Claimed By A Charmer (The Pith Trilogy) by Kara Griffin Read Free Book Online Page B

Why
are ye shouting? I could hear you from the rampart.”
    “Father, look at what he’s done.” Nate
pointed to Isabel’s precarious position.
    His father’s eyes moved from her
lying on the bed, to Nigel standing beside her.
    “What is betwixt you two?” Her
father’s tone implied he’d feigned concern.
    Nigel smirked then sighed at the
situation. “She wanted me, and I decided to give into her pleas. When I took my
clothes off, she fainted.”
    “Nigel, you cannot have her. She’s
your sister for God’s sakes. Get away from her.” Nathaniel’s voice turned to
outrage. He shoved Nigel and frowned at their father.
    “Father, let me have her. She’s
nothing but a simple girl. You shouldn’t be concerned.”
    Her father rubbed his chin, and
looked to be considering his request for a moment.
    “I don’t see why I should, Nigel,
but let me hear from her own mouth that she wants ye.”
    Nathaniel took a pitcher from the
table, and poured water on Isabel’s face. She sputtered and opened her eyes. A gasp
escaped her when she was finally able to make a sound. Thankfully, Nathaniel
threw a covering at her and she quickly wrapped it around herself.
    “Help,” she could barely get the
word out, her jaw throbbed.
    “Nigel says ye wants him. I’ll give
you to him if that be your wish.”
    She prayed her voice would find its
way out, but it wouldn’t.
    Nigel spoke up, “Father, I’ve had
her. She’s now mine, and doesn’t know her own mind.”
    “You didn’t take her without her
permission, did ye?”
    “No, father, I wouldn’t do that. I
swear.”
    Nigel’s falsehood was accepted by her
father, who nodded. She wanted to shout her outrage, but was only able to
muffle a cry.
    “Isabel, return to your chamber at
once. Nigel, leave her be for now. Obviously she’s afeard of what you’ve done. Give
her time to get over her fear.”
    Nigel gave her a contemptuous look
when she ran past him.
    Isabel wrapped the fur cover
tightly around her as she entered her chamber, then quickly locking the door
behind her. Her hands shook so much that she could barely pull the latch to
secure the door. She fled to her bed and curled into a ball.
    Oh, God, I must leave at once. A knock startled her from her prayer.
    “Nathaniel. Open the door, Issy.”
    Isabel ran to it and unlatched the
lock. Her brother came inside and crossed the room, looking as bleak as she
felt.
    “Lock the door. He might be right
behind me.”
    She slid the latch into place and
sat on the bed. Nathaniel sucked a breath when he got a good look at her face. He
went to her nightstand and retrieved a cloth. When he returned, he sat on the
bed and held her in his arms. He applied the cool cloth to her face, and it
felt much better.
    “Did he …?”
    Isabel wasn’t knowledgeable in such
matters and wasn’t sure. During the minutes after he’d struck her jaw, she
hadn’t been aware of anything. Maybe he had done the deed. Her eyes began
watering at the thought. “I—”
    “Nay, don’t speak. By the look of
it, he must have. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to protect ye, Issy. Father will
concede and let him do whatever he wishes. I know you’re scared, and I am too,
for you. I wish you would let me kill him. I know, I know I promised I
wouldn’t. I could kill him easily, Issy, it’s what that bastard deserves.”
    Nate hugged her and lessened her
fear somewhat. She knew Nigel was definitely of an insane mind. Her father was
too, but Nate, he was her protector. Nate had safeguarded her day in and day
out since her return from the Gordon’s holding.
    “Ye must leave here, but where
could you flee?”
    Isabel pulled away from him and
went to her table, where she kept her correspondence. She took the note she’d
written to Candace and gave it to him.
    “Ye want me to deliver this so
Candace will send her brother?”
    She nodded. Taking his hand, she
led him to the window, and pointed to the bailey, where her friend Russ stood. He
always stood