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)
“You got that right,” she said, keeping the fear out of her voice.
“Then we will get this done and be free of each other.”
“Right again. Now get off me,” she ordered.
He glared at her, not moving, and she returned his glare, her heart pounding, praying he would honor his word.
Knox dropped to her side, the size of him almost knocking her out of bed, if it wasn’t for his arm snagging her around the waist and tucking her against him.
“Sleep,” he ordered. “Tomorrow comes soon enough.”
Not soon enough for me, Dru thought.
“Where to?” Knox asked as they rode away from the Cramond Abbey.
Dru hadn’t been happy about riding on his mare with him, but he hadn’t left her any choice. He had swooped her up and onto his horse before she could protest. She had only met him yesterday and had spent a good portion of that time nearly on top of him. She wanted to do her best to avoid that from happening again, but so far, she hadn’t been successful.
“There’s a village not far from here where I might be able to learn something about Autumn,” Dru said. “Take the path up ahead to the right. It will take us straight there.”
“You need new garments. Those are threadbare and, though washed, they don’t have a pleasant odor. New footwear as well especially with winter drawing near.”
“They serve me well enough, and winter is almost two moon cycles away.”
“Or sooner if winter decides otherwise.”
He was right about that. Winter arrived when it pleased and left when it pleased. She would need better boots and a heavy wool cloak to survive it and that meant thieving it. Not something she was proud of doing. It was wrong, but she was left with little choice, just like her marriage.
What was more important now was to find out as much as she could about her husband. She also needed to make sure she didn’t get used to the warmth and comfort of being tucked in the crook of his arm, like in bed last night and now riding on his horse with him.
She would keep it in mind, but for now, she asked, “You fought for Lord Torrance?”
“That does not concern you.”
“That you won’t answer tells me that I can trust you even less than I already do.”
“Question me and expect the same,” he warned.
“I have nothing to hide.”
His brow wrinkled. “I doubt that.”
He was right about that. She had secrets that she would never reveal to anyone.
“I fought for the mercenary group Lord Torrance hired.”
Dru went to ask another question, but he wasn’t finished.
“You have no family?”
She shook her head. “There is no one. My parents are dead, and I have no siblings.” She hurried to ask him, “And what of you? Do you have family?”
“Nay, no one.”
“One thing we have in common,” she said, and his reply was another question.
“Have you not one friend?”
“Have you?” she snapped.
“Your sharp retort tells me you are friendless.”
Her annoyance had her snapping at him again. “And you are not?”
“I know people, but I don’t believe I would call them friends.”
That he finally responded to her question had her reciprocating. Besides, it would benefit her for him to know who her friend was. “I have one friend… The Monk.”
His response was not what Dru expected.
“The Monk is a respected and feared mercenary, a good ten years older than me but still a highly skilled warrior. How is it you know him?”
“You are acquainted with him?”
“Nay, I fought alongside him once, but we didn’t speak. And you?”
She told few people how she and The Monk truly met. “We came upon each other one day.”
“Like you and I did?”
Dru thought about that for a moment. The Monk had saved her life and, in a way, so did Knox. If he hadn’t agreed to wed her, the cleric would have seen her sent to join the women who Lord Torrance kept to pleasure his men. Though he would have had to catch her first.
“I suppose it was similar, though I wasn’t naked.”
“So, The Monk saved you from a terrible fate just as I did.”
“I suppose so,” she said, thinking it best she said no more on it.
“What makes you think we will find anything in the village we go to?”
Dru was glad he changed the subject. She may want to find out all she could about Knox, but she had no intention of him finding anything out about her.
“They are a gossipy bunch and eager to learn news and spread it.”
“And you have news to share that would be of interest to them?”
“I do. I am going to let them know that a big, fearless mercenary is in pursuit of Autumn.”
His scowl told her he wasn’t pleased with that.
“You intend to enter the village alone?”
“They know me and will talk to me. All you need to do is walk around so I can point you out. They will be eager to share any news of Autumn they may have heard.” His scowl turned to a stern look, and she was aware of what he intended to say, though more warn. “Don’t worry. I have no intention of running off. I will see this done and our marriage as well.”