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)
She had been on his mind frequently of late. Actually, she would not leave his thoughts whether she was with him or not. He even found himself missing her when he was not with her. He was growing accustomed to her and perhaps that was not a bad thing. Why then delay consummating their marriage?
He asked the question without thought. “You have never been with another man?”
“Never,” she said.
“What of the traveling merchant?”
“Kevin is like a brother to me. He took time to talk with me. Tell me of his adventures, encourage me when I needed it,” she said. “You are the first man whose hand I ever felt in mine, whose lips ever touched mine…” Her cheeks blossomed red. “Whoever saw me naked.”
“And that is the way it will always be,” Bhric ordered, ready to kill anyone who dared to touch his wife improperly.
“It is the only way I want it, my lord, and on that you have my word,” Tavia said with a firm lift of her chin.
He felt a strange jab to his heart, not a worrisome one but a pleasurable one. He liked that she wanted only him, but was it out of duty or was there more to her declaration?
“I am ravenous,” he announced, which he was but they had also talked enough for now, leaving him much to consider.
“So am I,” she said, feeling their talk had settled some things between them and hoping it opened a path to the start of a good marriage.
Fen was on his feet when the door opened and he followed them into the Great Hall, his eyes wandering to Bhric every now and then. They returned to the trestle table where Tavia had been sitting and servants soon brought more food to them. Fen went and laid by the hearth not disturbing them, though Tavia made sure he was fed, not that anyone would go near him. She placed the food in front of him herself.
“Was there troubling news from Sven?” she asked as they ate.
Bhric saw no reason not to tell her and it was better that he told her then for her to hear it through whispers and gossip. “A wild boar was killed and left in the woods.”
Tavia tilted her head in question. “Why would a hunter kill a boar and not take the meat?”
“It may have been a ritualistic kill.”
“How so?” she asked, her stomach suddenly churning.
“The heart was missing.”
CHAPTER 15
Tavia sat hunched over on a small stool before the burning hearth in her bedchamber, Fen at her side. For three days, the thought of the missing heart had not left her troubled thoughts and still had not. Tongues gossiped of what it might mean… evil had followed Tavia to Clan MacShane. But how could that be when the men who had been involved with the missing heart at Clan Strathearn could no longer cause harm. Who then could possibly have done such a heinous thing? And was it connected in any way to what had happened at Clan Strathearn?
“I know not what to think, Fen,” she said and hugged the hound, needing the comfort he brought her.
She wished Fia was there to talk with, the woman having a deep insight that Tavia wished she possessed. Right now, confusion reigned within her, and she was not sure what to do. She thought to hide away again as she had done after her accident, but that would solve nothing or be of any help. Hiding from a problem only made it linger and could worsen the situation.
“Time to face the day, Fen,” Tavia said with more conviction than she felt.
She stood with a stretch. She had hoped the talk in her husband’s solar had solved some of their issues and that the kiss they had shared was an indication that their marriage had a chance of developing into a good one. Unfortunately, she had seen little of him the last three days. She had thought it might be on purpose, until he informed her that he would be busy working with his men to find the culprit who killed the boar. It was all the talk in the village, people speculating over it and the possibility of a witch being involved.
The worrisome thought sent a chill through Tavia, and she stood, Fen stretching to a stand beside her. “I shall see you fed, Fen, then we will take a morning walk.”
It was early, Tavia having been unable to sleep once she woke. She was not surprised to see the kitchen empty, and that dawn had yet to arrive. She gathered sufficient food for Fen and once he finished eating, she stepped outside. She hastily drew her hood up and tucked her cloak snug around her, the bitter cold quickly bit at her.
“Snow will fall again today, Fen, and more than the last few days,” Tavia said as they headed toward the village.