Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 98745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98745 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 494(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Noble leaned his head down to whisper, “And you will please me later tonight, wife.”
That halted her steps abruptly, she did not know if she was ready for intimacy with her husband or even if she truly wanted to remain in the marriage or so she told herself.
She spoke her piece to him. “Sealing our vows commits me to the marriage and I do not know if I am ready for that.”
“I do not need to remind you how I feel about that. I have said it often enough for you to know we will remain husband and wife. I have come to know that you are a woman who sees reason in things. Our union is a sensible one, once you realize that I believe you will see the wisdom of it and question it no more.”
That his wife remained silent as they walked to the keep had Noble assuming she was thinking about what he had said and possibly realizing the wisdom of their union and finally accepting it. Unless, of course, she remained…
“Do not remain stubborn about this, wife, or it could prove dangerous for you,” he said.
“Are you threatening me?” she asked, anger sparking in her voice.
Noble scowled and was surprised that her chin went up defiantly when usually people backed away from him. “If I threatened you, wife, you would know it. It is the threat of someone taking you from me if our marriage vows fail to be consummated and sweeping you away to the Lowlands. Do you want that?”
“Nay,” she said, feeling trapped and annoyed that the decision had not been hers to make.
Noble brought them to a halt by the keep’s steps and kept his voice low though no one was nearby. “It is imperative that we consummate our vows, but I will not force you. I prefer you to commit willingly to our marriage before it is too late, and I can do nothing to stop someone else from deciding your fate.”
Noble lay in bed thinking about what he had said to his wife regarding being unable to stop someone from deciding her fate. His words rang hollow in his ears, for he would never allow that to happen. He wanted her to understand it was a possibility that could easily be avoided. He had left her at the keep and returned to see to the many issues that needed his attention. When he finally returned to the keep for supper, he learned his wife had retired to her bedchamber early.
It was not the way he expected the night to go, not that he expected to couple with her tonight. He had thought they would at least share a bed, grow more comfortable with each other. Separate bedchambers would only serve to widen any gap existing between them. He let it be since he figured she was tired from the journey, but it did not sit well with him.
He lay there unable to sleep, his mind refusing to let go of it. Their first night in their new home should not be spent in separate bedchambers. Servants would talk, not that he cared if they did, it was just another thing about their situation that annoyed him.
He should let it go, he had enough to concern himself with and yet his wife had taken priority, forever being on his mind and he had not expected that. It was because of her that his dreams of becoming chieftain of his own clan had come to fruition, and yet… he found he favored his wife. A lucky surprise since the warning that she could be a handful had had him thinking that he would need to be forceful when handling her.
He chuckled. She could be a handful at times, but not as he had suspected. He enjoyed sparing with her, loved her beautiful and sometimes playful smiles, loved her innocent touches, and loved touching her, and looked forward to touching her more intimately.
He shook his head, sounding as if he was besotted with his wife. That would not do. He was a Gallowglass warrior, a fierce one at that. He could not allow a woman to rule his thoughts. He was in command, he ruled.
He swung the blanket off himself and went to the door naked. He would get his wife, carry her if necessary, and return her to his bedchamber where she would sleep.
He swung open the door to find his wife standing there in her nightdress, barefoot, her hand raised as if about to rap on the door and the pup tucked in a blanket that she cradled in her arm.
Her eyes ran over him from head to toe and her cheeks flushed red as he grabbed her arm and pulled her into his bedchamber.
CHAPTER 11
With her cheeks flaming and words failing Leora, all she could say was, “You’re naked.”