A Knight's Vow Part 47

He snorted in disbelief. A wee Borders la.s.s was hardly capable of fighting off the formidable de Ware knights. He looked dubiously down at her again to see if he'd overlooked something. He was sorry it was the sprite's father who had died, but if the Laird was indeed a traitor, it would only have been a matter of time before he was executed for his treachery. Perhaps it was better he'd died n.o.bly, with a sword in his hand.

"Who is your father's successor, la.s.s?" he asked her quietly.

The girl lifted her chin bravely and replied, "I am."

He should have guessed. "And your husband?"

"I have no husband."

"Your betrothed?"

"I have no betrothed. I am... the Gavin." Her voice broke as she said it. He could see she was fighting back tears.

Several of his countrymen smirked at the idea of a young woman claiming a castle, but he knew there was nothing odd about it for the Scots. He stared at the girl with a mixture of pity and disgust at the

Laird's foolishness in leaving his daughter unmarried and, therefore, unprotected. He swore he'd never understand the Scots' ways.

"I'll spare your life if you swear fealty to me."

To his amazement, the girl fixed him with a jewel-hard stare and shook her head firmly once. "Even now the castle is being surrounded by an army of the King," she proclaimed. "You'll not escape alive."

"La.s.s..." a burly old Gavin man called from the corner, but his captor jerked his chain, ordering him to

silence.

He scowled down at the girl and held up a hand to quiet his men's snickering. "The King... Edward's army?"

"Aye!" she hissed, her eyes sparking like sapphires. "Lord Holden de Ware will slay you for the murder you've committed! He is a powerful warrior, known to all as The Wolf for his savagery, and he has sworn to protect this keep!"

He stared at her, stunned. Her eyes gleamed with victory, and the thrust of her chin was confident and proud. He almost hated to dash her hopes.

But he had to.

He held her gaze with his own and explained softly, "I am The Wolf. I am Lord Holden de Ware."

National Bestselling Author

LYNN KURLAND.

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