Saving Grace

Raulf turned then and spotted Joha

Williams ordered her to come forward. Joha

He nodded to her. She ignored him. Williams noticed her slight.

"Have you forgotten to kneel in the presence of a man of God, Lady Joha

The sneer in his voice disgusted her. "I do not see a man of God in this room," she answered. "I see only a pathetic mockery dressed in priest's black garb."

Both barons looked quite stu

Raulf nodded. The look of fury in his eyes was chilling. "When the holy bishop hears your confession and gives me your penance, Joha

She saw Hallwick nod out of the corner of her eye. She still refused to look directly at the old man, however, and kept her attention on Raulf.

"Hallwick isn't holy," she a

"You'll pay for your sins, woman."

The bishop's scratchy voice was filled with malice. She finally turned her gaze to him. "And you will pay for the terrible punishments you've inflicted upon all those honorable women who turned to you for counsel whose only fault was in believing you were God's representative. They didn't realize as I do what a monster you are. I wonder, Hallwick, if you fear going to sleep at night. You should, you know. You're old and sick. You're going to die soon, and then, by all that is truly holy, you will be made accountable for your tortures."

The bishop staggered to his feet. "You speak heresy," he shouted.

"I speak the truth," she countered.

"Tonight you will learn your opinions should best be kept to yourself," Raulf a

She didn't back away from him. "You are a fool, Raulf. I won't go through any pretense of remarrying you. I already have a husband. You seem to have conveniently forgotten that important fact."

"She ca

Raulf stopped. "Have you been possessed by an evil spirit?"

The bishop latched onto the possibility at once and vehemently nodded. He turned to walk toward the side doorway which Baron Williams now blocked. "She'll have to be purified before she can speak her renewal vows," he declared. "I'll get the holy water and the stick, Baron. You'll have to beat the demons out of her. I don't have enough strength."

The bishop was out of breath by the time he finished explaining his errand. He wheezed his way across the chamber. Joha

Raulf was watching her closely. "You do not seem to be afraid of what is going to happen to you," he remarked.

She turned her attention back to him. He looked both angry and confused. She laughed. "It's you, Raulf, who has become possessed if you believe I would ever prefer you to my laird."

"You ca

She kept her gaze directed on Raulf when she gave her answer. "Oh, but I do love him," she replied, her voice strong with conviction.

"You're going to be punished for such treasonous and disloyal remarks against me," Raulf threatened.

She was neither impressed nor frightened. She tilted her head while she considered the man who had so terrified her in the past. Raulf looked pitiful to her, and she was suddenly so filled with loathing, she could barely stomach the sight of him.

He could never destroy her. Never.

"Do you honestly believe you and Williams and Hallwick are superior to one Highlander? You really are fools," she added with a shake of her head.

"We are King John's closest advisers." Williams shouted the boast.

"Ah, yes, King John," she scoffed. "The three of you are worthy company for each other."

The derision in her voice was a slap to Raulf's pride. He was visibly shaking with his anger now. "What has happened to you?" he demanded in a harsh whisper. "You never would have spoken to me with such blatant disrespect in the past. Do you feel safe because you are in Scotland? Is that it, Joha

She wasn't cowering away from him. Raulf was confused by her behavior. He didn't see fear in her eyes. He saw defiance.

"Tonight I will show you what happens to a wife who has forgotten her place," he threatened.

He thought to terrify her and knew he'd failed when she simply shook her head at him.

"What has happened to you?" he asked again.

"You are too ignorant to ever understand what happened to me," she replied.

"The Highlanders have done this to her!" Williams shouted.

Raulf nodded. "There's no similarity between us and Scotland's waste," Raulf muttered.

She nodded. Her quick agreement gave Raulf pause. Then she clarified her position. "You have spoken your first truth," she said. "There are no similarities between you and my Gabriel, and I thank God for that. You have vowed your love for me a thousand times in the past and then used your fists to show me how very much you love me. Gabriel has never told me he loves me, yet I know he does. He would never ever raise a hand against me or any other woman. He's honorable and courageous and has a heart and a soul as pure as an archangel's. Oh, no, you two are nothing alike."

"How dare you speak such blasphemy!" The veins in the sides of Raulf's neck stood out from the force of his scream.

She knew she was provoking his rage, but she couldn't stop the words from pouring out. It so offended her that he dared consider himself superior to any Highlander. His opinion of himself was perverse, and she was determined to set him straight.

"Show me the companions you keep and I'll tell you who you are. My mother taught me that valuable lesson, but I doubt either one of you will understand the meaning behind it. I happen to keep very good companions. My clan's my family, and each one of us would die to keep the others safe. They're all proud and honorable men and women."

She shook her head at the two barons. Disgust echoed in her voice when she continued. "Nay, you can't understand. How could you? You don't know what honor is. Look at your companions. You ca