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 refused to let his mind drift. He intended to snare something for supper and hurry back to the dwelling. With renegades in the area, he did not want to leave his wife alone for long. He shook his head. Gallowglass were renegades but they were elite renegades, men from noble and influential families who fought to keep their lands, fought to keep the Highlands under their rule and they were ruthless in their endeavors, even savage at times. Why unfettered renegades would dare enter Gallowglass territory was a puzzle. But then everything about this situation puzzled him and as much as he would prefer to walk away from it, he had no choice but to stay.
He could convince himself that it was because of Slayer’s generous offer to see him freed of all obligations. He could walk away and live life anywhere he pleased. Or tell himself that he owed Slayer to help him as a fellow Gallowglass warrior. But the truth was that he could not leave his wife—just yet. Though a thought had been nagging at him that he might not want to leave her at all.
It could be because she did not mind looking upon him. She always looked him straight in the eyes, though he had seen her glance drift to his lips on occasion and he wondered if she thought of kissing him again. He certainly thought of kissing her again.
His manhood perked up.
“A kiss no more than that,” he mumbled glancing down at the slight rise between his legs.
He could not let it go any farther than that. Not until he knew for certain that she wasn’t insane. But if she carried his bairn, whether insane or not, he would not leave her for the child’s sake.
He grumbled beneath his breath. First, his father insisted he join the Gallowglass, then he arranged this marriage without informing him until it was done. Never again would he allow his father to dictate to him.
The rabbit hopped into his line of vision, getting his attention, and it was not long before Cavell caught their supper.
He had it cleaned, speared on a stick, and ready to roast over the fire in the hearth, his mouth already watering for it, when he returned to the dwelling. He stopped abruptly when he spotted the shutters open and a plume of dust rushing out the open door as if being chased.
“ELSIE!” he shouted, his temper flaring as he kept his distance so that he and the cleaned rabbit would not get consumed by the dust.
His wife suddenly appeared at the door, her eyes wide, her lovely hair braided and patches of dirt on her face.
“What is it? Do we need to flee?” she asked anxiously, brandishing a broom as if it were a weapon.
He had to hide his smile, for at that moment he thought his wife was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and his temper faded.
“What did I tell you about stepping out of the dwelling?” he reminded, forcing himself to sound annoyed.
“I paid heed to your word, husband. I did not step out of the dwelling. I never crossed where I stand now just as you ordered,” she said. “The inside was far too dirty and dusty for us to dwell here comfortably, so I did what any good wife would do—I cleaned it.”
How did he argue with that?
“Besides, if I heard any noise foreign to the forest, I would have closed the shutters and door immediately. I also assumed you would be in calling distance if necessary, so I felt safe.” She smiled suddenly and pointed. “You got a rabbit, and I found some pot herbs that will make a fine broth. We shall eat well tonight. Hurry and set the rabbit to cook.”
Cavell stared for a moment at the open door where she no longer stood, having returned inside. She cared enough to make the dwelling comfortable for them. Bloody hell, but he really could care for this woman.
Her face suddenly appeared by the open window. “Hurry, husband, the sky does not look promising.”
He shook his head, clearing it as if from a trance and glanced up. She was right. Dark clouds had moved in overhead and a wind had swept in. One sniff of the air and Cavell knew rain was not far off. He hurried inside, looking forward to the night, though not too much, for fear he would do something regrettable. Or would he regret enjoying intimacy with his wife once again?
While the rabbit cooked and the pot herbs bubbled in the cauldron, Elsie decided to freshen herself the best she could now that her husband was present. She continued to worry what he would think, say, react when he saw her naked and she was not ready to face any of the possibilities just yet.