Chapter fourteen
Damn boat that won‘t go faster!
Damn rope that won’t tie!
Damn woman who won’t listen to reason!
He cursed time itself for not slowing down so he could get off the water and after her. After tying the boat off, he launched into a sprint calling out for her to stop. His feet glided over the familiar ground up the path. The smooth flat stone dug into the dirt acting like steps were never so long as they were now.
He wasn’t worried about her finding anyone on the island to help her off it, but he was definitely concerned about her knack for finding trouble. For a long time he’d accept it, even found it charming that Elanor knew her own mind. It’s what drew him to her when they were children. But there were lines that she just didn’t seem to understand. Dangers and protocol that her mother’s people didn’t observe. Such as, men lead and women followed. At times he had enough patience for her to press the limits given. She could be right and after a time if she wasn’t, he would eventually be able to reason with her.
It had been a give and take relationship. One that both of them enjoyed.
But after years being lost because of her tunneled mind; he wasn‘t going to allow her to make rash choices or cost them more.
He had a plan to bring the women he loved back to her senses. The thought fueled his legs, flexing his muscles to catch up to her in long strides. To his surprise, he didn’t have to run long before catching up to her. In fact, she’d stopped in the middle of the path, looking frighten. He nearly knocked her over when she stopped abruptly. There was a rustling in the dry leaves nearby encouraging her fear enough to make her step back into him.
“What is that!”
His hand took hold of her arm before he glanced to the thing in question. He didn’t trust that she wasn’t playing a game to distract him to run back for the beach.
His tone dry and bemused when he saw what had emerged.
“That is a lizard.” Derek pulled her along with an ungentle jerk, stomping at the lizard. Four legs scurried over the dirt and fallen spiked leaves off the path, its tail whipping around warning as it left. After it disappeared into the trees, he pulled her along.
“Good size. Should have brought it home for dinner tonight.”
“Dinner?” Her horrified look gave him a sense of pleasure. Served her right for making him run after her. He was still trying to catch his breath. He pulled her along the path, up the hill towards home. She kept quiet now without struggle. Whether she was working on her next ploy or finally being sensible in being silent; it could be either. The strange expression on her face had him glance at her now and then though.
“What is it?” He finally asked. She gave him a faint glance and then looked up the path again.
“I feel…” Her voice faded as though she were too frightened to say whatever was on her mind. He had a strange feeling it wasn’t him that had inspired the fear to silence her. He didn’t prompt her to finish the sentence or explain. With her magic abilities, it could be just about anything. Though there were others who followed different types of caster paths on the Island, he didn’t know what they did or cared as long as it didn’t harm anyone. It might have been a shock to her to feel the truth of that. He wanted to surprise her with the knowledge. Now Derek felt annoyed and ready to have a drink in his own kitchen.
When reaching the short path to the house he felt calmer. He pretended to not notice the darting glances she gave him, then up the path towards the village. When the house came into view, he felt a little less irritated, actually wondering how she’d like the home he’d built.
The kitchen held a spice and oak smell, familiar when they entered through the front door. He released her arm watching her face openly now. Elanor’s beautiful brown eyes drifted slowly around the room. If he were honest, Derek wanted her to be impressed. To see how much he’d accomplished over the years building the home. When she didn’t say anything, he felt a need to prompt her.
“Now then. This is your new home and there will be rules for you to follow-” He lifted a hand to silence the words forming on her lovely lips. “Not a word, Elanor. I speak, you listen.” He watched her lift her arms crossing them over her chest with a scowl on her face.
“Will you give me your word that you won’t try to run away again?” He asked directly.
“I can’t sta-” His hand pushed the kitchen door closed hard; causing her to jump.
“Your word, Elanor! Will you give me your word you won’t try to run away. Yes or no?” He didn’t expect her to say yes, but gave her the chance to do so. He would be strict in this but fair.
“No.” She replied.
