Duncan grinned and gave his grandmother a flourishing bow, ruined only by his slight stumble.
The guards shoved Anna forward until she was standing by Duncan’s side, facing the priest. They did not release her. The only exits she could see were the door she’d come in by and another door in the corner which she guessed led to the vestry. Other than their little group, the chapel was empty.
Oh, Emeric,she thought.Where are you?
She ached for him so badly that it was like a gut punch, driving the breath from her lungs. But she wouldn’t let Duncan or Maria or Alexander see her weakness. She lifted her chin and faced the priest, her expression stony.
The priest appeared flustered, his eyes darting between the couple before him and the laird and lady standing behind. He licked his lips nervously.
Duncan laughed boisterously at the priest’s discomfort and took another swig from his flagon with an unsteady hand. His eyes were beginning to glaze over.
“What are ye waiting for?” Maria snapped at the priest. “Get on with it, man!”
The priest licked his lips again and opened his Bible.
“You can’t make me do this,” Anna said, struggling in her guards’ grips. “I won’t say any of the words you need me to say. I won’t make any of the vows.”
“Whether ye will or not doesnae matter, lass,” Laird Alexander said harshly. “A MacDonald never lets a little thing like consent stand in the way of what he wants.”
Duncan hiccupped loudly beside her and flashed a greasy grin. “Aye lass, best go along with it. I promise to make ye very happy.”
Anna met his gaze. “I am not a property to be bartered,” she spat, her voice echoing through the chapel. “You hear that commotion outside? That is the Mackintosh and they are coming for me!”
If she thought her words would intimidate any of them, she was sadly mistaken. Lady Maria waved a dismissive hand. “We will deal with the Mackintosh, just as we will deal with the Murrays. They are of no consequence. Now get on with the ceremony!”
The priest, visibly shaken, turned pale. He cast a worried glance at Laird Alexander, who gave him an impatient nod. Trembling, the priest began to read through the Latin verses of the wedding ceremony.
Duncan hiccupped again, this time almost toppling over with the force of it. The guards grinned and steadied him.
With a sudden surge of adrenaline, Anna ripped her arm free from the guard’s slackened grip and pushed hard against Duncan’s unsteady form, sending him careening into the other guard.
Anna bolted for the vestry door. She could hear the rough voices of the guards behind her, cursing loudly as they fought to disentangle themselves from Duncan’s crumpled form. She didn’t dare look back, her gaze locked on the sanctuary beyond the vestry door. She reached out, grabbed the door handle—just as hands closed on her and yanked her back.
“No!” she screamed, spinning and swinging a desperate punch.
The guard caught her wrist before the blow landed and twisted her arm up her back.
“Get your hands off me!” she bellowed, trying desperately to kick him. “Let me go!”
But the other guard grabbed her now too, pinning her arm behind her so harshly that she felt stabs of pain through her shoulders.
“You can’t do this!” she yelled. “I won’t let you!”
The guards remained deaf to her shouts as they began dragging her back to the altar. She fought and struggled and somewhere on the edge of her hearing she heard the crash of a door bursting open.
And then, a sound. The thumping twang of a bowstring cut through the cacophony. The grip on her arm slackened and she turned just in time to see the guard slump to the floor, an arrow puncturing his ribs. As he hit the ground, a second arrow whizzed past in rapid succession, burying itself into the neck of the remaining guard. He too sputtered and crumpled.
Suddenly free, Anna stumbled, then looked up. Emeric. Her Emeric, stood in the doorway with a bow clutched in his hand and a sword strapped across his back. He eased another arrow onto the string smoothly, locking gazes with Anna. She read a silent promise in his eyes.I won’t let them harm you.
“Let her go,” he said, his voice as cold as a Scottish winter as he pointed his arrow at Maria’s chest. “Or by God, I’ll put ye all down.”
The priest dropped to his knees, whispering prayers under his breath while Lady Maria’s eyes flashed with fury.
“What are ye doing, Mackintosh?” she snarled, her nostrils flaring in contempt. “This is MacDonald land. Ye have no authority here!” Her words rang out, echoing in the high-vaulted ceiling of the chapel. “Nor do ye have claim on this woman! Would ye destroy all yer clan’s alliances for a clanless outlander?”
Emeric sighted along the string. “For her,” he said. “I would destroy the world.” His voice was soft, but his tone was as sharp as the arrow he held poised and ready.
Maria’s lips curled in a sneer, her eyes flickering with a dangerous fire of their own. “Ye think ye can threaten me in my own home?” she barked, her voice echoing off the stone walls. “Ye forget yer place, Mackintosh!”
