Randall Renegade Read Online Free PDF Page A

decision.”
    She braced herself for what he might say.
    “I think we shall marry.”
    She stared at him, completely taken aback.
    “But, General,” one of the lieutenants began. The general silenced him with a hand motion. “If you are to remain here, anyway, because of the boy, you must accept my protection. After all, you are an attractive woman. The men might think you were here for their, uh, entertainment. Instead of just mine.”
    Patience felt her cheeks flush, but she spoke clearly. “I am here for no one’s entertainment. I am here for my son.”
    “Ah, but he’s my son. Not yours. However,with our marriage, I can give you more children.”
    Patience stared at him. “No! Never!”
    “Mind your manners, my dear. You have no choice. Either you leave my camp or you marry me. Tomorrow would be the perfect day, don’t you think, Jim?”
    Patience looked at Jim for the first time. He hadn’t shaved since he’d come to camp. He didn’t look like her Jim. He met her gaze with a steady look. Then he said, “As good as any other day, if you intend to keep her in camp.”
    “You heard her. She refuses to leave. And it will be a long winter without a woman.”
    “Your men will feel the same urges, General,” Jim said, meeting Kane’s gaze. “If they see you enjoying such things, it will make their longing for female company more acute.”
    “He’s right, General,” one of the lieutenants said. “Send her and the boy back to town. They’ll only cause problems.”
    The general banged his hand on the makeshift table. “I am the man in charge! As such, I deserve special benefits.” He turned to Patience, still standing. “Tomorrow, my dear, we will marry. And tomorrow night, you will warm mybed.” He leered at her, and Patience couldn’t hold back a shudder.
    “You may go now,” he said with a smile that made her ill.
     
    J IM WATCHED HER leave the tent, his mind working furiously to come up with a plan to get them out of here safely.
    One of the lieutenants said, “General, you’re making a mistake. The men will either leave or riot at your having a woman.”
    Again the general slammed his hand on the table. “Silence! I have made a decision. The woman might try to escape. Put double guards on her tent.”
    “But you said she could go,” Jim reminded him.
    “Neither of them are going anywhere.”
    “We could go into town, find some willing women,” one of the lieutenants suggested.
    Jim could tell the man was thinking of his own enjoyment, as well as his leader’s.
    “I will certainly let you go to town on occasion, but I need a woman close by. Patience chooses to remain with the boy. She will have to suffer the consequences. Plus, she’ll help withthe cooking. Quite an ideal arrangement,” he said, smiling.
    “Shall I do a guard rotation?” Jim had tried to work his way into the general’s favor by training the men today. It also served another purpose by tiring the men out so they’d sleep soundly.
    “Not a bad idea,” Kane said. “Why don’t you take the midnight-to-four shift?”
    “Fine.” That was perfect. He didn’t bother to listen as the general assigned two of his other men. The third he gave the night off. They would each be supervising four men, double the usual two.
    But Jim knew he had no choice about their departure. It had to be tonight. The general roused him from his thoughts with a question about the schedule for tomorrow’s training.
    The general loved the training they’d done that day. It made him feel powerful to have well-trained soldiers at his command. Of course, the men were not well-trained, Jim knew. In fact, they were rather weak and unskilled.
    The general’s encouragement came in the form of screams and threats. The men would soon rebel at such treatment. In Jim’s opinion, this “army” had no chance to survive the winter. Inactivity or, worse, training at the general’s hand, would discourage them. Finally, lack of entertainment, women