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)
Knox sat up so fast that Dru leaned back thinking he meant to lash out at her. His arm hooked her waist preventing her from falling back and his woodsy scent encircled her. She favored his scent, a familiar one since she spent much of her time in the forest, a place that felt like home to her and where she felt the safest.
“His sister, like other nobles, has a duty to her clan whether she likes it or not. From what I heard Lord Torrance plans to wed her to a noble, the union being beneficial to the clan.”
“A man two times her age who has lost two wives and is known to be a sadistic brute. It’s rumored that one wife took her own life to free herself from the torment.”
“How do you know this?”
“Information is my specialty.” She pinched her lips tight, realizing how foolish she was to admit that.
“The reason I came in search of you,” Knox said, and let his hand fall off her waist to drop his head back on the pillow, though a lingering tingle remained along his arm. It had happened each time he had taken hold of Dru. It wasn’t an annoying tingle or a worrisome one, it was a pleasant one and he thought it odd. “I have had no luck in finding even a small trace of her.”
“What do you know about Autumn?” she asked, yawning halfway through her question.
Knox reached out and with one yank and a gentle twist, he settled her in the crook of his arm.
Dru was all set to object when she realized how warm and comfortable she was there. Even his hard muscled arm proved to be a good pillow. One night sleeping beside him wouldn’t hurt.
“Autumn,” she reminded.
“Autumn is Lord Torrance’s bastard, half-sister, born to his father’s longtime mistress, one of many but his favorite. She took ill and asked him to give his word that Autumn would be looked after and treated well. He gave his word. But either she didn’t believe him or trust him or Autumn thought that since she disappeared soon after her mum passed. A search was made but to no avail. After the recent battle with Clan MacLeish, and with his father gone, Lord Torrance decided to continue the search for Autumn.”
“And use her to his advantage,” Dru said.
“As nobles do to their siblings. Help me find her and I will release you from our marriage.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then you are stuck with me.”
Dru laughed. “You don’t even find me appealing. I would be of no use to you.”
Knox took a strong hold of her chin, forcing her to keep eye contact with him. “You will do this Dru, or I will see our marriage consummated and make sure you remain my wife for the rest of our lives.”
Dru pushed his hand away and he didn’t stop her. “That is a frightening thought, so I guess I have no choice but to help you find Autumn. But—” she said with a poke to his chest, “no matter what we find, whether she is alive or dead or already wed, you will release me from this marriage, on that I will have your word.”
“You have it. No matter Autumn’s circumstances when we find her, I will honor my word and end our marriage.”
CHAPTER 4
The itching started in the middle of the night. Dru had forgotten how the coarse wool of the nun’s garment irritated her skin. Unfortunately, her garments had been washed and had yet to dry, leaving her no choice but to remain in the nun’s robe.
She tried her best to ignore it, but all she wanted to do was rake her skin with her nails even with how short they were. She couldn’t stop herself from wiggling, trying to scratch the itch against whatever she could, though without disturbing Knox.
Dru groaned low. If she were alone, she could rip the offending garment off and ease her torment.
Please. Please, let morning come soon, she silently prayed.
Dru jumped when Knox snapped, “What the bloody hell is wrong?”
“The coarse wool irritates my skin,” she snapped back at him.
“Get out of bed.”
“You’re kicking me out of bed?” she asked annoyed. “Some husband you are.” She got out of bed and was surprised when he followed her out.
He slipped his shirt off. “Take that garment off.”
“I’m naked beneath,” she protested.
“Not for long,” he held out his shirt to her.
“Turn around,” she ordered.
“We’ve already seen each other naked, remember?” he reminded.
“The loch,” she said, recalling how she met him.
“And you’re my wife now, so all is proper.”
It was senseless to argue with him and he was right, there was no mystery for them to uncover when it came to their bodies. They had seen it all. Besides, she would die if she didn’t get the horrible garment off her. She yanked it off and grabbed the shirt out of his hand, but he grabbed her wrist.