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Authors: Johanna Lindsey
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to the back of the group.
“Do not worry on it yet,” Heloise said. “The girl will be given time to adjust. My husband admired her courage; he will not wish to see her come to harm.”
Linnet looked worriedly in Brenna’s direction. “I fear she will bring harm to herself.”
“Take her own life?”
“Nay, seek vengeance. I have never seen such hatred. She has brooded silently ever since we were taken. She will not even speak to me.”
“Her bitterness is understandable, but it will only be tolerated for so long.”
“You do not understand why she is filled with more hatred than the rest of us,” Linnet said quickly. “Her father died the day before the attack, and she has yet to recover from this. She was never in accord with the marriage to your son, but her father gave his word and she would have honored it. So she was prepared to receive her betrothed, not your husband, who attacked us without warning. She saw so much death that day. Her brother-in-law, her servants, cut down before her. She could hear the screams of Cordella and my own when—when…”
“I understand. Go on.”
“And then Brenna was bested. To understand what this did to her, you have to know that she had never been defeated before. She was her father’s only child, raised without her mother, who died giving birth to her. To Angus, her father, she was the son he never had. He knew naught of a girl child. He taught her everything he would have taught a son. That day, when she was defeated, I suppose she felt as if she had failed her father. And then her personal servant, a woman who was like a mother to her, was brutally killed. Brenna screamed hysterically then for the first time in her life. She must feel shame now not only for that, but for being unable to help her people. She has brooded silently ever since.”
“’Tis a shame,” Heloise agreed, her dark brown eyes thoughtful. “But she is an intelligent girl, is she not? She will realize that she has no choice but to accept what has befallen her.”
“Why should she?” Cordella questioned, having listened quietly for as long as she could. “What is there for her here, or for any of us? But Brenna? Ha! You have not seen pride ’til you have seen hers. She will never accept this enforced slavery. Look at her now. She will not even speak to you, let alone serve you. You will have to kill her first!”
Heloise smiled, her eyes hard as she gazed at Cordella. “Whether she serves or not will not be my concern. She has been given to Garrick and will go to his home. You, on the other hand, fall under my domain, since Hugh has chosen you, and he and his wife live here in my home. Hugh owns you now, but I rule this house, and you will be answerable to me.”
Cordella’s face turned ashen, but she said no more. She did not care to be under this woman’s rule, but she had seen the look the mighty Hugh had given her. Mayhaps all was not lost.
“Will I be allowed to accompany Brenna?” Linnet asked anxiously.
“Nay. My husband desires to keep you for himself. You will stay here also.”
Linnet’s cheeks burned hotly. “I—I am…” She could not finish.
“Do not worry, Linnet. I am not a jealous woman. ’Tis common here that our men will pleasure themselves with their women slaves. I believe that we are not unique in this, that ’tis the same the world over. Some women will not tolerate their husbands’ concubines in their homes, but I am not such a one. So rest easy. I still say we shall be friends.”
“Thank you.”
“As for the rest of you,” Heloise said, her voice filled with authority again, “you will remain in my house for a time, but not for long. When my husband decides, you will be given to friends of his, those who have served him well. I do not think your lot will be as hard as you imagine. In time, all of you will adjust.”
B renna was put in a small boat resembling a canoe, and taken further inland. Only one man, Ogden, escorted her, and
“Do not worry on it yet,” Heloise said. “The girl will be given time to adjust. My husband admired her courage; he will not wish to see her come to harm.”
Linnet looked worriedly in Brenna’s direction. “I fear she will bring harm to herself.”
“Take her own life?”
“Nay, seek vengeance. I have never seen such hatred. She has brooded silently ever since we were taken. She will not even speak to me.”
“Her bitterness is understandable, but it will only be tolerated for so long.”
“You do not understand why she is filled with more hatred than the rest of us,” Linnet said quickly. “Her father died the day before the attack, and she has yet to recover from this. She was never in accord with the marriage to your son, but her father gave his word and she would have honored it. So she was prepared to receive her betrothed, not your husband, who attacked us without warning. She saw so much death that day. Her brother-in-law, her servants, cut down before her. She could hear the screams of Cordella and my own when—when…”
“I understand. Go on.”
“And then Brenna was bested. To understand what this did to her, you have to know that she had never been defeated before. She was her father’s only child, raised without her mother, who died giving birth to her. To Angus, her father, she was the son he never had. He knew naught of a girl child. He taught her everything he would have taught a son. That day, when she was defeated, I suppose she felt as if she had failed her father. And then her personal servant, a woman who was like a mother to her, was brutally killed. Brenna screamed hysterically then for the first time in her life. She must feel shame now not only for that, but for being unable to help her people. She has brooded silently ever since.”
“’Tis a shame,” Heloise agreed, her dark brown eyes thoughtful. “But she is an intelligent girl, is she not? She will realize that she has no choice but to accept what has befallen her.”
“Why should she?” Cordella questioned, having listened quietly for as long as she could. “What is there for her here, or for any of us? But Brenna? Ha! You have not seen pride ’til you have seen hers. She will never accept this enforced slavery. Look at her now. She will not even speak to you, let alone serve you. You will have to kill her first!”
Heloise smiled, her eyes hard as she gazed at Cordella. “Whether she serves or not will not be my concern. She has been given to Garrick and will go to his home. You, on the other hand, fall under my domain, since Hugh has chosen you, and he and his wife live here in my home. Hugh owns you now, but I rule this house, and you will be answerable to me.”
Cordella’s face turned ashen, but she said no more. She did not care to be under this woman’s rule, but she had seen the look the mighty Hugh had given her. Mayhaps all was not lost.
“Will I be allowed to accompany Brenna?” Linnet asked anxiously.
“Nay. My husband desires to keep you for himself. You will stay here also.”
Linnet’s cheeks burned hotly. “I—I am…” She could not finish.
“Do not worry, Linnet. I am not a jealous woman. ’Tis common here that our men will pleasure themselves with their women slaves. I believe that we are not unique in this, that ’tis the same the world over. Some women will not tolerate their husbands’ concubines in their homes, but I am not such a one. So rest easy. I still say we shall be friends.”
“Thank you.”
“As for the rest of you,” Heloise said, her voice filled with authority again, “you will remain in my house for a time, but not for long. When my husband decides, you will be given to friends of his, those who have served him well. I do not think your lot will be as hard as you imagine. In time, all of you will adjust.”
B renna was put in a small boat resembling a canoe, and taken further inland. Only one man, Ogden, escorted her, and
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