The humor left their faces.
One of the braver men unsheathed his sword. They stared at one another for several seconds and she knew the thought in his mind.
He assumed her weak. Ineffectual.
Well, she was all woman to be sure, but her father had seen her well-schooled in the art of swordplay. There wasn’t a knight born who would touch a Scot when it came to war. Not even when the Scot was a woman.
“Get her, Roger,” the knight she’d kicked said as he limped his way toward the others.
Roger smiled evilly. “Believe me, I intend to.” He licked his lips as he raked a lecherous look over her. “In more than one way.”
He attacked.
With the flair of a seasoned warrior, Callie parried his thrust. If the man wanted a fight, she was definitely the one to give it to him.
“Run, Jamie!” she said to her brother.
He didn’t go far before one of the other knights grabbed him.
Cursing her ill fortune, Callie engaged her enemy. She was one move away from disarming him, when a cold, familiar voice gave her pause.
“Drop your sword, milady.”
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the man from the stairs. Yet what stunned her most was the way the other knights reacted to his presence.
They actually shrank away from him.
Roger looked toward the black knight and sneered. “Stay out of this. ‘Tis no concern of yours.”
The black knight arched a brow. “Given how the lady just humiliated you with the fact she’s the better swordsman, I seriously doubt you want to test my steel.” He gave the man a goading stare. “Or do you?”
She saw the indecision on Roger’s face.
“Let it be, Roger,” one of the other knight’s said. “You know he’d love a chance to kill you with impunity.”
Roger nodded slowly, then lowered his sword and stalked off.
Callie turned to face the man who terrified the others. He stood as still as a statue and watched her with a guarded look that betrayed nothing as to his thoughts or mood. The light breeze stirred the tendrils of his black hair while he stared unblinkingly at her.
Aye, he was a deadly one to be sure. She doubted if old Red Cap himself would be more fierce to face.
She held her sword steady.
The Black Knight smiled coldly. “I see you know how to handle a man’s tool.”
Several of the men snickered.
Her face flushed bright red at his crude comment. “I don’t take kindly to your insults.”
“No insult intended, milady, I assure you. I admire a woman who can hold her own.”
She couldn’t tell if he was sincere or mocking. His body and tone gave her no indication.
“Now, drop the sword.”
“Nay,” she said firmly. “Not until me brother and I are free.”
“Milady?”Callie recognized the voice of the maid who had helped her with their disguises. The lass stepped out of the shadow of the castle’s doorway to look at her. “Do as his lordship says, milady. Please, I beg you. You’ve no idea who he is, but take me word for it. The last thing ye be wanting to do is cross his lordship.”
