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 was ready to explode at her, but Dru spoke up.
“I can’t sleep without my husband. He keeps me warm and safe.”
He liked hearing her say that. It was as though she was saying that he was important to her, and she didn’t want to do without him. And he felt the same way.
“I will be sleeping with my wife tonight,” he confirmed, though went on to say, casting a glance at Dru, “and all the nights to come.”
Mave turned away with a smile, not that it mattered if the two saw it since they only had eyes for each other.
“She sleeps,” Mave said, closing the door behind her.
“I’ll see for myself,” Knox said, walking past the old woman to do just that.
He was relieved to see Dru in peaceful slumber, her cheeks slightly pink. She looked so much better than earlier in the day.
“She will sleep through the night and be fit in the morning,” Mave said after he shut the door behind him and nodded at the freshly cooked rabbit meat on the table and parked herself on a bench. “You hunted.”
“I wasn’t sure if Dru would be hungry, but just in case…” He nodded. “Besides, we need to eat as well.”
“Is that your way of inviting me to supper?” Mave asked, stabbing a piece of meat with a knife she slipped out of her boot.
Knox joined her at the table.
“We’ll eat before you start asking me endless questions about Autumn,” she said, popping the speared meat into her mouth.
“We can discuss it while we eat,” he said, his strong tone letting her know it was not up for debate.
Mave appeared ready to argue but the look in his eyes warned her against it and she wisely paid heed.
He speared a piece of meat for himself as he said, “Tell me about Autumn. What is she like?”
Mave smiled. “Pretty. That’s what most said about her. But you have to understand that Autumn’s mum, Cerise, was stunningly beautiful. It would have been almost impossible for anyone to be more beautiful. And Cerise was relieved her daughter didn’t possess her amazing beauty. She feared it would bring her nothing but heartache as it did her. She asked Lord Randall to keep their daughter safe and not wed her to someone who would treat her poorly. He agreed but Cerise did not trust him as she once did and wisely so.”
“Cerise once trusted Lord Randall?”
Mave nodded. “Lord Randall was a handsome man and on the way to becoming a powerful one. She fell blindly in love with him, and he claimed to feel the same. He treated her well. They had many happy years together until… she got with child. That changed everything.
“Autumn was born on a cold autumn day, the reason for her name. Her mum was struck by a deep unimaginable love that day when she looked into her daughter’s eyes for the first time. She hoped the name would bring her luck when it came to love.
“Unlike Cerise, who realized the truth too late. She was nothing more to Randall than a kept woman and her child would be a bastard subjected to his whims and decisions.” Sadness filled Mave’s eyes. “His desire, need, ache, whatever it was that drove him to possess more wealth, more power, grew with age. Cerise feared, and rightfully so, that he would use their daughter to benefit his clan with no regard to her safety.”
“Did he treat Autumn poorly?”
“He barely laid eyes on her. She wasn’t allowed to be around when he visited Cerise and she agreed, wanting to protect her daughter. Cerise planned to take her daughter and leave, start a new life somewhere where Lord Randall would never be able to find them. Somehow, he found out about her plan and threatened that he would take Autumn away from her and she would never see her again. That was all the threat that was needed. Cerise never spoke about it again. She remained with him for the safety of her daughter.” Her sharp blue eyes suddenly glared at him. “And now you want to turn that pretty, innocent young woman over to a monster.”
He ignored her remark. “You’ve told me about her mum but not about Autumn herself.”
“Cerise raised Autumn to rely on herself, not to trust men, and to be cautious of love. She learned well.”
“What of Autumn’s hopes for her future?” he asked. “Did she wish to wed one day? Did she hope to have a family?”
“She never spoke of it.”
“Then what did she speak of?”
“Her mum’s safety was her main concern, keeping Lord Randall from causing her mum harm since she often cried after he’d visit. Not for anything he did, but because it reminded her of what a fool she had been. She grew even more protective when Cerise took ill. Autumn suffered the back of Lord Randall’s hand more than once for speaking up to him. Sadly, he thought it was a servant who challenged him. He never knew it was his own daughter. He finally stopped coming here. It allowed Cerise to spend the final year of her life free and in peace.”