Torr took hold of her chin and held it firm. “To officially seal our vows so that nothing or no one can separate us. I love you, Princess, and I will not lose you.”
Owen had left the Great Hall shortly after Cree and Torr had stormed out realizing their women had left. They were fools to place such importance on women. They were nothing more than a means to an end. They were there to bring a man more land and wealth through marriage and to satisfy his needs whenever instructed to do so.
He snarled as he crept up on the cottage, keeping to the night shadows so that no one would see him. He had worked for months formulating his plan, ridding himself of those who stood in his way and playing a dotting man in love. He would not have it all fall apart. He would not lose the wealth his union to Wintra would bring him. Besides, he wanted the bitch to pay for speaking out in front of all, instead of holding her tongue like an obedient woman should. What did she know about love anyway? She had been raised in the abbey by nuns who should have taught her better manners and obedience, something he would enjoy doing.
It angered him to think that Torr had her before he did. She was a beauty and he would have enjoyed breaking her in to serving his needs. But then he planned on her still serving his needs one way or another.
His jaw clenched when he heard Wintra scream Torr’s name and when she did it again, he found himself not only growing more furious, but hard.
“Damn the bitch,” he muttered, though did not turn away and leave. He waited and listened, her cries of pleasure exciting him more than he cared to admit. His thoughts drifted to how Wintra would scream when he mounted her. She would beg him to stop, but he would give her a good pounding and when he was done, she would obey his every word. And every night he would do the same to remind her of her place as his wife and—he shook his head. His musings had hardened him so badly that now he would have to find a woman to see to his needs tonight. And she would need to be a willing one at that. He certainly could not do as he usually did and force himself on one, for it would jeopardize what plans he had left.
It disgusted him to think that he would have to be nice to the woman who would spread her legs for him tonight. After all he was the man, the one with the power and he enjoyed wielding it as he liked.
Owen stood staring at the cottage, a snarl distorting his face. It was quiet, not another sound came from it. He should be the one sleeping with Wintra tonight. He should be the one she obeys, but then she will be. She will have no choice. And to make certain of that he intended to not only see Torr dead, but her interfering brother as well.
~~~
Cree’s eyes shot open. He had no idea what woke him, but he woke with the express need to keep his family safe. He looked down at Dawn cuddled so comfortably in his arms as she was every night and as she would be every night to come. She belonged to him and that was that, and he loved her beyond reason.
The sun would soon rise and so would he, and though he would prefer Dawn to stay abed and rest, at least for a couple of hours, he knew she wouldn’t.
He smiled still amazed that a voiceless woman had stolen his heart. His smile faded as his hand slipped down to rest on her stomach. He felt the growing bump. It had only recently appeared. He doubted anyone could see it yet, and he was glad. It was something Dawn and he shared and no one else. He worried over her and the babe nestled safely inside her. He could not imagine what it would be like for her when the time came to deliver their child.
Her screams would be trapped inside her, for only her to hear. He grew angry at the thought that her agony would be hers alone, and he silently vowed to do something about it. He also wondered if their child would be born voiceless. It did not matter, he would love the child regardless, and Dawn would teach their babe how to cope and live without a voice. But he hoped it would not be necessary. He hoped their child was born with a voice, for he knew Dawn would be distraught if she passed the affliction onto her babe.
Cree felt a slight chill brush his naked arm and realized the fire needed tending. He reluctantly eased away from Dawn and went to add logs and stoke the fire back to life. He would make certain the room was warm for when she woke, though he would not mind heating her body himself.
He grew hard at the thought, and even harder when he thought about how she always welcomed his touches, his kisses, and how much she enjoyed making love with him. He shook his head when he glanced down and saw how hard he had grown. He hadn’t had to look, he felt it, and he felt the overpowering need to make love to Dawn.
He shook his head again. She needed to rest. She did not need poking from him. His hand slipped down to stroke his hardness. He could take care of himself, since if he didn’t, he would go and wake her and take her much too hard and fast and that would not do. Not now at least, another time when she was fully awake and fully willing, which was usually all of the time.
