Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 102573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Bhric pressed a finger to her lips when she went to speak. “Do not offer what you cannot give, for I will hear no more lies spill from your lips. Now sleep and let the morning bring news and rejoicing that all is well with the lord and his lady.”
CHAPTER 9
Bhric walked through the village as he did every so often making himself available to anyone who wished to speak with him and to keep an eye on everything that went on. The Clan MacShane people were beginning to blend well with his people, though some still held animosity toward him. A few felt he had no right to rule the clan, but he was the rightful heir to the clan, and it was now his to rule over.
All had settled well over the last three days since his arrival home with his new bride. At least he made it seem that way to everyone. He treated his wife well when in her presence while avoiding her most other times. He was annoyed with the whole situation especially waking the morning after the celebration to find her snuggled against him and his arm snug around her. He had lingered, keeping her there tucked close and enjoying the feel of her soft, warm skin. It was as if she had always been there beside him, as if she belonged there.
He had left the bed with haste when the gentle stirring he had felt turned to a hard arousal and far too rapidly. He would not chance coupling with her until he knew for sure she carried no other man’s bairn. And that was the problem. He could not trust her to keep a truthful tongue. She had not told him upon meeting him that she was his wife and she had allowed him to believe that she had suffered an injury rather than confess the truth about her limp. And that she tricked him into their marriage bed so he would have no choice but to honor the agreement made him wonder what more she hid from him.
“She’s a small one and that limp limits her.”
Bhric turned to Greta. Her slow and soft gait often had her sneaking up on people. He looked to where her head was turned and saw his wife talking with Hume.
“Too small?” he asked, knowing she would understand his question.
“That will not be known until her delivery time comes,” Greta said and turned to him. “What happened to her leg?”
“I have yet to find out,” Bhric said, having wondered the same.
“You should know if it is an affliction that can be passed on to bairns or if your wife is prone to foolishness that can bring her harm or if someone failed to protect her, something I fear her small size will warrant much attention.”
“An accident I believe,” Bhric said but wondered if that was a lie. He had not considered her limp could be hereditary, though she had tried to hide it from him. The possibility troubled him. “Is there talk of her limp already?”
“It was inevitable, and many assume, understandably so, that she is not strong enough to be your wife.”
“My mother believed differently,” Bhric said, watching the way his wife’s face lit with a smile as she spoke with Hume. Did she fancy the man? Had she brought him here to be close to him?
“I learned over the years to respect your mother’s wisdom. Perhaps she knows something we do not.”
A scream pierced the air, catching everyone’s attention and everything happened so fast there was little time to react, though his wife did not hesitate.
A large elkhound was growling and nipping as he chased after Uta, a young lass, barely five years. It was one of the war hounds, trained to hunt and kill, and he was almost on top of the lass. If his teeth sank into her, she would not survive.
Bhric stared in shock as did all the others in the area when his wife ran limping far faster than he believed her capable of and placed herself in front of the lass to boldly raise her hand and command the hound to…
“STOP!” Tavia ordered, pointing her finger at the hound and when the beast of a dog stopped, she then commanded, “SIT!”
To everyone’s shock and amazement the hound sat. They were even more amazed that the lass had fastened herself to Tavia’s leg and when she peeked her head from behind her, the hound growled and Tavia commanded him once again.
“Quiet!” Tavia ordered, shaking her finger at the hound and he turned silent.
A large man came running toward them, calling out, “Uta! Uta!
Uta peeked her head out from behind Tavia once again but would not step past her.
“I just wanted to hug him. Faðir,” Uta called out.
Bhric reached his wife before Harald reached her and his daughter. Uta gripped Tavia’s cloak, tucking it around her as if trying to disappear in its folds.