Page 37 of The Fierce Highlander

“And we will learn more and come to know each other well and share a good life together,” he said, letting her know it was possible if they took the time to make it so.

He hadn’t planned on kissing her, just the opposite. He planned on avoiding it, but he could not resist with her lips so close to his. Their plump softness made them ache to be kissed. He brought his lips to hers and kissed her gently. But it wasn’t enough, so he kissed her again, thinking that would do, but, of course, it didn’t. His hand went and gripped the side of her face, holding it as he turned their kiss more intimate.

Leora had wanted him to kiss her, had hoped he would, and she wondered if that was what had truly brought her to his bedchamber. Strange yet pleasurable feelings had been racing through her all day, especially when her husband had innocently touched her by taking her hand or touching her arm or wrapping his arm around her or pressing his hand to her back. She did not quite understand it, but she wanted to learn more about it.

But now that she was here, sensations building in her that she ached to explore, she wondered—was this wise of her? Was she selfish in not seeing Sky safe before she found any pleasure for herself?

The thought had her ending the kiss, easing her mouth off his when she wanted desperately to continue kissing him. “I should return to my bedchamber.”

“Nay, wife, this isourbedchamber and here is where you will stay from this night on,” Noble said with a firmness that left no room that it would be any other way. He saw confusion in her eyes. “We will continue this another time. You need to sleep.”

Confusion remained in her eyes, but relief reared its head as she nodded.

She turned away from him hugging the side of the bed and he wanted to pull her into his arms and sleep wrapped around her. But something had disturbed their kiss and he planned to find out what it was so that it never happened again, since the next time he kissed his wife, he planned on sealing their vows.

* * *

With full belliesfrom last night and even more so with this morning’s meal and a renewed hope in their hearts, people wore smiles as they eagerly helped Noble’s warriors with the many chores needed to restore the village to its prime. Praise, from young and old alike, for their new chieftain was heard everywhere as busy hands worked.

“The missive was sent to Lord Slayer this morning?” Noble asked Finley, though conformation wasn’t necessary since he never failed to obey an order, but Noble also never failed to make sure a task got done.

“Aye, we should hear soon from Lord Slayer,” Finley said. “Warriors vigilantly roam the surrounding woods, and two trackers are marking areas to alert us if anyone passes through there.”

His men were well aware of what he expected of them and often did so without any command from him. They had learned well, and it was one of the reasons they had been victorious in so many battles.

“The men look forward to establishing a home here. They will work hard to get the necessary work done before winter sets in,” Finley said as they walked through the village.

Noble cast a wide glance around, pleased that two thatched roofs were nearly repaired and a third getting started, and cottages too decayed to occupy were being torn down to make way for new ones.

“It is good we have the whole summer to see the work completed and the fields ripe with growth,” Noble said and spotted his wife talking with two women, one round with child, whose smiles brightened their pretty faces.

“Your wife’s smile is magical. One cannot help but smile when she smiles, though it might be her beauty that makes one smile.”

Noble turned a stern look at him.

“You can always count on me to speak the truth,” Finley said. “Besides, I simply voice what you already know.”

Finley was right. His wife’s beauty immediately caught the eye, but just in the last week they spent together he had come to realize that her beauty might catch the eye, but it was her genuine nature that truly attracted people to her. Little by little she revealed more about herself to him, and he found himself doing the same with her. He found comfort in talking with her about things he had never revealed to anyone and yet it seemed natural to do so with her. He had been amazed that he had spoken about his family to her. He never spoke about them to anyone and yet it came easily with her and surprisingly it gave him a sense of relief to do so. It was like ridding himself of a burden he had unnecessarily carried.

He suddenly had the urge to talk with her, but he did not want to interrupt her discussion with the two women. It was important she got to know the clan members, her new family, and they her.

Finley continued talking, letting him know what had been done since they had talked earlier this morning, deciding on the tasks that would be accomplished today. He listened while casting a keen eye around the village. In time, he would get to know everyone here, their strengths, their weaknesses, and their skills and know how they would most benefit the clan. He saw even now how some men worked better at some tasks than others and was pleased to see the strong camaraderie among the people. They had wisely banded together to survive a difficult situation, which had helped them do just that.

His glance continued to shift and survey, and he saw that Atworth, the prisoner who claimed to be skilled at fashioning weapons was presently busy demonstrating his skill of arrow making with a few of Noble’s warriors who shared the same skill. The other prisoners had been put to work repairing one of the stone storage sheds under the closely guarded watch of two warriors who worked alongside them.

Noble caught the quick movement out of the corner of his eye and shifted his glance to see one of his trackers, Bew, hurrying toward him. Something was wrong. He could see it on Bew’s narrow face. Instinct had him shifting his glance once again, and he caught the quick movement.

Noble rushed toward his wife as he shouted, “LEORA, DROP!”

Leora hesitated briefly, her protective instincts asserting itself on the two women she was speaking to and giving them a shove that had them tumbling before she dropped to the ground, though not before feeling a sharp pain strike the top of her right shoulder.

Only moments later Noble’s arm was around his wife’s waist, helping her to her feet, more concerned with her than with the culprit who had thrown the sizeable stone and who his warriors had already caught and held firm.

“Glenna!” a young man called out frantically as he ran toward the two fallen women who were helping each other to get to their feet.

“I am all right, Rob, thanks to Mistress Leora, without thought to her own safety she pushed me aside or the stone would have hit me,” the woman round with child said as her husband took her in his arms.

“We are grateful, most grateful, mistress,” Rob said, hugging his wife tight.

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