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“Permanent painted markings?” Snow questioned.
She was met with a moment of silence before Rannock responded.
“I could be wrong about them being markings.”
“I’ll take you back to the keep,” Tarass said and took hold of her arm once again.
When they stepped outside, Snow stopped and asked, “Why did you have Rannock lie to me?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m blind, not ignorant,” Snow snapped. “That pause before Rannock answered was obviously due to a silent exchange between you two. What is it you don’t want me to know?”
“You are perceptive,” Tarass said with a bit of annoyance. “Perceptive enough to realize if I didn’t want you to know that I’m not about to tell you, since it doesn’t concern you?”
“If it has anything to do with Finn’s death, I should know,” she argued.
“No, not you, your brother, and I will relay all to him when I return you home.”
“As you say,” Snow said and began walking.
After a moment of hesitation, Tarass fell in step surprised by her agreeable response. Not that he trusted it, nor her silence. Both warned him something was afoot.
“Leave this be, Snow,” he ordered.
“As you say, Lord Tarass,” Snow said.
Her obedience in this matter did not set well with him. “You’re not going to obey me, are you?”
“I will do as you say as a guest in your home,” she said with a pleasant smile.
“And once you leave here?” he asked, but knew what her reply would be.
“That doesn’t concern you,” she said.
His annoyance flared sparking his temper. “If you were my wife—”
“Thankfully, I’m not.”
Thaw agreed with a bark.
They didn’t speak again until they were in the Great Hall and Snow was seated at a table.
Tarass leaned down near her. “You will—”
“Stay put,” she finished.
“I wish I could trust you to do that, but since I can’t, you will have Nettle with you at all times until your departure.” He called out to a servant, cutting off her response. “Bring Fasta and Nettle to me.”
“When will you return me home?” she asked.
“Hopefully tomorrow.”
“I look forward to it,” she said with a generous smile.
He couldn’t wait for her to leave. She was nothing but a problem, needing looking after all the time, getting into things she shouldn’t, questioning him, and disobeying his every word. She was a nuisance and disruptive, and courageous, though blind. He shook his head. what was he thinking? He had to get her home. Get her out of his life.
“You summoned me and Nettle, my lord,” Fasta called out.
Tarass stood, his tone stern. “Nettle is to remain with Snow at all times while she remains a guest here. She is to do nothing else but tend to Snow. Is that clear, Fasta?”
“Aye, my lord,” Fasta said with a bow of her head.
With the unwavering obedience Snow heard in Fasta’s quick response, she could tell that something had caused the woman to obey without comment. More than likely the anger in Tarass’s voice matched the angry scowl on his face.
“When will our guest be leaving, my lord?” Fasta asked.
“That doesn’t concern you, Fasta, and I’m sure it’s no problem with Nettle helping her since you constantly request she be placed elsewhere.”
“She is a trying soul,” Fasta said, defending herself.
Snow’s heart ached for the young woman that she was made to feel unwanted and in front of others. She hated when others talked about her as if she wasn’t there and to hear it done to another was too much for her to take.
“You’re both extremely cruel people talking about Nettle that way while she stands here in front of you. You both should be ashamed of yourself,” Snow scolded, her tongue sharp, and Thaw added a snarling bark as if agreeing.
Complete silence followed. Not a word or sound was heard.
Tarass leaned so close to Snow that their noses almost touched.
A rumbling growl started low in Thaw and began to grow in warning. Snow wisely ordered the pup to be quiet.
“Don’t ever dare reprimand me,” he ordered and when she went to speak, he pressed his finger to her lips. “Not a single word from you. You will obey me while you are here or I will see you confined to your room.”
It took a strong willpower to hold her tongue, but the thought of such confinement and the dire warning in his voice, did much to stop her from responding.
“Rannock, my solar,” Tarass ordered and walked off.
Snow wondered when Rannock had entered the Great Hall. She knew others were around, having heard footfalls scurrying about.
“Don’t let her get into any more trouble or you’ll be the one to suffer, Nettle,” Fasta said.
“Aye,” Nettle said, and held her tongue until Fasta was out of sight. “They’re all gone.”
Snow offered an apology. “I’m sorry if I’ve caused you trouble.”
“You haven’t. Actually, it was quite nice to have someone defend me.”