A moan slipped from his lips at the thought of riding her hard and his hand took on a more forceful rhythm.
Cree startled when Dawn’s hand covered his and he turned a quick glance on her. Sleep partially filled her dark eyes and her dark red hair lay wild about her head and shoulders. The contrast of soft and wild struck his gut and groin hard and damn if he didn’t want to scoop her up, rush her to the bed, and—
She shoved his hand away and squeezed him hard, then she rubbed the tip of him against her nub and let her head fallback as her mouth opened in a silent groan.
She left no doubt as to how much she wanted him, and he lost all control. He scooped her up, rushed her to the bed and was inside her in an instant. He groaned with the feel of her tight, wet, welcoming sheath.
He told himself to take it slow, don’t ride her hard, but when she bucked hard beneath him, he knew she wanted as wild and hard a ride as he did. And he gave it to her.
“I’m going to make you come and then come again and maybe even again,” he said and gave a laugh when she nodded vigorously. He nipped at her lips. “God, I love you so much.”
She tapped at her chest, and then his, and spread her arms wide, letting him know that she loved him even more.
He almost came there and then, but he wanted her to come first, so that he could make her come again before he exploded in a fury that was building frantically inside him. He pushed up, his muscled arms growing taut as his chest hovered over her.
“Come for me,” he demanded, thrusting hard into her and she obeyed willingly.
Dawn heard the scream echo in her head. She squeezed his arms over and over and silently gasped as she felt another climax rush over her and she tossed her head from side to side, the strength of it stealing her breath.
Cree came then. He couldn’t stop himself, not when he saw her second climax hit her. He groaned as his climax surged through him and with a final satisfied grunt he collapsed on top of her. After a moment he leaned up, kissed her gently and went to pull out of her.
She grabbed his arms and shook her head.
“Not yet?” he asked, knowing that she liked him to linger inside her for a few moments after he had come. He had learned that she would sometimes climax again, though not as hard but satisfying enough when he did that.
He moved gently inside her and he felt her shudder and her eyes flutter for a moment as one last climax settled over her. He waited a moment longer, and then slipped out of her. He pulled the blankets out from under them and covered them both as he slipped beneath and took her in his arms.
“You are insatiable,” he said with a tender laugh.
She looked up at him, smiled, and nodded her head as she tapped his chest.
“It better be only for me,” he teased.
She nodded and yawned.
“You’re tired,” he scolded, though it wasn’t Dawn he was scolding. It was himself. He should have been more considerate of her condition and not worn her out.
She shook her head.
He scowled. “Your yawn tells me differently.”
She rubbed gently at the lines that had deepened between his eyes, trying to rub away his concern, though she doubted it would work. Cree did what Cree wanted regardless of what others said. But she had grown a bit stubborn herself, though her gentle nature had her handling it differently.
She took his hand and placed it on her stomach, resting hers over it.
His scowl faded some as he said, “The babe makes you tired.”
She nodded, patted her chest, and smiled brightly.
“But you feel good.”
She nodded, her smile turning natural. She patted her chest again, then placed her two hands together as if in prayer and placed them to the side of her face and closed her eyes briefly, opened them and patted his hand where it lay on her stomach.
“You will rest when the babe needs it.”
She nodded again and pressed her hand against his, shaking her head.
“I know you wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize the babe, but that does not mean I don’t worry about the both of you. So, do not make me worry.”
She crossed her heart.
“I will hold you to that promise,” he said and kissed her gently.
Dawn enjoyed this early morning time she got to spend with Cree. They would often make love, and then talk. He talked to her as if she had a voice, and she loved him all the more for it.
“My sister is very angry with me,” Cree said, “and I do not blame her.”
Dawn made no gesture. He needed to talk and she wanted to listen.
“I had other plans for her. I wanted her to pick a husband of her own choosing, possibly fall in love. This was not a homecoming I wanted for her.”
