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 tilted his head, a glare in his blue eyes. “Do finish what you were going to say.”
Finley continued shaking his head. “It was nothing. Nothing at all.”
Noble did not force a response. He knew what Finley was about to say. He had recognized it himself. Passion. It flared in her eyes when she smiled, spoke, argued. That she was a passionate woman was obvious and if she was that passionate about life itself, he could only imagine the passion she possessed when coupling.
“Warn the men to keep their eyes off my wife,” Noble ordered.
“I already have, and you can see how much good it did,” Finley said, looking around the camp at the glances men were sneaking Leora’s way.
Noble stepped forward, the strength of his voice carrying throughout the camp. “Eyes off my wife!”
Every head turned, not daring to look at Leora, and Noble caught his wife shaking her head directly at him as if chastising him. He could not recall the last time he had been chastised by anyone.
“We leave at dawn,” Noble said without looking at Finley and went to join his wife.
He lowered himself to sit on the ground beside her in front of the campfire.
“I am too tired to talk now,” Leora said, not looking at him. “It will wait for another time.”
“Then you can listen to me talk, wife,” Noble said, giving her no choice and annoyed at the command in her tone. “First, don’t ever shake your head at me again. My word rules among my men and I will not have my wife undermining my rule. Second, as I said before, only death will end this marriage.”
Leora was unable to hold her tongue. “Do not tempt me.”
His smile caught Leora by surprise and once again she felt a strange tug in her stomach. The thought crossed her mind that she was either feeling unwell or her husband irritated her since there was absolutely no way the tug had anything to do with finding her dictating husband appealing. The thought alone was laughable, though his response was shocking.
“I thought the same myself.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” she said, her eyes narrowing.
“Then shall we agree not to kill each other, so neither of us need to worry about that?”
“Is it a truce you seek from me?”
“When it comes to killing each other, aye,” he said with a chuckle.
He might be fierce, but Leora was caught off guard by his lighthearted laugh.
“No killing,” she agreed, not having the stomach for it anyway, even with all her earlier bravado of poisoning him if necessary. Life was precious and she did not truly know if she could rob someone of it unless she was left with no choice. She continued, needing to have her say. “I only learned of our marriage. I was never given the opportunity to agree or to reject it. I dislike very much that it was forced upon me, and I have yet to decide if I wish to remain in it.”
“I am afraid that is not an option,” Noble said. “We all have our duties and yours is to accept the marriage your da arranged for you. I will be a good husband—”
“Describe what you think makes a good husband,” she said, annoyance in her every word.
“A man who provides for his wife, protects her, keeps her safe, and gives her many sons and daughters to look after.”
“And you think that pitiful explanation makes for a good husband?”
Noble could not understand how her annoyed smile could be attractive, though the spark of passionate anger in her eyes was what really caught his attention. It was a fiery green that held an invitation of even more passion.
Again, she continued talking, not giving him a chance to say a word. “A good husband trusts and respects his wife. He is there for her when needed, to talk with her, comfort her, hold her close so she can feel his strength, feel that he cares. He also seeks her counsel on matters, knowing her wisdom can benefit him, and he shares all clan matters with her. A good husband does not work separately from his wife, he works with her as one. That is what makes a good husband and a good marriage.”
“And what makes a good wife?” he asked, thinking over her words.
Leora looked at him strangely. “Isn’t it obvious? A wife gives the same in return. She does for him as he does for her.”
“And how did you reach this conclusion of a good husband and wife?”
“I saw it with my parents. They worked together as one—”
“So, they both decided it would be wise to take newborn bairns, not belonging to them, and raise them as their own?”
Leora was quick to defend the only parents she had ever known. “And glad I am they had the courage to do so, or I would not be alive today and be able to tell you that you are a horse’s arse.”