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“You know where she is?” Tarass asked.
“I saw her go with Twilla to her cottage.”
“Good for you for keeping a sharp eye, lad. You will make a fine warrior one day. Go to the kitchen and tell Cook I said you were to get a treat, a good-sized treat.”
The lad beamed with pride, bobbed his head, and took off running.
Tarass went to Twilla’s cottage and didn’t bother to knock. He opened the door and walked in anger spewing with his words. “Never do that again.”
Snow looked at him bewildered while Twilla grinned.
“What did I do?” Snow asked.
“You went missing and I feared the worse.”
“Oh,” Snow said and went to stand, tripping on the hem of her cloak as she did.
Tarass’s arm caught her at the waist and steadied her, and he never felt so relieved to have her wee body safe in his arms.
“My apologies, husband, I can only guess that Nettle and Rannock were so busy arguing that they never saw me walk off with Twilla. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
How was it that his wife could deflate his anger with nothing more than a few choice words and leave him with a heavy dose of guilt when he hadn’t done anything wrong.
“I certainly don’t want to worry you needlessly,” Snow said, placing her hand on his arm.
“You’ve got yourself a good wife, Lord Tarass,” Twilla said.
He caught the grin on the old woman’s face. “I should be angry with you, Twilla.”
“For heaven’s sake, why?” Snow asked.
Twilla laughed. “For not telling him that you were the one I knew would be his wife, and a perfect one at that.”
Snow laughed. “He wouldn’t have believed you.”
“You know him well,” Twilla said.
“As he does me,” Snow said and looked up at her husband and thought she saw the outline of his chin as she had thought she had done earlier, but once again it faded.
“Visit with me again, Lady Snow. I enjoy talking with you,” Twilla said.
“I will, for I enjoyed our talk as well,” Snow said and sensed the old woman had much to tell her.
Tarass helped his wife on with her cloak, and Thaw rushed out the door as soon as it opened to hurry and roll around in the snow as he followed them through the village.
“Dusk has fallen and the snow has turned heavy,” Tarass said, keeping a firm arm around hers as they walked.
“Is it possible to share the evening meal in our bedchamber? I prefer to be alone with you the rest of the night,” she said.
“I was thinking the same myself and I will see it done.”
“Good. I am hungry for food and my husband,” she said with a wicked smile and raise of her brow.
Tarass leaned his head down. “I’ll make certain both appetites are well satisfied tonight, wife.”
“You found her,” Rannock called out as he hurried toward them, Nettle at his side.
“No thanks to either of you,” Tarass snapped.
“I take full responsibility as does Nettle, but at the moment there is something you need to know,” Rannock said and didn’t wait for permission to speak. “A cleric has arrived from the monastery and he demands to see you.”
Chapter 22
“I will go with you to hear the message,” Snow said, slipping her cloak off after entering the Great Hall and Nettle taking it from her. “Nettle, please see that Thaw is fed while we see to this.”
Snow didn’t need to see her husband to know he was angry. She had felt it in the muscles of his arms as they grew taut around her. He was the one who made demands not answered to them.
When her husband didn’t argue with her, she grew concerned that his anger had mounted and he might react poorly to the messenger. Not a wise choice, since it would only reflect badly on the already difficult situation.
Tarass led her out of the Great Hall and when he stopped shortly afterwards, Snow tugged at his arm before he could open his solar door. “Anger will not benefit this matter.”
Tarass took a needed breath, feeling as if he hadn’t been able to breathe, his anger choking him.
He leaned down and rested his brow to hers. “I will not lose you, ást. I wasted enough time refusing to listen to my heart, I will waste no more.”
“You can never lose me, Tarass. I love you far too much, and I am far too stubborn and relentless in my love for you to let anyone take me from you. We are one and will remain one and that is the message this person can take back to the abbot.”
Tarass kissed his wife and his tightening loins let him know he should see this meeting end quickly and enjoy the evening alone with her in their bedchamber.
Tarass kept hold of his wife’s hand as they entered his solar.
