“I see,” Joan said softly, feeling as if her heart were being torn in shreds. “That is it, then.”

Alex tensed. “What do you mean, that is it?”

“We are on opposite sides. You can’t really think I would marry someone who would fight against everything I believe in. Everything I have worked for since I saw my mother in a cage in this very castle.”

Horror crossed his features. “Christ, you saw her?”

“My father thought I needed to be taught a lesson,” she said bitterly. “It was not the one that he intended.” She held his gaze. “I will not be told what to do, nor will I marry someone who would fight against my friends and brethren.”

It took him a moment to realize what she meant. When he did, his face grew as dark as a thundercloud. “You are one of them. I should have guessed. Your skills at deception are unmatched.” She flushed at the dig. “As is your obvious affinity for danger. Do you have any idea what the English would do to get ahold of one of Bruce’s Phantoms?” He dragged his fingers through his hair and paced a few steps. “You will go to my mother in Winton tomorrow. I will talk to Edward and say it is an emergency. I can spare a few men to escort you.”

“Alex, did you hear what I said? I can’t—I won’t—marry you.”

His jaw clamped down with enough force to tell her that he was losing the battle on control. “You are angry right now—we are both angry. There is no need to make any rash decisions. Go to my castle at Winton, and when I return—”

“I’m not going to Winton, Alex.”

“You can’t stay here.”

She didn’t say anything, but he guessed her intent.

He grabbed hold of her and pulled her up against him. “I’m not going to just let you go.”

Her eyes searched his face, memorizing every detail as if it might be the last. “Then come with me,” she said softly.

He let her go and stepped back as if afraid to touch her. “I told you, no.”

She sucked in a breath that felt like inhaling through shards of glass. “Then I’m afraid we are at an impasse.”

Apparently, Alex wasn’t much on impasses. He looked every inch the dangerous brigand when he leaned in threateningly. “I could force you to wait for me. Perhaps I should leave you tied up in my bed where you can’t get into any trouble.”

There was something in his voice that sent a shiver down her spine. She wasn’t quite sure whether it was trepidation or something else. “That doesn’t sound very honorable of you, Sir Alex.”

He swore and took another step back, some of the fierceness leaving his expression.