Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“You need to know that I won’t be welcomed at Clan MacSheed,” she said, finally sitting still.
Knox rolled his eyes and shook his head. “What did you do?”
“I had a run in with the chieftain.”
“Explain, Dru,” Knox ordered.
“You know the wolfhound the chieftain has that never leaves his side?”
“Zain.” He shook his head again. “What did you do, Dru?”
“What any decent person would do when they see an animal is blamed for something he didn’t do. The chieftain hit Zain hard for snatching an oatcake out his youngest son Ethan’s hand,” she hurried to finish, seeing Knox about to agree with the chieftain’s action. “Ethan lied. I saw him give the oatcake to the wolfhound. So, I spoke up and told the chieftain what he did. Naturally, Ethan denied it and called me a filthy urchin and a liar. Claimed he’d never do such a terrible thing to Zain, the lying, little arse.”
“I have a feeling that wasn’t the end of it.”
“Not quite. I stepped in front of Zain when the chieftain went to hit him again and told him in several explicit words that his son was the one who needed the beating for being a liar.”
“What happened then?” Knox asked.
“Chieftain Liam lunged at me and Zain, sensing how I protected him jumped to my protection, snarling and snapping at the chieftain. Knowing things wouldn’t go well from there on, I ran.”
“Chieftain Liam can’t blame you for that and I’m sure an apology will set things right with him.”
“I wouldn’t hold my breath for that apology, and I doubt he would accept it since when I ran, Zain ran with me.”
“You stole his wolfhound?”
“Zain followed of his own accord, and don’t you think that if he wasn’t mistreated, he wouldn’t have left with me?” she argued.
“Where is the hound?” Knox demanded.
She turned a defiant glare on him. “Safe and loved, and I intend to see him stay that way.”
“I’ll see to this when we arrive there,” he said as if it was settled.
Dru lifted her chin in a stubborn salute. “I’m not apologizing for doing the right thing, nor will I tell him where Zain is.”
Knox grabbed her chin and gave it a light squeeze. “He can punish you for stealing his hound and he has the right to. I will see to making this right and you, dear wife, will hold your tongue.”
Dru nodded, not giving it a thought since, to her, only verbal agreements counted.
CHAPTER 9
“Isee they remember you,” Knox said as they entered the small clan village, most everyone turning to stare and whisper amongst themselves.
Dru grinned. “Maybe it’s you that draws their attention. You are too big to miss. And if I’m not mistaken, those are smiles I see on several of the young lasses’ faces. You’ve got some admirers there.”
“Behave, Dru,” he warned in a harsh whisper.
She kept smiling, though annoyed. “I always do.”
How could those women smile at Knox with her in his arms? Did her appearance make it seem that she wasn’t worthy of him? That she was nothing more than an urchin he was helping, which probably made him even more appealing to the women.
Knox eased his mare to a stop in front of the stone keep where Chieftain Liam stood.
“Good to see you, Knox,” Liam greeted. “And I’m pleased to see that you caught the lying little lass who stole my hound. Now, she’ll get the punishment she deserves.”
His three sons stood nearby, nodding in agreement with their da. Two were a good five to eight years older than Ethan’s eleven years, and they were thickly built but nowhere near the rotund size of their da.
“Liam, is that anyway to greet Knox when he has been so helpful to us,” Lady Agatha scolded, approaching her husband.
“Knox is always welcome here. Even more so that he caught that thieving little liar,” Chieftain Liam said with a satisfied grin.
Knox lifted Dru off his mare and reminded with a scowl for her to behave before he turned to face Liam.
Knox looked directly at him. “The woman you call a thieving, little liar is my wife.”
Shock struck the chieftain silent but not for long. “Good, Lord, Knox, how did you get stuck with her?”
“A tale in itself, but she is my wife, and I demand she be respected,” Knox said.
“Of course, she will be,” Lady Agatha said.
Liam turned a glare on his wife. “She called Ethan a liar and stole Zain.” His head snapped to Dru. “Where is Zain?”
Dru let her tongue loose. “Where he won’t be harmed by you or your lying son.”
Ethan stepped forward, a smug sneer on his face. “You’re the liar.”
“I saw you give the hound that piece of meat,” Dru accused.
“Liar!” Ethan shouted. “I gave him an oatcake.”
Silence fell around them at the lad’s admission.
Dru stood grinning, pleased she thought quickly of a way to get him to admit his guilt.