by his tunic and struck him, holding the heavy chain in his fist. The Scot could not defend