"Pray your words, old man." The priest licked his lips and glanced fearfully at the crowd of savages around them. Perhaps it was the stark contrast of black robes against pallid flesh, but Loretta thought he was losing color at an alarming rate. Indeed, he looked as if he might faint. "Say the God words, old man!" Hunter snarled again. "Don't you dare bully him," Loretta hissed. "He's a man of God, Hunter! You don't at a man of God." "It's qu-quite all right, child, quite all right." The priest, his face dripping sweat, made haste to open his Bible. "Merciful Father," he muttered, clearly praying for deliverance. With a strangled cough, he began leafing through pages, turning slightly so the light from the fire was thrown across the small print. "I beg your forgiveness. I don't usually need to use the book--" He coughed again and waved away smoke. "For some reason, the words have fled my mind. Ah, yes, here we are." Infuriated, Loretta jerked her arm from Hunter's grasp. "Father, there's absolutely nothing to be afraid of, I assure you." Hunter reclaimed her arm in a biting grip that made her swing around to face him. Bending his head, he whispered, "Blue Eyes, you test my temper. I will blow hard at you like the wind." "Blow, then!" She tried to twist her arm free. "You're me." "I will you. Then you will know a hurt. Now be silent!" Loretta's eyes flared to a fiery blue. "I'm not going to marry you. Beat me senseless! Go ahead." Hunter sent her a look that would have scared her to death a month ago. "Loh-rhett-ah, you will be silent and let him say the God words." "He can say the God words until snowballs melt in--" She broke off and blushed. "I'm the one who has to say the words, Hunter, and I Do you understand?" "My dear child," the priest inserted, "it's not often one of these"--he threw a meaningful glance at Hunter--" offers to make an honorable woman of a captive. Wouldn't it be wise to accept?" "I'm in no need of matrimony, Father. I still my honor."