Lord of a Thousand Nights by Madeline Hunter Page B

pulled the wet clinging fabric away from her body. If there truly were a God, he would never let Ian of Guilford discover her in this condition. Since she was quite sure that God existed, the thought gave her renewed confidence.
    The horse sounds said that Ian had tied up his mount. Soon she heard thrashing near the river while he sought the spot where she had left the water. He walked into the space below her. She held her breath and didn't move a hair.
    He searched around. When he moved away through the growth, she permitted herself a small exhale. Eventually he would decide that while he searched she had swum the river yet again. She rested against the tree trunk and tried to ignore her discomfort.
    Movement in the brush snapped her alert. Ian came back. He looked all around. He leaned against her tree trunk while he contemplated.
    What was wrong with the man? She could be halfway to Edinburgh before he continued his search. She glared down at him, feeling very uncomfortable now and blaming him for it.
    Suddenly his hand went to his head. He brushed hishair and looked at his hand. She swallowed a cry as she realized that a drop of water from her soaked shift had landed on him. Another one now worked its lazy way down her leg. She twisted her foot to try and catch it.
    It didn't work. She practically heard the plop on his head.
    Ian stepped away from the tree and looked up at her. When she saw his expression she was very glad that she was out of reach.
    “Come down from there, my lady.” He spoke in the careful tone a person uses when struggling not to become a madman.
    “I do not think that would be a good idea. You appear very annoyed.”
    “Annoyed doesn't begin to describe it. Down. Now.”
    “I think it would be best if you calmed yourself first.”
    “I am quite calm. I will be even calmer after I get my hands on you.”
    “You are most distressed. We will wait a while. Otherwise you may do something that you will regret.”
    “I will not regret one whit what I will do, Reyna. King Alfred indulged and spoiled you and you think that you needn't obey anyone. I am going to give your rump the punishment that your husband should have dealt you years ago. After that I will be calmer than I have been in days. Get down here quickly and it may not go too badly for you.”
    The discomfort of her perch suddenly didn't seem so bad. “You have no right or authority to abuse me thus.”
    “My lady, you forget your situation. You are a war captive. I am the man who commands the army that captured you. I have all the rights and authority to do whatever I wish with you. Now, for the last time,
climb down that tree
.”
    She glared at him. Her situation was ridiculous, but his threats were intolerable. “Fine. Turn away. I won't have you watching me and looking up my shift.”
    With an expression of profound exasperation, he turned away. She waited a short while before saying, “I can not.”
    He turned and narrowed his eyes dangerously. “What do you mean?”
    “I am stuck. I can not get down.”
    “Of course you can, you little witch. You got up there, you can get down.”
    “Don't be stupid. It doesn't always work that way and you know it. Even animals get stuck. In fact, I can not even get myself off this branch.”
    “Like hell. I've wasted enough time, you half-sized bitch. Climb out of that damn tree or I will come up and get you.”
    “Really, Sir Ian. War captive or not, I am a gentle-born lady. Your language—”
    “My language?”
    “See? You are not the least bit calm. And you should not come up to help me, gallant though the offer is. Look at this tree. It is not very strong. It barely took my weight.”
    He studied the limbs with grudging recognition that she was right. “I think that you should go and get help,” she suggested. “I might be able to manage if I had a rope to hold on to.”
    “You insult me, Reyna. I do not have to be a philosopher to see what you are up to. When I leave here, it