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)
He paid her no mind as he glanced around. “You are alone?”
This was not a good situation—alone and tucked naked under a giant of a man’s arm.
“Wee bit of a thing—foolish,” the man said, shaking his head as he headed to shore.
“Put me down,” she ordered again and pounded on his chest as she wiggled to free herself.
It worked. His grip slipped and she fell into the water, going under, though not for long. She was once again yanked up and tucked so tightly under his arm that she could barely breathe.
“Stay put,” he ordered, sharply.
She pounded his chest with her fist, not that it did much good, but it got his attention and when he saw she was having trouble breathing, he loosened his hold, then his two large hands were suddenly at her waist, and he held her up in front of him as he came to a stop.
His eyes narrowed with annoyance, as if it should be enough for her to pay him heed, then he glanced at her small breasts, and she rushed her arms across them.
“Do not fear me. You are too tiny for the likes of me.”
His blunt remark hurt, though it made no sense to Dru why it should. She should be glad he didn’t find her appealing. And he was right. She was too tiny, her breasts not even a handful and barely a shape to her, but it worked in her favor, and she was grateful.
“We need to dry and get warm,” he said as he tucked her under his arm again, not as tightly this time, and finished walking out of the loch.
Dru tried to avoid looking past his waist, but it was difficult with the way he carried her. One glance was all she needed before she looked anywhere but there. He was right, she was way too tiny for him.
His abrupt stop at the water’s edge and the way he lowered her slowly to her feet had her fearing what he saw. She was afraid to look worried that a band of thieves or mercenaries stood there.
It was far worse than she expected… it was Mother Abbess.
CHAPTER 2
“Shame on you, Dru!” Mother Abbess scolded and threw the blanket she was holding at her. “Cover yourself.”
“Dru?” the big fellow asked as he stepped forward and caught the blanket.
Dru couldn’t believe her luck, or lack of it. Nothing ever seemed to go right for her. When he went to wrap the blanket around her, she yanked it out of his hand and wrapped it around herself, relieved to no longer be naked in front of him. Though his own nakedness didn’t seem to bother him.
“Put your garments on, sir,” Mother Abbess ordered. “And you both will come with me to the abbey.”
“I am sure this man—”
“Knox. My name is Knox.”
If she thought she just might get lucky, he confirmed luck avoided her at all costs. He was the one searching for her.
“I am sure Knox wants to be on his way,” Dru finished.
“I have need of you, Dru,” Knox said.
“I am sure you do,” Mother Abbess said, “but it will not be settled here. It will be settled at the abbey. Dru, go behind the bushes and put on that robe I sent with you. And you, sir, be decent and cover yourself.”
Knox kept his eye on Dru as he went to retrieve his garments and weapons he left behind a rock. He never left his possessions in the open where someone could steal them while he took a swim. He had seen it happen to many men, and he had no intentions of sharing such a ridiculing fate.
He used part of his plaid to dry himself before dressing and slipping his weapons, two knives and a sword, in place. His boots were the last to go on and as he stepped from around the rock, he released a strong whistle, startling the two women.
It wasn’t long before a beautiful chestnut mare appeared and made her way to Knox. He caressed her neck, and whispered, “Found her, Star.”
Dru was surprised how, for such a big man, and a mercenary at that, he was so gentle and loving with his mare. You could see in his eyes how much he cared for the animal.
Knox, seeing she still shivered, held his hand out to her, offering a ride.
“I’ll walk,” she said and hurried past him, her foul-smelling garments wrapped in the blanket and tucked under her arm.
Dru did not have a good feeling about this. In Mother Abbess’s eyes she was now a fallen woman, and it didn’t matter that it wasn’t true. She was caught naked in a naked man’s arm, so she was a fallen woman. She would not be allowed to stay at the abbey unless she repented, and she had no intention of repenting for something she didn’t do. Then there was Knox. How did she convince him that she wouldn’t be of any help to him? The only good thing that came from this ridiculous incident was that she could now return to Clan MacLeish and spend the coming winter there. Still, she couldn’t shake the bad feeling she had and that worried her.