Hiding Katherine by GG Shalton (reading women .txt) 📗

was torture. He did not care if her joints were killing her or that she had to take care of her private needs. If it wasn’t for Sir William seeing the agony on her face, then she knew she would have died. Darin was on a mission and would not listen to any of her pleas. He wanted to prove himself worthy to their father.

Lost in her thoughts, she barely heard the knock at the door. “Mistress, your father waits for you in his solar.” The maid was new, and Kathrine did not recognize her. Probably trained to be her father’s spy. With Claudia no longer in her service, it would be difficult to find out much about her father’s plans. As exhausting as Claudia could be, she was very resourceful.

She had not seen her father since her arrival. Her brothers had advised her to stay put. A term meant for her to not leave the confines of her bedroom. Her only other human contact since her arrival had been Sir William. He was always her champion and even brought her sweets to appease her wait.

“Give me a moment.” She held her stomach attempting to settle it to no avail. She would have to face the inevitable. Katherine left the room walking through the familiar corridors to the tower of her father’s solar. Each step brought her closer to his wrath. His punishments were never gentle, and his words would be sharp.

Katherine approached the door and her brother Drake opened it, his body filling up the space as he looked at her with no emotion. “Father will see you now.” He stood by the door as Katherine made her way inside. Her father and Darin stood behind the desk. She heard the door shut and awaited her fate.

“Have a seat, Katherine.” Her father’s tone was unreadable. It was direct but steady. Was he taunting her until administering his punishment? The anticipation of his wrath caused her to stumble and she grabbed tightly onto the top of the chair sliding her bottom across the seat as her feet touched the floor. She couldn’t look at him but felt his stare slice through her. Not able to face him, she looked at the floor holding her chin to her chest.

Loud footsteps came closer and her father stood in front of the chair. Looking down at her feet, Katherine still refused to look at him. After a pause of silence, she felt a hand come toward her face. Waiting for the impact, she was surprised when she felt no immediate pain. Only a nudge on her chin as his hand tilted her face up to make eye contact.

“Are you well?” His eyes met hers then skimmed over her body. His hold on her chin was tight but tolerable.

Unsure of his intentions, she hesitated. “I am well.”

He let go of her face and walked over to the desk sitting on the edge. “Are you untouched?”

Her eyes widened at the personal question. Feeling her face turn warm with embarrassment, she briefly nodded looking away from the prying eyes of her brothers.

A smile crept across her father’s face. “You are lucky. Had your answer been different, you would have suffered.”

He rubbed his chin stubble with his hand appraising his daughter before speaking. “Although I blame your sister for your absence, you are not innocent and could have asked for help. I will deal with her insolence one day.”

Katherine said nothing, only tried to steady her breathing. Sometimes silence was her only comfort.

Clearing his throat her father crossed his arms as he waited for any response.

When nothing came, Darin looked at his father before resting his eyes on his sister and asking, “What of the man you spoke about when we retrieved you? Practically crying his name as we pulled you kicking and screaming from the castle.”

Her father’s jaw ticked as he scrutinized her face. “Speak!”

Katherine’s body jerked at his demand and tears welled up in her eyes. “I did not lie. I am still a maiden. The man you speak of is an honorable knight and wishes to marry me. He has lands and is a great provider. They call him one of their greatest warriors in Scotland and he could help you too.”

Katherine’s father stood up reaching toward the wall. He unhooked a leather strap hanging near the chair. The blood drained from her face. He bent the strap in half snapping it together as the sound vibrated through the room. Katherine lowered her head as her knuckles turned white holding tightly to the chair.

Unaffected by her trembling legs—he took the strap and struck his daughter across her lap. Katherine cried out falling onto the floor.

“You dare speak to me of a filthy Scot? Are you daft?” He brought up the strap to strike her again and Darin stood up. “Father! No, she can’t be marked! Her betrothed will be here soon, and she must be able to receive him tonight.”

Her father slowly looked at his son and threw the strap across the room. “Get up!” Katherine was shaking unable to catch her breath. The sting of the strap burned her legs and she didn’t think it was possible to stand. Darin walked over to her and grabbed her underneath her arm to help. She braced herself on her wobbly legs and took a seat back on the chair.

Her father straightened his coat and took a deep breath. “I will send a maid to attend to you. You will behave and welcome the Earl of Delbert to our home at the banquet this evening. This match will provide us an alliance with one of the wealthiest allies this side of England.” He smirked, rubbing his hands together. “He has over five thousand men at his disposal and his properties are renowned.”

Katherine swallowed hard unable to meet his stare. Her father stepped in front of her grabbing her chin in his hand. “And to think I thought such an alliance would never be