Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 89331 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89331 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 447(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
“It was that way with me and my husband. When I first saw Glendon I lost my heart to him. He was so handsome and had the most wonderful smile,” Anwen said, the lovely memory bringing a generous smile to her face. She shook her head. “I almost forgot, my lady, a question has arisen since it has been made known that you and his lordship will move into the keep tonight.”
Flora understood without any further explanation. “I intended to make it known when I returned. No one will remain in the keep after dark tonight. Have our supper left in our bedchamber. We will do fine on our own.”
“Are you sure, my lady?” Anwen asked concerned.
“It is time, Anwen, that the keep is returned to his lordship and the ghost is sent on his way.”
“What did you find?” Flora asked her husband as they sat eating supper in their bedchamber.
Torin was eager for the intimate night ahead with his wife and he wanted no delays or interferences. To achieve that, he had to first satisfy his wife’s curiosity and questions.
“A campsite was found and farther from the bridge than I expected,” he said.
“Were there any signs of more than one person being there?” Flora asked.
“Not that we could find,” Torin said, noticing how robustly his wife ate. He had thought she might be nervous about the night ahead, but she showed no signs of it.
“How deep was the ash from the campfire?” she asked.
“I do not know. We were lucky to find it with the snow that had fallen and covered the ground and what—” He paused and shook his head. “I was so pleased to find the campsite that I never gave thought that the depth of the ashes could give me an idea of how long he had camped there.”
“I imagine you were more concerned that he may have had cohorts with him which would present a present danger.”
Torin leaned forward, placing his arms on the table’s edge. “I have never known a woman whose mind works so quickly.”
Flora chuckled. “My da said that as soon as I could talk, something I did at a noticeably young age, I asked questions. Gratefully, he and my mum did not mind. I am also grateful that they fed my curiosity. It is something I hope to do with our children.”
She constantly delivered unexpected joyful blows to his heart or gut, not that he minded. He quite enjoyed them.
“I will be honest with you, though, since I expect honesty from you,” she said after taking a sip of wine.
“Please do and I will strive to do the same.”
“I have been taking a mixture that works well to prevent conception. With not knowing what kind of husband you would make… I thought it best to wait and see.”
“I understand your reasoning, but an heir is important not only to me but to the clan as well and I do not want to delay it.” He grew concerned when his wife remained silent and worried over why that might be, and he asked, “You do not want to carry my child?”
“Nay! Nay! It is not that. It is just that I know nothing about carrying a child, delivering one, and no knowledge of raising one since I am an only child, and I have had little access to bairns.”
“There are many women here that will help you.”
Flora nodded. “Aye, I have no doubt of that, but I would prefer to get to know the women and their bairns as well before rushing into it. I also would like to make certain that all is settled with the ghost, so it causes no more problems in the keep.”
“I will give you a month, no more,” Torin commanded, leaving no chance for debate.
“Tell me why that decision is yours and not mine?” Flora asked and quickly added, “and do not say it is because you are my husband.”
“But that is the reason,” Torin said. “A husband’s word is to be obeyed.”
“Why?”
Torin appeared puzzled. “It is the way of things.”
“Because men command it so?” Flora shook her head. “This is the very reason I had decided never to wed. I wanted no one making decisions for me that I was capable of making on my own. Though if I had decided to wed, I would have preferred to find a husband who would discuss things with me so that we could make decisions together, not have decisions made for me.”
“That would be a rare husband,” Torin said. “I imagine your da made decisions for your mum.”
Flora went to argue and stopped, recalling a few times she had heard her mum protesting decisions her da had made that had concerned her.
“It is simply the way of things, Flora,” Torin said.
Her husband’s remark was similar to what her mum had said when she had confessed that she had heard their argument. That incident had been the start of her questioning whether she would ever wed.