Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 111355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 557(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Sloan smiled, Bree didn’t.
“My mistress will have her way; she always does,” Bree said, as if resigned to her fate.
“We will see about that,” Cree said. “Your chore will be to tend Old Mary. Sloan, take her to the old woman’s cottage and see that she is settled there and tell Old Mary that Bree is to remain with her until I say otherwise.”
“Aye, my lord,” Sloan said with a smile and a nod.
Cree longed for a bit of solitude to think over what Bree had just told him, but again his guests made that impossible. To him such news would be reason enough to break the marriage agreement that had been made, but the King had made it clear that in exchange for Gerwan’s land he had to wed the daughter. It would have been difficult but he would have tolerated Lucerne if it hadn’t been for the news that she intended to only give him one child. He did not doubt that if she found herself with child again, she would abort his babe. The thought that she would do that to one of his babes fired his anger and made him determined to find a way to break the marriage agreement.
Cree no soon as sat in his chair at the dais than Lucerne’s other servant an older woman he believed called Magda entered the hall inquiring if Bree had been seen.
“Bree is being punished for disobeying me and has been given duties elsewhere. Your mistress will have to do without her until I decide otherwise,” Cree said with a sharp tongue.
“Aye, my lord,” Magda said, bobbed her head and hurried out of the hall.
Cree half expected Lucerne to come charging into the hall demanding her servant, but perhaps her outburst in the bedroom earlier had taught her to hold her tongue. He doubted that would last long, by the morn he would hear about it.
A couple of hours later found many of the McClusky warriors bedding down for the night and Kirk and his son soon joined them.
Cree happy to see this day come to an end returned to Dawn’s cottage to find her still sound asleep. He stared down at her lying on her side wrapped snugly in the blankets, a few strands of her dark red hair spilling across her cheek. He reached out to brush them away and realized that his hands were cold. He went to the hearth and stretched his hands out to the fire to warm them.
He had grown hard seeing her sleeping there, knowing she was naked beneath the blankets and all he had to do was...
He shook his head and rubbed his hands harder. He couldn’t disturb her, though he wanted to, it wouldn’t be right. She had been through an ordeal and he had probably fatigued her even more when he had made love to her. And damn if he didn’t want to make love to her again.
He braced his hand on the roughhewn mantel trying to force his thoughts in a different direction. It didn’t work, his mind filled with images of their last lovemaking only hours ago and he grew harder and harder.
It was best if he left or he would wake her when she needed to rest. His hand went to his groin. Damn, if he wasn’t as hard as a rock. If he didn’t leave now he was either going to jump in bed and jump her or he was going to stand here and relieve himself of the endless throbbing ache.
He warned himself to leave, not turn and look at her, just get out now and let her sleep peacefully. He didn’t listen to himself and he was glad he didn’t.
Dawn was sitting up in bed, the blanket gathered at her waist, her long hair tickling her bare breasts and hard nipples, and her hand stretched out to him. He didn’t hesitate; he shed his garments and went to her.
An hour later they fell asleep in each other’s arms and woke at dawn only to make love again and it was with reluctance that Cree left her. The snow had stopped falling and on his walk back to the keep he thought about all the battles he a fought, the hardships he had endured, and the marriage agreement he had made to make certain his men would have a home. And through it all he had made a name for himself that people feared and well they should for he swore he would not live by any rule that forced him to go against what he believed was right and for the good of his people.
Marriage to Lucerne was a mistake and was certainly not good of his people. So as he trudged through the deep snow he was more determined than ever to find a way to make Dawn his wife, for wedding her would be for the good of all.