Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 95326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 381(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Cavell was unable to end the kiss, his lips being drawn back to hers each time he brushed his lips over hers, intending to end it. Their kiss was like a fine wine one lingered over, relishing and enjoying every sip, until one drank himself full. But how was it that he never felt too full to kiss his wife?
He reluctantly eased their kiss to an end, and she smiled softly, though it faded to a slight cringe, and she hurried off the bench. Annoyance jabbed at him, thinking it was his scars up close that caused her response, but he wisely and quickly dismissed the notion. She had told him often enough that his scars did not bother her, and he had seen for himself that she spoke the truth. If she did cringe, it was out of concern for him. So, he was not surprised when she returned to his side with a small crock of honey.
“I recalled my da keeping a crock of honey in his solar since I came to him often when I was young with scrapes or cuts and he would clean them and apply honey for them to heal,” she said as she gently applied the sticky honey to his scars.
“You went to your da and not your mum?”
“It was to avoid a scolding from my mum for being unladylike,” she said with a laugh and stuck her face closer to his. “I need to make sure to keep a good layer of honey on these scars.” She tapped gently at the corner of one scar. “I can see the honey is already helping you.”
He grabbed hold of her wrist, halting her touch. “Your caring touch is what helps me, wife.”
His remark raised a plethora of flutters in her stomach. “I am glad to know that, husband.”
Instinct or was it desire, she wasn’t sure, had her brushing her lips faintly over his, then stopping seeing that he looked about to speak.
Unexpected words lingered on his tongue, but he held them back, not sure he should let them loose, let them free, for they would not free him. They would bind him forever to his wife, and yet the thought did not upset him, and he released her wrist reluctantly.
“I need to go speak with Melvin and there is much that needs my attention since I am now chieftain of the clan,” he said and strangely enough felt not a bit of annoyance but rather a bit of pride.
That he once again acknowledged he was chieftain of the clan gave Elsie hope he was being more acceptant of his new leadership.
“Aye, the sooner a search is started for Leora, the better, and since I keep tally of most things in the clan, I can advise you when it comes to that.”
“That would be most helpful, wife, and what will you do now?”
“May says my da sleeps after a restless night, so I will go sit with him for a time,” she said since there was no longer any reason to think her da meant her harm, she did not think her husband would object.
“If he wakes, see what more he can tell you,” he said and stood and walked toward the door calling out to her before reaching it. “We will talk later.”
Elsie cleaned the honey off her finger then made her way to her da’s bedchamber, her husband on her mind the whole way. He filled her mind most of the day, thinking of all she found pleasing and all that worried her about him, but lately her thoughts centered more on how she missed him when they were apart, a surprising revelation to her.
She entered her da’s bedchamber and paused. His scent was different here than from the one in the solar. Here there was a whiff of decay rather than a potent manly scent, reminding her that her da was slowly deteriorating and there was a chance she could lose him. And that she would not let happen if she could help it, help him.
She snatched up a small bench near the hearth and placed it beside the bed and sat. Seeing him sleeping. She saw now what she didn’t see before, or perhaps she hadn’t wanted to see it. He had gotten thinner, his once full cheeks on the verge of turning gaunt, and gray dominated his once-brown hair. He was not improving, he was growing worse, growing closer to death, and tears pooled in her eyes.
He turned with a groan, and he struggled to open his eyes. Elsie quickly rubbed the unfallen tears from her eyes and greeted her da with a smile when he finally managed to open his eyes. She was thrilled to see him return a smile, faint as it was.
“Are you feeling any better, Da?” she asked anxiously.