Free Bride of Vengeance (Highland Romance Series Book 1) by Anna Pruitt Page A

could just have no idea the role she played in it all.
    “She was pregnant at the time.” Lydia watched Nathanial’s face darken.
    “It was Fane?” Lydia chimed in after a long bout of silence. Nathanial said nothing. She took his silence as his answer. “Nathanial, I need you to understand that Baron Fane never really wanted me. He was making a deal with my father. I mean nothing to him. I was more of a game to him—to both of them. I’m sure he wouldn’t have even cared I was in his home after a few weeks. I mean nothing to him. I promise—“
    “I know.”
    The truth hit her hard. She was visibly taken aback. “I don’t understand. If you know—why—what am I doing here? Help me understand, Nathanial.”
    “You don’t need to.” Nathanial stood straight. “You have two choices in the moment, Lydia. One of them involves marrying me, an idea that disgusts you.” Nathanial took a step forward and Lydia took one back, always ready to run. “Or I can send you back home tonight.” He wasn’t sure if this news pleased her or not until she shook her head.
    “I can just leave. You can tell people—“
    “I wasn’t finished.” Nathanial stopped walking so she would. “You can go home to Fane. You’ll be there next week. Dead by the one after that.”
    “My father would—“
    “Do whatever he needed to do to keep Baron Fane on his side.” Nathanial saw her face drop. She believed him even though her head was shaking vigorously. “He’ll mourn you, of course. But only so much as he’d mourn the death of a dog. Or Callum.”
    He saw the anger in her eyes before he felt her fist hit his face. Lydia let out an unladylike expletive while she shook her hand from the pain, obviously not expecting his face to be so hard. She was marching away before Nathanial got his wits about him.
    Lydia walked as fast as she could without causing a scene. Once she saw their small group through the clearing, she slowed down to a normal pace and tried to calm herself from shaking so badly. Father MalCanney looked up and smiled when he saw her. She returned the favor. Lydia braced herself for the worst when Father MalCanney’s face went back into the same, sad look for her. Within seconds she was whirled around and flying through the air over his shoulder. He turned back around with her captive, earning several cheers from his men. And several looks of pity on her behalf.
    Nathanial walked for much longer this time, really giving them some space from the group. Lydia kicked and screamed at him every step of the way. Finally, she was dropped unceremoniously to the ground, hitting her backside hard when she landed. It took her a little longer to get to her feet than she was hoping, the pain radiating through the lower half of her body was intense and debilitating.
    She was too slow standing, Nathanial reached down and picked her up by the shoulders and used his strength to pin her to a tree. “That was the only time that will happen, Lydia. If it happens again, I’ll hit back. Understand?” He was lying through his teeth, but she did not need to know that. When there was no answer, Nathanial applied just a tad more pressure on her shoulders. “Say the words.”
    “I understand.” Lydia conceded. Nathanial loosened his grip and Lydia pushed his arms away from her, but she did not move.
    “We’re going to come to an agreement right now.” Nathanial threatened Lydia. When she nodded, Nathanial was taken aback. Was she ready to concede? He really should have known better…
    “No one needs to know you let me go, Laird.” She was bargaining again. Nathanial could not help but smile. It was the damndest thing, what she made him do. “No one has even seen what I look like in your land. All you have to do is find another—“
    “Another dim-witted, stubborn—“
    “Sure.” Lydia cut him off in an effort to ignore his insults. “I’m sure there are many of them in Scotland.” Nathanial burst into laughter. Lydia