"Do not say a word to anyone, Kristina. You're my sister-in-law and that's the end of it. Ralston, make certain she doesn't talk to anyone."
"Aye, chief."
Footsteps tromped away.
Ralston placed her hand around his elbow. "Come. I'll find you some food."
She released the breath she'd been holding. "I thank you for being so kind to me."
"'Tis naught. You remind me of my sister."
"Oh, you have a sister?"
He hesitated a long moment while they walked over the uneven cobblestones. "I used to. She passed five years ago from an illness."
"I'm so sorry to hear that."
Heavy footsteps approached. "Watch that you don't get too smitten with the lass," Red Holme said.
"I'm nay smitten," Ralston snapped.
Holme was such a knave. She wanted to kick him in the groin. Back when she was younger and had her sight, she'd watched two young men fighting. One had kicked the other in the groin and the injured man had gone down groaning in pain and hadn't risen to his feet for several minutes. She knew it might be a good way to disable Holme or Blackburn if she ever had the opportunity.
When she and Ralston entered what she assumed was a crowded tavern, she smelled the scents of ale, roasted venison, and mutton stew, along with onions and other vegetables and fresh oat bread. Her stomach growled, for she had not eaten since the night before. The many voices in the room were a dull roar.
"Take a seat here, m'lady." Ralston lowered her.
She placed her hand down behind her as she sat and found a bench beneath her.
"I'll be right back."
She still wore the cowl hiding most of her face and hated that she couldn't see who might be staring at her. Most likely several people were. Regardless, she sat upright with her back straight as her mother had always taught her.
"Enjoying Ralston's mollycoddling, I see." Holme's rough, nasty voice grated on her nerves.
"Leave me be," she muttered, refusing to be afraid of him. Above the roar of conversation in the room, the sound of Holme's footsteps clomped even closer and moved in behind her. Cringing, she wanted to draw away, but she remained as upright as a tree.
He tugged her cowl back, away from her ear, then his hot, fetid breath wafted against it. She turned away.
"Don't like me very much, do you, lass?" Holme whispered through clenched teeth.
Nay, she hated him.
"I ken how to make you like me." Standing upright again, he ground himself against her back, chuckled, then walked away.
Recoiling with disgust and the avalanche of cold shivers, she averted her face and drew the cowl closer over her head. Dear God, what was he going to do to her? He'd always made it obvious he wanted to bed her.
Would he try to rape her?
Nausea overwhelming her, she clutched at her stomach, then placed her hand upon her thigh, feeling thesgian dubhsecured there. If she killed Holme, what would Blackburn do to her? Kill her? Or would she be unwittingly putting Anna's life in danger? She had to find out anything she could about her sister.
Kristina listened, trying to pick out Blackburn's voice so she might hear a few words about why she had been taken hostage. Suddenly, her ears picked up a man's aristocratic voice to her right. His accent was noticeably upper crust. Who was he? Could she possibly gain his help in escaping these brigands? If only she could hear him introduce himself, or hear someone call his name. Or if he would come close and speak to her. She remembered Blackburn's warning about talking to no one, but she had to gain help from somewhere.
Feeling uneasy, she slowly pulled the cowl off her head, revealing her hair. She had always received many compliments on her blond curls. They were a mess at the moment, but maybe that wouldn't matter. Mayhap the man would see her for what she was, a lady in need of help.
Fortunately, the unmarred side of her face was toward the man. She hoped he might notice her and come closer so she could ask him to help. Of course, it was a big risk. He might be a worse knave than Blackburn.
But then she heard a woman's voice say, "Who is that girl, just there? She wears fine clothing but sits alone."
