Page 4 of The Best of Madeline Grant

“I have not heard it from her, Grant!” Niles bellowed. “She would not dare to marry you when she knows she is mine.”

“Shewillagree to marry me. Will you not, my lady?” He turned to Madeline, who was still surrounded by his men.

Madeline blanched and said, “May I have a word with you, Laird?”

Lowering his voice, he said, “Just say ‘aye’ Maddie and your troubles are over.”

“But could I please have a word first?” she asked beseechingly.

“Are you jesting with me, Maddie?”

The Comming chuckled. “She’s daft, Grant. Have you not learned that yet?”

Alex waited patiently for a moment. What was the lass thinking? He knew she was upset by the presence of her two tormentors. But were not lasses supposed to be thrilled by proposals of marriage?

“She does not sound so agreeable to me, Grant!” Niles taunted.

“Please!” she cried.

Alex gazed into her big blue eyes and recognized the fear in them. He sighed, sheathed his sword, and stepped inside the protective circle his warriors had formed around Madeline. They had to step apart to make room for his broad shoulders.

“What is it, Maddie?”

“I think it should be in private, Alex.”

Close to losing his patience, Alex ground out, “Niles and Kenneth cannot hear you. We do no’ have time, Maddie, you must ask me in front of my men.”

Madeline leaned toward him and whispered, “All right. If you give me your word that you will not tie me to the marriage bed, I will agree to marry you.”

The guardsmen shuffled their feet and stared off into the distance.

Alex’s brow furrowed, “What did you say?”

“If you promise not to tie me to the marriage bed, I will agree to marry you,” she said as she gazed into his eyes. “Please, Alex, I need your word on this.” He noticed her wringing her hands as she spoke. He raised his eyes to hers but could not bring himself to say a word.

That bastard had tied her to the bed? Raping her had not been enough for him? No wonder the lass was afraid of him. He studied her in amazement. In telling him this, she had confirmed two things. One, this woman would give him the strongest lads in the land. Two, Niles would never make it to the dungeon.

Alex squeezed her hand, then stepped out of the group of warriors surrounding Madeline. He heard Brodie whisper to Robbie. “This will not be good.”

Then Madeline’s sweet voice said, “I do not understand.”

“Oh, you will understand in a minute, my lady!”

Alex did the only thing he was capable of doing at that moment. Roaring, he unsheathed his sword, swung it over his head in a circle, and rushed toward Niles Comming. In his mind, all he could see was his Maddie tied to a bed as Niles Comming grinned and grunted over her.

“Untie him and get him a weapon! This is between you and me, Comming. I fight you for my betrothed’s honor. We fight to the death!”

“Gladly, Grant. I have waited for the moment to use a sword on you. But know that I will be the last man standing!” Niles snickered. “First, you die, Grant, then I will have my fun with the lass again.”

Madeline grabbed Brodie’s shoulder to keep from swooning.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The sinkhole, Maddie’s high pain tolerance, and Jennie.

Her thoughts were interrupted by shouting in the courtyard. She ran to the door to seek the cause of the yelling, praying it had nothing to do with Alex. Several lads were hollering in the middle of the inner bailey. Something about a bairn. She rushedoutside for a better look, and Brenna did the same. Both of them gasped at the next word they heard: “Jennie.”

Maddie charged into the middle of the group. “Where is Jennie, Tommy?”