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glanced over her shoulder and saw to her horror Zachary was coming after her. Again, she wished she had her Nikes. She could feel her flesh tearing inside the dreadful shoes.
    She rounded a corner to try to lose him behind the bustling crowd. Just when she felt confident that she might have a chance of escaping, her flight through the muddy street of the riverside town abruptly came to a halt. Someone grabbed her arm. She tried with all her strength to pull away, but it was useless. She’d been caught. She looked into the eyes of her captor, recognizing the man who grinned down at her. In the next moment, Zachary caught up.
    “Zachary old boy, did you lose something, or should I say someone?” Ellery said smiling, as he let go of Gillian’s arm.
    “We were separated from each other; that’s all. In her panic, she went the wrong way. Isn’t that right, dear?”   Zachary stressed the dear part just a little too much, and she was in no mood to play the submissive wife.
    Of course the jerk couldn’t let his friend think he couldn’t control his wife. Her hands balled into fist s . She met his warning glare with a sneer. “That’s not true and you know it. Frankly, I don’t know why you just don’t let me go. I can fend for myself. Thank you very much.”
    “Whoa, a feisty gal, isn’t she?” Ellery commented, enjoying his friend’s obvious discomfort.
    “Fend for yourself!” Zachary spat, ignoring Ellery completely. “And how, pray tell are you going to do that? As far as I can see, you have not a cent to your name. You don’t even have clothes that fit you properly. Where are you to go? Please tell me. I am most curious .” He put his bag down and folded his arms against his chest as he waited for her to answer.
    Gillian would have loved to tell him where to go , but on second thought decided it best to refrain. Did this man always have to be right? She realized now, it had been foolish of her to run without a concrete plan in mind. She didn’t have any place to go, leaving her at this man’s mercy. Right now, it probably wasn’t wise to make him angry. She bit the inside of her cheek and remained silent.
    “Just as I thought,” Zachary continued without pity. “Now let’s get a few things straight. Neither one of us wanted to be married.”
    “No kidding, Sherlock .” Her words dripped with sarcasm.
    Ellery decided to clear up the name problem. “Just in case you didn’t catch his name at the wedding, he’s Zachary, not Sherlock .”
    Gillian rolled her eyes.
    “Ellery would you mind?”   Zachary threw his friend a lethal glare obviously hoping he would get the hint and continue on his way, so he could properly deal with her in private.
    Ellery chuckled, having no intentions of leaving. “No, no, I don’t mind.”   He waved his hand in front of him. “Go ahead Zachary, finish your little speech.”
    Zachary’s gaze looked murderous, but Ellery didn’t look put out in the least. Brave man or maybe he knew Zachary’s bluster didn’t amount to much. Interesting.
    Zachary turned toward Gillian. “As I was saying: Neither one of us wanted to be married, to each other anyway. However, since we had no choice in the matter, the deed is now done. I am responsible for you and I take responsibility very seriously.”
    “He does too,” Ellery added, meeting Zachary’s glare once more. Ellery held up his hands. “Sorry. Continue. I’ll keep mum.” He made a motion of locking his mouth shut and throwing away the key.
    Zachary’s eye lids fluttered and he inhaled deeply before he brought his attention back to her. “I will take care of you. You will be well fed and … ” Zachary gaze slid down her and back up in disgust. “… and I will make sure you have suitable attire to wear. In return, all I ask of you is to behave. That is to say, no more running away, and you must try very hard not to make my life miserable. Is that understood?” 
    She nodded as a misbehaving child would