“Then, step in there.” He pointed to the door leading to the day room. They passed oak cabinets he’d just put up last year; she seemed to admire them but then remembered she was angry. He couldn’t be sure if his own anger welling up in his disappointment. He steered her up the step into the next room right to the cherry wood settee. Pushing her down onto it, then turning around to step outside for a moment. He returned to kneel before her.
“Your right foot.” He gestured for her to place her foot on his knee. Elanor’s hands rested on the settee next to her thighs, she leaned forward curiously but didn’t lift her foot. He reached for the metal chain, pulling the end to drag it closer. The sound of the ball dragging on the floor made her take notice.
“You can’t be serious.” Alarm sparkled in her brown eyes. “Where on earth did you get that?”
“Do you give your word?” He asked again.
“You can’t chain me!” She cried. “You’re insane!”
That was answer enough for him. He hadn’t actually meant to use it. Just to push her to realize how serious he had been about all of this. But the argument in the boat, the chase and then her lack of any happiness to see their dream home coming to life before her.
It had made his own emotions snap.
He grabbed her ankle and pulled it too him. She struggled breaking his grip. She jumped up from the settee, aimlessly running from him. He let the chain go, jumping to his feet to chase after her, again. She didn’t get far, the furniture in the room hindering her escape. He had her by the waist, her arms and legs flailing as he dragged her back.
“No! You can’t do this! It’s not right!”
He didn’t answer, only kept his course back towards the chain.
Again, as willowy as she was, her ability to get out of his hold by twisting and turning worked. She didn’t get far this time, the oriental rug a hazard to her running, it slipped on the hard wood floor, sending them both crashing to the floor. They lay winded there for a moment before Derek gained composure and flopped her over unceremoniously to her back. He threw one leg over her hips, straddling to sit on her stomach. No form of wiggling would free her this time.
She screamed in outrage, thrashing about under him.
“Throwing a tantrum isn’t going to get you out of this. You’re either going to willingly stay or stay as a prisoner. There is no other choice.” He snapped. Derek managed to reach the chain, pulling it and the ball towards him. The chain itself silver, small linked but strong. It’s partner an 18 pound iron ball. She would be able to walk around with it, but the chain wasn’t long enough to lift the ball up to run. The irony of him using the chain and ball he’d taken from a slaver’s ship in which he freed slaves from- didn’t fail to prick in his mind.
His sense of morals had been insulted by the slavers and prompted the attack on the ship freeing the enslaved and in turn selling the ship to the Ottoman along with its crew. Now, he was using the tools of their trade to keep his own prisoner. But if she just relented, he could back out of the threat.
“You will wear this during the day, and won’t stray more than twenty feet from me.” He promised. Derek pinned her leg to fold the thick leather around her ankle.
“At night, I’ll take it off you when we go to bed.” He said matter of factly. She’d stopped struggling, though heavy angry breath heaved her chest. He stood, stepping his foot over her body to move to the settee. She didn’t move. He sat with elbows resting against his knees, his upper body leaning.
The rich glow of brown hair was like a halo scattered about her head in long snaking lengths. She stared at the ceiling, unmoving except the rise and fall of her chest. Her face set, the pearl and rose of her facial bones made her cheeks look high and sharp. It annoyed him that he couldn’t smooth away the lines wrinkling her forehead or kiss away the frown on her lips.
Why did it always have to come to a fight now?
“Don’t do this, Derek.”
He didn‘t answer right away. He hated having to resort to this. It made him feel guilty and resentful. He rubbed his face roughly with a hand, raking it through his hair. He couldn‘t sit there and discuss it with her right then. She hadn’t even tried to see it his way. Again.
“It’s already done. I’m headed to the village to say hello to everyone. The door will be locked, so don‘t bother.” He stood crossing the room to step down into the kitchen, pausing.
“Just remember it doesn’t have to be this way, Elanor. I’ll take it off if you just give your word. That’s all it takes.” Briefly he stopped outside after locking the kitchen door. Hopefully she didn’t burn the house down while he was gone. He started up the path towards the village, wondering if this was the right way to go about it. Or if there was any other way to save her from herself.