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)
The thought of Sky had her looking around for Penn. She hoped to speak with him and find out if he had heard any word on the woman who Lord Slayer had rescued from the abbey or for that matter why he had had Dundren Abbey burned down. Something she had found out from Elsie and was curious as to why he would do such a thing.
She spotted Penn not far from her. She also spotted her husband riding several paces ahead of her with Finley on his right. They were busy talking as they rode. He would not notice if she shared a brief exchange with Penn, and if he did? She mentally shrugged. Her sister was more important than any consequences she would face.
Leora maneuvered her horse closer to Penn’s and the warrior turned to her and she smiled, seeing a gap between his beard and moustache, his mouth having fallen open in surprise.
“A word, Penn,” she said with a pleasant command to her tone, so he understood it was not a request. It did not matter though since he stared at her besotted as most men did when she smiled at them and had them answering any question she asked without hesitation. “Did you hear anything about the woman Lord Slayer rescued from Dundren Abbey? Her name is Sky.”
His brow narrowed in thought, his bushy eyebrows almost connecting. He finally shook his head. “Nay, mistress. I know about the abbey burning but I heard nothing about a woman named Sky.”
Since he responded easily, she continued to question him. “Do you know why Lord Slayer would burn the abbey?”
“Lord Slayer does what he does, and no one asks why,” Penn said.
She sighed a bit heavily. “I was just wondering why he would do such a thing. Haven’t you wondered?”
“It is not for him to wonder why Lord Slayer does anything and you, wife, should not be asking Penn such a thing.”
Penn looked repentant as if he had done something wrong, not so Leora.
She turned as best she could to see her husband riding behind her. “How did you sneak up behind us without either of us seeing you?”
Penn looked stunned at her and turned another repentant look on Noble, as if he was somehow at fault.
That the warrior was shocked that she questioned her husband was obvious, but Leora was not about to offer any apologies for it.
“Leave us, Penn, and next time do not let my wife’s beauty besot you into answering questions without giving any thought to them,” Noble ordered.
“Aye, sir,” Penn said and hurried to ride off and trail further behind them.
“You disobeyed me, wife,” Noble said sternly, directing his horse to keep pace beside hers.
Her chin went up. “I did and I will do so again if you prevent me from finding out about my sister.”
“I have no intentions of keeping you from finding out about your sister, but it will be done my way.”
“And why is that?”
“Because I know Lord Slayer well and know how to approach him on this so that he is receptive to you visiting with your sister.”
Leora hated to admit it, but his reasoning was valid. “I can see the wisdom in that. But you must also understand how worried I am about my sister.”
“Aye, I do, which is why I will not punish you for disobeying me.”
Leora was unable to stop the burst of laughter that spewed from her mouth. “Punish me? I will not tolerate a husband who thinks he can punish me. Our marriage is done before it can start if you think you will punish me for not obeying you. And if punishment is the way you think to tame me, then you failed the challenge and you definitely failed at being a good husband.”
His wife reacted as he thought she would and that gave him more insight into her, more ways that he could tame her. He learned something else he had not expected to learn. Her laughter filled him with joy, even if it was directed at him. It was robust and genuine, and he could feel the humor in it and, strangely enough, it lightened his spirit.
“I have not failed yet,” he said. “I may be some points behind, but I will pass you soon enough,” Noble said confidently.
That got Leora’s attention and it made her realize that her husband used battle tactics in this challenge, setting her up to fall exactly where he wanted her to. She would have to be more vigilant if she were to claim victory.
“I doubt that,” she said and laughed again, letting him think she was easy prey.
“I wanted to ask you about last night,” Noble said.
She turned silent, recalling last night, her nightmare, and how she had turned to him for comfort. She could pretend she did not remember, but it was not the last nightmare she would suffer, and lies would not help her.