Dawn made several gestures and Cree was quick to respond.
“I know Torr is a good man and will treat my sister well, but—”
Dawn interrupted with another gesture.
“You are right,” he snapped, “the choice wasn’t only taken from my sister. It was taken from me as well. And I don’t like it or that I can’t do anything about it. She is my sister, damn it. I promised her I would always protect her and keep her safe. Now here she is wed to a stranger. And I do not need reminding that your brother is a good man, to her he is a stranger, and it can be terrifying for a woman to be forced upon a man she does not know.”
He cringed, realizing what he had just said and took hold of Dawn’s chin. “Were you terrified of me when they threw you in that God-awful shack with me?”
She nodded.
He winced and let go of her chin. “You were brave.”
She tapped his chest and pressed her hand to his heart.
“Are you saying I was kind?”
She nodded.
“Are you trying to ruin my reputation?” he scowled, though his voice teased.
She pressed her hand to her chest, and then to her lips.
“You will keep my secret?”
She spread her hands wide.
“Forever,” he nodded, then whispered, “That is how long I will love you—forever.”
He kissed her, and they snuggled in each other’s arms neither wanting to let go of the other.
Cree sat in the Great Hall alone. Servants placed food and drink in front of him, but otherwise went about their chores. Dawn had fallen back asleep and to make certain he would not disturb her again, he had dressed and left their bedchamber. She was just too damn tempting not to touch, and he had already touched her enough this morning.
He drank the hot cider, but pushed the bowl of porridge away. He was not hungry. He had too much on his mind. Wintra was a stubborn one, much like himself, but there had always been a time when she would listen or at least talk with him, and he was counting on that time to come again.
What disturbed him more, after giving it thought, was how adamant Owen had been about marrying Wintra, and then threatening her when she had refused. Something did not seem right, and it concerned him.
“Mind if I join you?”
Cree looked up to see Torr standing there, and he gave a nod to the bench opposite him. “My sister fares well?”
Torr nodded, “And mine?”
Cree had to respect him. With two words and no threat, Torr had made it clear that it was neither of the other’s concern as long as the women were treated well.
“She is well,” Cree told him.
“She fainted yesterday.”
Cree would have told him it was none of his concern, but he would not want Torr to do that when it came to Wintra, so he could understand his worry. “Elsa assures me that she is fine.”
“Good. I have just found her. I would not want anything to happen to her before I got a chance to know her better,” Torr said and filled a tankard with hot cider.
“I understand how you feel. It has been too long since I have seen my sister.”
“Then you would not mind if Wintra and I stayed here until your babe is born? I think it would help the situation not to take her away from family so soon while giving me a chance to get to know my own sister.”
Cree was more than pleased by Torr’s offer, though he found it had never bode well for a mighty warrior to express any degree of gratitude. And habits were hard to break, so while he was more than delighted, he simply said, “You are welcome to stay.”
“Thank you,” Torr said respectfully, though he had had no doubt that the mighty Cree would refuse him. He had thought about it this morning when he woke with Wintra sleeping comfortably in his arms. It was better they got to know each other here, and then she would have time to reunite with her brother and come to know Dawn. Then when the time came for them to leave, she would be more willing to do so, or at least he hoped she would.
There was one other thing that disturbed Torr and he felt it was important to discuss with Cree, though Cree got to it first.
“Something about Owen disturbs me,” Cree said.
Torr was quick to agree. “I feel the same.”
“Tell me,” Cree urged.
“Owen has an agenda, though I do not know what it is. I believe he had men abduct Wintra, and then he rescued her using a different group of warriors, and now he has another troop of warriors with him. What troubles me the most, is that Wintra found two men dead in the woods. One was from the group that abducted her and the other was from the troop who saved her, and they both had died from stab wounds.”
“How did my sister come across them?”
“By sheer accident,” Torr said.
“You were not with her?” Cree asked accusingly.
