Highland Honor. Hannah Howell
to know what he was involved in. It would be hard enough to keep her safe until they reached Scotland. It would only be more difficult if he did not know why she was running, and from whom.
“I was. On my wedding night I realized that the rumors were true.” She expelled a short, unsteady laugh. “The rumors had not even begun to reveal the beast that was my husband. I again turned to my family, but they shrugged aside my pleas and stories as the fancies of a new bride. My only salvation came in the fact that my husband soon grew bored with me. Oh, he still insisted on bedding his wife, on making me the kind of wife he thought he needed, but the times he sought me out grew less and less very quickly. I was to be the breeder of his heirs. Aside from that, if I kept quiet and out of his sight he paid little heed to me. There were other women to pursue.”
Nigel found himself wishing that DeVeau was still alive so that he might kill him. She made no clear accusations, talked of how she was treated in subtleties, but he knew all too well the brutality she must have endured. The lingering horror of it could still be heard in her soft, trembling voice. He put his arm around her shoulders and felt her tense, but when she did not pull away he continued to hold her.
“My marriage fell into a pattern. He would beat me, bed me, and then leave me be for a while so long as I did not intrude. Becoming a shadow was difficult for me.”
“Aye, I can imagine. Ye arenae the sort of woman who wishes to be so meek.”
“He made me want it. I continued to try to gain the help of my family and to believe I was starting to get them to listen to me. I fear I did not help my cause by occasionally wishing the man dead, even saying that if someone did not free me of this torment soon I would free myself.”
Gisele felt Nigel’s arm tighten around her shoulders and fought the fear rising up within her, the fear she had learned in DeVeau’s hands. Nigel was merely offering an innocent comfort. Lurking right beside the fear was a sense of safety, of comfort, and she struggled to grasp that and push the blind fear away. It did feel good to be held gently by such a strong, handsome man, and she refused to let DeVeau steal her ability to enjoy that.
“Did no one seek proof of what ye said? Look at your bruises?”
“I was too ashamed to show them much proof.”
“Ye had naught to be ashamed of.”
“Mayhap. I was not a sweet child, and had grown into a woman cursed with a quick and often sharp tongue. I believe they thought I was finally getting the discipline no one had given me before. There were insults and injuries I could not bring myself to speak of. Private injuries,” she added in a whisper. “As the sixth month of my marriage began I was girding myself to bear all to my family. I realize now that one thing which had kept me silent was a fear that even those insults and brutalities would not turn them to my side. Then someone took the decision out of my hands.”
“Your husband was killed.”
“Oui, murdered. My husband felt all women were his for the taking. He took a young maid, a local farmer’s daughter. He brutalized her and left her near to death. The farmer could get no one to exact justice for this crime, so he and his family took justice into their own hands. They found my husband sprawled in a drunken stupor upon his bed and cut his throat, then mutilated him.”
“Mutilated him?”
Gisele blushed and stared into the fire. “They cut off his manhood and choked him with it. In truth, I think they did that first, then cut his throat. I found the body and there was a look upon his face that told me he did not die easily. For his crime, I think that is the punishment they would have exacted.”
“Aye, a horrible way to die but ye are right, it fits the crime. And the DeVeaux and your own family think ye did that?”
“Well, I fear I did threaten such gruesome things from time to time. They had already begun to watch me closely. I knew the moment I saw DeVeau lying there, I just knew, they would blame me. It may not have been wise but I ran, as swiftly as I could. I am certain some of the servants suffered for my escape, as the DeVeaux would have felt they had to have seen me leave. They did, and they did nothing to stop me. I ran straight to my family.”
“Only to find that they wouldnae help you.”
Gisele struggled to swallow her tears. That had been the greatest hurt of all, and she still felt the power of it even after so many months “They would not. They feared the scandal, questioned me, even spoke of holding me for the DeVeaux. I did not wait to see if they would hand me over yet again. I fled, and that has been the way I have lived for nearly a year.”
Although she wished she could compose herself enough to clear the tears from her eyes, Gisele looked up at Nigel. “I swear on all I hold dear, on Guy’s life if you will, that I did not kill the man. I am innocent of the crime, but since so few of my own family believe me it is taking a long time to prove that.”
Nigel stared down into her upturned face, its delicate lines highlighted beautifully by the soft light of the fire. He knew it was possible that he was being influenced by her beauty, by how strongly she affected him, but he could not believe she had killed the man. And, he mused as he gently brushed a tear from her cheek, even if she had it had been justified. He was certain that Gisele had not told him the true depths of the injuries DeVeau had inflicted upon her, and might never do so.
“No mon has the right to treat a woman as he treated you,” Nigel said quietly.
“So, you believe that I am innocent.”
“I believe that DeVeau got exactly what he deserved.”
Gisele stared at him, captivated by the warmth in his dark, amber eyes. It felt dangerously good to be held so close to his warmth. He would help her. Some of her fears eased. When he softly kissed the mark the tear had left upon her cheek, she trembled. She knew she should move away, but could not bring herself to leave the haven of his arms. Then she frowned, wondering if she had been right, if Nigel thought to gain more than the truth as payment for his help.
“I have told you the truth as you asked,” she said.
“Aye, ye have.” He idly traced her small face with kisses, enjoying the feel of her soft skin beneath his lips but watchful for any sign of fear or rejection.
“And that was the only price you asked for helping me.”
“It was.”
“Then why do I begin to suspect that you seek more of me?”
“Because ye are a clever lass?”
She tensed slightly as he touched his lips to hers. They were soft, warm, and very inviting. Fear stirred within her, but so did curiosity. Since she had first set eyes upon him she had wondered what it would feel like to kiss him, had wondered if she could do so without being afraid. It was not wise, for he clearly sought to seduce her, might even think she was agreeing to share his bed in return for his protection, yet she could not bring herself to immediately and forcefully push him away.
“I need help and a strong sword arm, but I will not play the whore to gain those things.”
“I wasnae asking ye to.”
“You are trying to kiss me.”
“Oh, aye, that I am. I have made no secret of the fact that I think ye are a bonny lass. I but seek a wee taste of the lips I have coveted for a week.”
“And maybe a lot more?”
“Your suspicions are unwarranted, bonny Gisele. Aye, I willnae lie and say I will treat ye as a nun, but ye may rest assured that I will ne’er take what ye dinnae want to give. Weel, except for this one kiss.”
“I am not sure you will be stealing that,” she whispered.
Nigel lightly tightened his grip on her, deeply aroused by her soft words but suspecting that it would be wise to hide that. He brushed his lips over hers, savoring the sweetness of her trembling mouth. It was undoubtedly dishonorable to even think of seducing a woman who had turned to