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He stared at her for long moments. “We don’t, but you’ll come with us anyway.”
She lowered her eyes and her heart plummeted. “I’m to be a hostage? They’ll give you nothing for me. I’m of no importance to them.”
He touched her hair again. “You’re right,” he replied gently. “But you’re of importance to me.” He mounted and held out his hand. “Ride behind me.”
She glanced around. Wounded men slumped against the backs of several riders. Perhaps, she could aid them. With no hope of escape or rescue, she obeyed. She hitched up her copious skirts, straddled the horse, grateful for many hours spent riding behind her twin, and flung her arms around his waist. They rode off into the midday sun.
* * *
The fear and hopelessness in his captive’s eyes saddened Dieter. He was not a man who kidnapped innocent young women, and he had no doubt Lady Blythe Lacey FitzRam was indeed an innocent. But she was brave and hadn’t whined or wept once, despite her obvious terror. She’d maintained a dignified bearing.
“Why should I care what this Norman wench thinks?” he wondered, trying to decide if her eyes were green or brown. But he knew the answer and admitted ruefully he had flirted with her, something he’d longed to do for more than a year.
Breasts pressed against him when he’d carried her over his shoulder had confirmed his belief she was beautifully formed. He had probably hurt her. If he could just peel down her gown and make sure she wasn’t bruised. He licked his lips, his rute responding when he conjured a vision of her copious globes in his hands.
Hurriedly ushering her out of the shrine, he tried to justify his actions. She would be an encumbrance. Why not simply cut his losses and leave her here? However, he thirsted to pull her tresses free of the braids, to see her hair flowing over bare shoulders, to rid her face of the sulky pout. He resolved to concentrate on the hard reality of the failure of his mission. But his body betrayed him again as Lady Blythe’s firm breasts pressed against his back in cadence with the movement of the horse.