“I was never far from Wintra, but she does require a bit of privacy at times. And I did return here with
my wife
safe and unharmed with the exception of the bump to her head.”
“How did that happen?” Cree demanded, not caring in the least that Torr reminded him yet again that Wintra was his wife. He wanted to make certain his sister was safe and always would be, and Torr, so far, had done that.
Torr explained how Wintra had attempted to escape from him and landed them both in a stream and though he didn’t go into complete detail about the incident, he felt it was enough to satisfy Cree’s obvious concern.
“That sounds like my sister,” Cree admitted with a nod. “And it is good to know that you saw and continue to see to her care. Now tell me more about what happened.”
It was when Torr explained how Owen had found them at the cottage and what had happened when he was alone with Wintra that had Cree exploding.
“Bring that bastard Owen to me right now,” he bellowed, jumping up off the bench and having the few warriors who had entered the Great Hall for breakfast scurrying to obey. He turned an angry glare on Torr, though it was not meant for him. “Do you know anything about this man?”
“He is a sly and deceitful man from what I have heard. He took advantage of a lovely and innocent daughter of a chieftain my father is acquainted with, and ruined her, though made it appear otherwise. He is not one to be trusted.”
“How had my sister come to know him?”
“He visited the abbey and had asked permission to speak with her concerning one of the gardens she tended. He cunningly insinuated his way into her life and somehow convinced her that he cared for her.”
“I do not understand how the nuns could have permitted this, Cree said annoyed.
“From what Wintra had told me, she was never alone with Owen and he was always proper in his demeanor when around her. So the nuns believed him only interested in what he could learn from her about the gardens.”
“The nuns never spoke of him to me,” Cree said even more annoyed.
“There was nothing for them to speak with you about. Owen had never approached them about anything other than speaking to Wintra purely out of interest in her garden work. What troubles me is that I think he purposely sought out Wintra with plans to deceive her and convince her that he loved her and that he wished to wed her. The question is why? Did he believe you would bestow an exceptional marriage purse on her?”
“I did intend to, though I spoke of it to no one,” Cree said. “Of course, it now belongs to you.”
“I nor need it or want it. Wintra is gift enough for me.”
Cree cocked his head and glared at Torr. “You love my sister?”
“Is it not obvious?” Torr asked with a laugh.
“I would say you have not known her long enough to have fallen in love, but—”
“You fell in love with Dawn almost as fast.”
Cree grinned. “Though I was a fool and had not realized it.”
“Thank the heavens I am not a fool.”
“And that you are my sister’s husband and I do not make you pay for that remark.” Cree turned his attention to Sloan, having seen him enter the Great Hall and hurrying toward them.
Sloan stopped at the end of the table. “You wanted Owen brought to you?”
Cree nodded.
“He departed over an hour ago,” Sloan said. “I had assigned warriors to watch Owen and his men, though not let themselves be seen, and to inform me of anything they saw or felt was important. I was alerted to his departure and went to see Owen immediately.”
“Did he offer an explanation for sneaking away?” Cree asked, his annoyance now having turned to anger.
“He was much too cordial about it. He apologized for any misunderstanding, and he claimed to not want to disturb you any longer. The strange part was that I did not believe a word he said, so I sent a few men to follow them.”
“Good,” Cree said. “I do not believe we have seen the last of him.”
“My thought as well,” Sloan said.
“Join us,” Cree offered.
Sloan sat and filled a tankard for himself and raised it looking to Torr. “Congratulations on your unexpected marriage, though it was a relief to hear it.”
“Why is that?” Cree asked.
“You should have seen the way he,” —Sloan nodded at Torr— “insisted Wintra wake from her faint, and then there was the way she looked at him.” Sloan shook his head and laughed. “It was obvious they both loved each other, and all I could think was that you were going to kill him once we got home. So it was a relief to hear that they were wed, and you had known about it.”
“My sister loves you?” Cree demanded.
“She does, though I believe there are moments she fights that knowledge.”
Sloan snickered. “You are in for it now, especially since she is so stubborn.”
