“Did I?” he asked, and she could see him inclining his head toward her as they made a gentle turn around the pond.
They were nearly on the other side now, the horse leaning down to graze in the strong grass. She was aware of the way Darragh was waiting for her response, but she stayed quiet. The walk was quickly turning into another annoyance. She just wanted to be back at the castle and out of his presence.
But I’m still goin’ to be in his presence since the keep is his.
“Amelia?” he pressed, a snarky smile in his voice. The sound of her name coming out of his mouth made her shudder. “Did I?”
“Aye,” she gritted out, her voice chillingly cool.
“And what was that?” he asked, apparently unable to leave her be.
She didn’t speak again. Hot rage boiled in her blood. His playfulness when her life was in his hands felt entirely inappropriate. Not only that, he was behaving in this way,knowing that he was going to use this information and return her to her father. It was nearly enough to make her sick.
“Ach, I see. Amelia of stubborn silence it is, then,” he said, the tone bordering on mocking, as ifhehad reason to be upset withher.
She stopped walking then, her entire body blazing with fury. Her entire body shook. The anger within her was pointed, protecting something much more fragile below the surface. Two steps later, Darragh stopped, turning around with his head tilted slightly to the side in a silent question.
He’s nay idea what it’s like to be a reminder of yer father’s most humiliatin’ mistake. To be nay more than an inconvenience stanin’ in the way of his true heir.
The birds seemed to sense the tension, their song fading away. The only sound was Darragh and Amelia’s tense breathing and the soft lapping of the pond. Then, the leaves crunched under his feet as he faced her fully.
“Until ye decide to behave like a person instead of a feral cat,” he said, stepping forward deliberately, apparently not noticing the complete shift in Amelia’s demeanor, “that’s what I’ll call ye.”
She stared at him, taking in a deep shuddering breath. It wasn’t enough to quell the frustration and desperation that bubbled up and then spilled over. Without thinking, her body moved forward, and she shoved Darragh. Hard.
The entire world slowed down. Her arms stayed extended as his body shifted back slightly. He hadn’t been expecting the contact, so his feet weren’t anchored. And, perhaps, she was stronger than she anticipated herself being.
He fell, hitting the surface of the pond with a dramatic splash, and then he disappeared. For half a second, Amelia stood there, staring at what she’d done. Then, her survival instinct kicked in, and she turned to run.
* * *
The cold plunge was a shock to Darragh’s senses. He sucked in a deep breath before his body was fully submerged. Then, almost immediately, he found his footing.
When he emerged from the water, all of his patience and playfulness were gone. He knew that Amelia was fiery, that she was difficult, but this had crossed the line. If she would refuse to use her words and resort to childish actions, he could do the same.
His eyes shot to the place where she had been standing, finding it empty. A roar of fury tore from his throat as he waded out of the water. He scanned the tree line with a predator’s precision, spotting her back retreating into the forest.
“Ye’re nae pushin’ me in the water and then runnin’ away,” he growled, taking off running.
She may have had a head start on him, but it didn’t take Darragh long to catch up to the girl. He was a warrior, trained for tracking and reconnaissance. Amelia, whether lowborn or raised in a laird’s hall, lacked that sort of physical endurance.
“What were ye thinkin’?” he demanded, catching her arm and pulling a squeak from the girl. “Pushin’ me in the water and runnin’ off? Do ye want to get yerself killed?”
“And who out here would kill me other than ye?” she snarled.
“That’s enough,” he snapped furiously.
In an effortless motion, he picked Amelia up, balancing her on his shoulder. She kicked, her feet slamming into his thighs. Her fists beat uselessly against his back, but he was unmoved. She was far from the strongest enemy he’d faced.
“Put me down!” she demanded as he carried her back to the horse, water dripping from his doublet and trews.
“So ye can try to run away again?” he asked, his boots squelching with each step. “I’m afraid that I cannae allow ye to do that. Ye’ve just proven to me that I cannae trust ye.”
She let out an indignant huff, continuing to struggle all the way to the horse. With each step he took, it became more and more apparent to him that for her own safety, he’d have to tighten his control on her. He had no idea who her family was or if they were looking for her, and he still hadn’t had an opportunityto investigate the reason for a rival clan riding through his territory.
It’s like she’s doin’ everythin’ in her power to get herself killed out here.
When they reached the horse, he kept Amelia balanced on his shoulder. Expertly, he dug into the saddlebag, producing a length of rope. Then, with a swiftness that he could tell she wasn’t expecting, he settled her onto the saddle and bound her wrists to it.
