The crude mockery in his drink-laden voice was enough to rouse her from her momentary terror-ridden trance. Fire replaced ice, and anger replaced fear. Instinct and training returned as well, causing her knee to lift forcefully against the offending bulge between his legs and come down just as forcefully on his instep.

He cursed in pain, bending over as if she’d folded him in two. “How does that feel, Sir Phillip? That is what new times feels like. I’m not a helpless young girl anymore who you can pin down and rape and who won’t fight back. Touch me again, and I’ll kill you.”

She meant it, too. She was shaking with the force of her hatred. It would be so easy to slip her blade from its scabbard . . .

Too easy.

She had to go. She turned to open the door, and that’s when Phillip made his move. “Never turn your back . . . not even for a minute.” Too late, Lachlan’s warning came back to her.

“You fucking slut! You’ll pay for this.” He barreled his head into her like a charging bull, slamming her into the door. Her head took the brunt of it, snapping back with the force and filling with disorienting stars.

She’d been right to assume that Phillip wouldn’t be able to recover enough to stand and stop her, but she’d underestimated his skill—or been overconfident in her own. She’d practiced many times, but this was the first time she’d ever had to fight back with force. It was different. Faster. Scarier. And Sir Phillip wasn’t a young squire anymore, he was a full-fledged knight. A hardened warrior who’d trained for years, fought in countless battles, and knew how to fight dirty.

She wobbled, feeling for the door or wall to steady herself.

He took advantage of her dizziness with a sweep of his ankle behind her leg, causing her to fall back on the ground.

In her normal state she might have been able to roll away and fight back, but dazed and disorientated like this she was helpless.

Helpless. Oh God, no . . .

If she thought he’d been rough before, she was wrong. He backhanded her with a blow to the side of her face that made her cry out in fresh pain, kicked her in the ribs, and then knelt down on top of her to hold her in place. He was so heavy she couldn’t breathe.

Writhing in pain from the blows, she was only half- conscious of his efforts to lift his long surcoat and untie the breeches he had on beneath.