“Is she now?” Cree said.
“Aye, she is.” Sloan grinned. “But she cannot help being just like her big brother.”
“You really do want that tongue of yours cut out don’t you?” Cree said, then cringed right afterwards. A threat like that always upset Dawn, and he had tried to curtail using it, but he had said it so often to Sloan, never fully intending to ever do such a thing, that it had become an instinctive reply when Sloan annoyed him.
“I do not worry about that threat anymore,” Sloan said still grinning. “Dawn would come to my rescue.”
“That she would,” Cree admitted with pride, “though she will not come to your rescue when I pick a wife out for you.”
Sloan’s grin vanished. “That is not funny, Cree. I am not ready to please only one woman.”
Cree had been referred to by all as ‘my lord’ since taking the title of Earl of Carrick, so by Sloan referring to him as he once had, Cree knew he was speaking to him as a friend. “Ready or not, you would be wise to find a good woman before the King commands more marriages to settle the mess the previous Earl of Carrick’s wife created.”
“What of you and Dawn? Why didn’t the King wed you by proxy? Your union would be more important than any other?”
Cree looked to Torr. He had been the only one to see the document. The only one who knew the whole truth.
Sloan saw the look they exchanged. “Good God, you and Dawn are wed as well. Does she know she is your wife?”
“No, and no one is going to tell her.”
“Why?” Sloan asked.
“I have my reasons,” Cree snapped.
“I am sure Dawn would be curious to know those reasons.”
The three men’s heads snapped to the side, expecting only to see Wintra, but Dawn stood there as well.
Sloan slipped off the bench, hurrying to stand.
Torr got up more slowly.
Cree didn’t move at all.
Wintra and Dawn approached them.
“It is time you see to your duties, Sloan,” Cree said dismissing him, and Sloan quickly took his leave.
Torr stepped forward and held his hand out to his wife.
Wintra took it without hesitation, knowing this discussion was meant for Cree and Dawn alone. They left the hall, Torr with a nod to Cree and Wintra with a quick hug to Dawn’s hand.
Dawn joined her husband—
husband
—he was actually her husband. The King had decreed it. She sat opposite him.
“Have your say and be done with it,” Cree ordered.
She gestured slowly, pointing to him, then herself, and then entwining two fingers tightly and shrugging.
“Yes, you and I are wed good and proper.”
She smiled and her hands started gesturing faster.
“I knew it. I knew it, and that was why I did not tell you we were wed. I knew you would then object to wedding me again here at the keep and having a huge wedding celebration. And I want that. I want all to see us wed and I want all to celebrate, for our good fortune is their good fortune.”
Dawn’s smile faded and she patted her chest and shook her head.
“You never thought of it that way?”
She shook her head again.
Cree reached out and took hold of her hand. “All will look differently upon you now that you are my wife. They all know how much I love you and how happy you make me, and they will be pleased that we have finally joined as one and want to celebrate the wonderful news.”
Dawn could not help but have misgivings. After all Cree had taken her as his mistress and now the village was to celebrate her status as his wife. Would the villagers truly celebrate or only do so because forced to?
“I did not plan on keeping the news that we were wed from you. I found out just after Torr brought you half frozen to me. I did not want to tell you then and once you had recovered, Torr’s horse had returned and I worried over my sister’s safety. Then Owen had showed up and I didn’t want to tell you with him here. I wanted time to speak with you about it and about planning a ceremony and a celebration, which I knew you would object to, and I was right.”
She nodded, agreeing with him.
He kept hold of her hand as he got up and walked around the table to scoop her up and plant her on his lap after he sat. “I want us to take our vows for all to see. I want everyone to know how much I love you and how very proud I am to have you as my wife. And I want all to celebrate in our joy, in our love, in our future.”
Tears clouded her eyes.
“I love you more than any words can express. Marry me, Dawn, and let us celebrate our love.”
A tear slipped down her cheek as she nodded, accepting his heartfelt proposal.