Mystic Mountains

sorely disappointed. All she felt was revulsion. Biting back a moan of repugnance she pushed at his shoulders. He just groaned and tugged her nightdress lower to expose her belly.
    "Dougal," she bit out. "I don 't feel like this. I'm sorry. It must be because of the baby. Could we please just lie beside each other for a while?" She hated the pleading note in her voice.
    "Don 't feel like it?" He stood and began to take off his trousers, all the time staring down at her, his eyes roving over her bare breasts. "Because of the baby, you reckon, eh?"
    Isabella nodded, pulling the fronts of her gown together as he turned to hang his trousers behind the curta in. He frowned when he saw she'd covered herself, leaning over and uncovering her again with little effort. Then with one easy movement he peeled the gown down her body and tossed it aside. She tried to cover her nakedness with her arms. His eyes blazed now with a heat she recognized as lust.
    His manhood was swollen and she shifted her eyes to his face as he knelt beside her, pressing it on her thigh. "Well now, if it 's the baby that's turning you off making love with your husband, kindly tell me how you could lay with the great Tiger on this very morn; the day you was to wed me." He shouted the last sentence. "I ought to whip you." 
    A man she didn 't know was glaring at her.
    "I . . . How do you . . .? What do you mean?" she whispered as he loomed over her.
    "Spare me the lies, Bella. I saw you with my own eyes, giving yourself willingly to the great Tiger. He 's right, you're a whore. Damn you."
    "Then how could you wed me?" she cried. "Knowing I made love with him, how could you bring yourself to go ahead with the marriage?" She scrambled away from his hands as they began to wander over her belly and up to her breasts again. "You 're no better than me." Tears coursed down her cheeks, but he ignored them. He pulled her back to his side, gripping her arms as he caressed her thighs, outside and in between her legs.
    " 'Tis simple. I always wanted you. He doesn't want you for anything other than to satisfy his lust. Well, now you're legally my wife an' if he so much as puts a finger on you I'll kill him. Even if I swing for it, I'll do it. You're mine."
    "How can you say such things?" she croaked. Dougal, her friend, had disappeared.
    "Easy." His fingers were delving inside her as he spoke and she shuddered. He didn't appear to notice her revulsion. Or if he did didn't care. "An' Tiger knows how I feel, don't fear."
    "I 'll not give myself willingly, Dougal," she said through stiff lips, her insides shriveling. Pressing her legs together as tight as she was able she tried to wriggle away from him, without success. He pressed harder with his fingers and she bit back a cry of pain.
    "No matter. I 'll take you, Bella. It could have been different." His voice broke. "I loved you with all my heart, an' you shoved that love down my throat." He threw his head back as if in some kind of agony. "I know it's his babe in your belly, but I'm not so proud I won't take his leavings. Now be still." A large hand pressed onto her belly, and she tried to shift it. But he covered her body with his, grunting when she thumped at his shoulders.
    "Don 't carry on like a virgin," he hissed. "How many men did you have while you was off with that Drake whore, eh?"
    "None. Dougal, I 've lain with no man but Tiger. Please believe me," she sobbed. "Don't do this."
    "I must. Now relax." His order came through gritted teeth as he began to push into her.
    "No!"
    Her scream echoed from wall to wall of the tiny room. Isabella fought with every ounce of strength within her. "This is rape, Dougal," she cri ed. "I thought you cared for me."
    "I did. But you tossed my love to the dogs time an ' time again. I must have you. You belong to me. Now be still, for pity's sake," he growled.
    But she could not, would not, allow him to vi olate her this way. "Get off me." She bucked, and he cursed again.
    "Never!"
    Hitting out with her fists she caught him around the ears and shoulders. He grunted, rearing back onto his haunches. "Lie still, or so help me I'll bash you," he shouted, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her mercilessly.
    Isabella brought her knee up and caught him where his manhood pulsed.
    He sucked in a breath, warning, "Why, you wildcat, do that again, an' I'll. . ."
    She cut him off with a fist to his mouth. That really angered him, and he threw her back, pressing her down with his weight