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“You know I didn’t,” he said and kissed her lips softly.
“How would I know that?” she asked, trying to ignore his kisses she enjoyed far too much.
“Because I wouldn’t be teasing you about it if I had. If guilty, I’d be lashing out at you, demanding to know why you would ask me such a thing.”
“You’re right,” Snow said with a smug smile. “You lashed out at me when I accused you of lying about Sorrell beating you at climbing that tree.” She tapped his chest. “This is a good thing to know about your husband.”
He kissed her again and she got lost in its lingering tenderness, then rested her head—content—on his shoulder after his lips left hers.
“I will see that Fasta is removed from the keep,” Tarass said.
“I appreciate that, but I am the lady of the keep and this is for me to handle.”
“Are you telling me you can fight your own battles?” he asked with a chuckle.
“And why wouldn’t I be able to fight my own battles?” she challenged with a smile. “I’ve battled you the mighty Lord of Fire and won.”
He laughed so hard, he shook both of them. “You believe you’ve won battles with me when I’ve had you removed from my presence, had you apologize when you felt you’d done nothing wrong, though you did, and had to rescue you numerous times?”
Snow kissed his cheek. “The only battle that counts is the one where I was victorious, and that was the battle for your heart.”
“That wasn’t a battle, wife, that was complete surrender,” he said and kept her tight in his arms as he stood. “And now I’m going to be victorious and have you surrender completely to me.”
Snow chuckled. “We’ll see who surrenders first.”
Chapter 24
The snow returned, hard and heavy, stranding everyone for days, not that Snow minded. She spent time with her husband, time talking, time laughing, time making love, lots and lots of love and she smiled at the memories. What was even more wonderful was that shapes were beginning to take form and while they had first vanished as fast as she had seen them, they were beginning to last longer and longer.
Snow found herself able to maneuver around the keep more easily, and she let everyone believe it was because she had grown familiar with the area. She had to be sure that what she was seeing wasn’t something temporary. That her vision was improving, if only a little, and would remain so, or dare she hope continue to improve.
“I don’t think Lord Tarass is going to be pleased with you venturing out of the keep,” Nettle said, handing Snow gloves. “It still snows, though not as heavily and while some paths have been cleared, it is still not easy to walk through the village.”
Thaw barked and Snow smiled able to make out a shape, part of it wagging like crazy, near the door.
“He’s eager to play in the snow and I’m eager to visit with Twilla,” Snow said. “And isn’t Rannock seeing to the repair of a roof that got damaged. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind seeing you, since you two have been talking quite a lot lately.”
Nettle laughed. “We went from arguing to talking, which I must admit is nice. I don’t know what happened to change it in the last few days, maybe a week now, but it’s been enjoyable.”
“Then take Thaw and let him enjoy himself in the snow while you talk with Rannock,” Snow said. “I’ll be fine with Twilla until you return for me and if you see Lord Tarass before that, let him know where I am.”
“As you wish, m’lady,” Nettle said and took Snow’s arm, Thaw leading the way out of the keep.
It was a bit more of a trek along the snow-covered ground than Snow had expected and she was relieved to park herself in a chair at Twilla’s table, a hot brew in hand.
“My old bones ache with the winter cold,” Twilla said, hugging her tankard. “This is the time I miss my husband the most. We kept each other warm in the winter. I won’t be surprised if late summer or early fall brings a harvest of bairns.”
Snow’s hand went to her stomach, hoping she’d be one of them. “That would be nice.”
“Tarass’s da was beside himself when Haldana carried Tarass. She had miscarried two previous bairns and he feared they’d lose another, though he feared more that he’d lose her. It was a joyous occasion when Tarass was born and with more ease than expected. She miscarried twice after Tarass, then no more. They both had hoped for many bairns but fate thought differently.”
Snow couldn’t imagine the pain of losing a bairn before it even had a chance to be born. How difficult it must have been for Tarass’s mum.
