Page 1 of Bred By the Orc
Chapter 1
Sorcha
“Do you think your husband would want to use his tonguethere?” my sweet, sheltered cousin Effie asked, staring half-intrigued, half-horrified at the scroll in my lap.
My sister Roxanna clicked her tongue. “The description sounds as if ‘tis done for the woman’s pleasure, and I have never known a man towantto bring his wife pleasure.”
I swatted her, causing her to scowl. “What? You disagree?”
“You are no expert on men, Roxanna Tarbert. I am certain theremustbe some husbands out there who would be glad to perform the…” Here I paused, lifting the scroll a little higher to read the name under the rough illustration and description. “PerformThe Invasion of Brussels.”
“Where is Brussels?” asked Effie, peering down at her own—empty—lap. “Do I have a brussels?”
Roxanna ignored her and poked me in the shoulder. “Aye,somehusbands, perhaps. Butyours?”
Ah.
Well, that was the question, was it not?
We would find out soon, I supposed, what this new husband of mine would be like. I could pretend bravery and maintain a jocular attitude about this journey, but my sister knew me well; I had no idea what sort of man Laird MacDonald might be, nor how he would treat me.
And that worried me.
Oh, I would make the best of things, even if my new husband were not the sort of man to—here I peered closer at the description on the scroll—use his tongue and lips and fingers in combination along the woman’s nether cleft, paying particular attention to the bud of her pleasure in order to bring her to fulfillment, I would survive.
After all, I had theGuideand my own fingers, and my mother had raised me to know what I was worth. My new husband wouldnot limit me.
“Sorcha.” Effie’s hand closed around my forearm. “Perhaps ‘tis best not to let Laird MacDonald see theGuideuntil you are certain of his manner?”
I refrained from snorting and answering sarcastically, but just barely. Mother’s lessons—A lady does not roll her eyes and make sounds like a swine—must have stuck.
Instead, I smiled gently and rolled the vellum, caressing my most prized possession. “I would not risk theGuide. It is a treasure to be passed to our daughters and granddaughters,” I reminded them with a saucy wink.
This time it was Roxanna who snorted and rolled her eyes.
Our cousin, however, shivered slightly and glanced around the abandoned croft where we were to spend the night. “We’ll be at the border of MacDonald territory tomorrow, aye? I hope your groom sends plenty of warriors to escort us. I do not like that your father sent only John and his few men to bring us this far.”
She was right.
This place was only a day’s ride from Father’s keep, and I supposed that was why he’d felt safe sending only his seneschal to ride escort for us. According to John, we would stay here tonight and tomorrow my betrothed’s men would take over the duty of escorting us to my new home.
New home.
I shuddered even though the summer night was warm.
I didn’t know what awaited me, but I was glad to have the company of my younger sister and cousin. They were coming along as my attendants, with the assumption that Laird MacDonald would help them make future matches, since Father had so many more daughters to worry about at home.
“John could have at least made a fire before he disappeared,” Roxanna grumbled, slouching back against the headboard of the simple bed where we all perched, it being the only seat in the abandoned building.
Effie wrapped her arms around her middle. “I am glad he chose not to announce our presence with the smell of the smoke. We are vulnerable here.”
Deciding it was my responsibility—as always—to keep our spirits up, I tapped the edge of the scroll against my cousin’s knee. “Consider this an adventure, Effie. Perhaps our last for a while, depending on my groom’s attitude. Spending the night in a haunted crofter’s hut? How delicious!”
Effie’s eyes went wide. “Haunted?”
But Roxanna snorted again. “We have enough to worry about. Do not addghoststothe mix as well.”
“What have we to worry about?” If there were blankets still atop the mattress, Effie would’ve huddled down under them.
