“I demand your protection, Colen,” she stated boldly. “You owe it to me.”
“Do I?” he asked. “And do you expect me to fight my brother for you?”
“Nay, I dinna expect that. But ’tis no’ Jamie I’m worried about, not just now.”
He looked at her lips, and she touched them, then grimaced. They were swollen. Curse Black Gawain!
“I’m asking you for help,” she said flatly.
“Why do you no’ go to my brother? I’m sure he will be happy to offer you protection.”
“But at what price?” Sheena snapped. “I’m no’ ready to sacrifice myself!”
“Sacrifice?” he chuckled. “Aye, I suppose you would look at it that way.”
She frowned. This was getting her nowhere. And he was acting so strangely.
“You dinna care then?” she asked.
“I dinna think you will consider my brother’s attentions so terrible.” His tone was bitter.
“What do you mean by that?” she demanded.
“I saw you lying with Jamie by the burn,” Colen replied. “You werena exactly fighting against him, Sheena”
Her cheeks flushed bright rose, but she wouldn’t admit anything. “He took advantage of me, Colen. He’s stronger than I. But I’m no’ wanting him, if that is what you think.”
“Marry me then, if you’re so set against him. ’Tis the only way, for otherwise he’ll have you.”
“There must be another way.”
Colen shook his head. “I give up on you, Sheena. I dinna know how my brother stands your constant rejection of him, but I’ve had enough of it. He’s welcome to you.”
She had not expected that. Somehow, she had felt she could always count on Colen. And he was telling her not to.
“So you’ll no’ help me?”
Colen sighed. “You’ve no’ let either of us put a claim on you. And as for protecting you, well…you’ll have to deal with my brother. I brought you here, and I’m sorry for it now, but you managed toescape, and ’tis Jamie who brought you back. You’re his now.”
“Why did he drag me back, Colen? And what right has he to keep me here?”
Sheena just barely heard his answer as Colen walked away. “You’ll have to ask him why.”
Chapter 26
Sheena did the only thing she could do, and locked herself in the south tower. She was determined to stay there until Jamie agreed to let her leave Castle Kinnion. It did seem the only solution. She would not be accosted there, not with the door locked. She had gathered enough food from the table to last her several days. Jamie wouldn’t know that, of course. He would think to starve her out.
When he returned to the castle that evening and found her door locked, found she wouldn’t answer his demands to open it, he broke it down. Sheena stood in her room, facing his anger, no locked door to shield her.
“You’ll be telling me what that was all about!” Jamie commanded. “I know you heard me call. Why the devil did you no’ answer?”
Sheena gathered her courage about her.
“You had no right to break the lock, Sir Jamie. IfI had wanted you in here, I would’ve let you in.”
“Your silence wasna telling me that.”
“And if I had said go away, would you have heard me through all the shouting and pounding you were doing?” she retorted.
