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‘It was what we both wanted.’ Kara longed to beat her fists against his chest. She refused to think about the little hut where she had spent her wedding night with Ash and the way he had suckled honey mead from her fingers. ‘Valdar is practical like that.’
‘I’ll keep it in mind.’ He touched her cheek. ‘Until the morning. Pleasant dreams. Be ready when I call or be prepared to test your assertion that your horse is swift.’
He closed the door with a distinct click. Kara shook her fist at it. Pleasant dreams indeed! The wretch probably hoped she was going to dream of him. Not likely. Dreams of that nature were for the girl she’d been once, not the woman she’d become.
* * *
Ash stared at the shuttered and silent house where his wife was. Since leaving Kara, he hadn’t slept, but had used his excess energy to ensure his scheme would work. It was amazing what a determined man and a handful of gold could accomplish.
His breath plumed in the mid-morning air. One step at a time. Careful planning saved time later. But from what he could learn, Kara was in more danger now that he’d returned. His uncle appeared more determined than ever to gain control of Jaarlshiem. His uncle would have to make the next move, but Ash was determined it would be on his own terms.
He would keep his promise and protect Kara and their child, this time. With each scrap of information he received, he knew he was not worthy of her, but he wanted her in a way he’d wanted no other woman. Having so carelessly discarded her, he had to win her again.
If he couldn’t win her before he’d finished with his uncle, he’d set her free. But this time, she’d be free to marry whomever she wished, rather than being forced to marry for the good of the estate or her son.
‘Let this final game begin, Uncle,’ he said in a low voice and raised his hand. ‘This time, I will win as I know what it is like to lose.’
* * *
Heavy pounding woke Kara from her uneasy sleep. Her eyes flew open. Early morning sunlight streamed into the house. One of the house servants had relit the fire.
She had slept far too long. When she’d first gone to bed, sleep had evaded her and then it had overpowered her.
‘Kara! If you don’t open this door, I will break it down! The sun has been up for hours.’
Ash! Making good his threat! What a time to oversleep! Kara hastily grabbed a blanket and threw it about her shoulders while signalling to one of the servants to open the door. As she did so, the door crashed open.
Ash stood in the doorway. His short cloak emphasised his trim waist and the broadness of his shoulders. The fur cap set off his hair. His lips twisted to an ironic smile. ‘Are you coming or not?’
Kara gaped at him, aware of how his hair softly curled under his cap and how few clothes she had on. She tightened the blanket about her shoulders. ‘You never start early.’
‘I’ve changed. And it is hardly early.’
Kara retreated to her bedchamber, reached for her travelling clothes and slipped the apron dress over her head. She stabbed her finger with one of the brooches, dropped it and watched it roll away. She softly swore.
‘Problem?’
‘My hair is a tangle,’ she called out and she picked the brooch up. ‘Do I have time to fix that?’
‘How like a woman.’ He coughed. ‘A few moments, but then I will go. You may catch me if you like.’
‘A threat?’ Kara concentrated on undoing her braid. ‘I react badly to threats.’
‘Threats have no meaning. Actions do. My father taught me that. Either you come with me when I go or you make your own way back to Jaarlshiem.’
She bit back a retort and concentrated on plaiting her hair and twisting it up as her hands trembled with anger. Thankfully she didn’t like the over-complex plaits that were so popular at court.
‘Do you always enter a house like that?’ she asked as she re-entered the main room. ‘Knocking the front door down? A Viken custom, I presume.’
‘My house. My door. I dislike having it barred against me.’ He bowed low to the servant and put a gold piece on the table. ‘To pay for the door. Are the servants capable of looking after this house?’
Kara rolled her eyes. As if she’d have untrustworthy servants! ‘There would not be the need to fix the door, if you had waited.’
Ash tapped his finger against his lips. ‘Valdar failed to arrive at court this morning. Along with my uncle. Both were conspicuous by their absence.’
Kara wet her lips and deliberately ignored the Valdar remark. ‘You’ve seen the king?’
