“It can wait. Right now I want to sit here with you in the quiet with the snow falling and know how lucky I am that you’re mine.”
Sorrell cuddled against him, resting her head on his chest, his big body keeping her warm as she listened to the splash of the water against the boat as it sliced through the sea.
After only a few moments, Sorrell looked up at her husband. “About the quiet, I don’t think that’s going to work for me.”
Ruddock laughed. “I was wondering how long you’d last without talking… not long.”
She poked him in the stomach, smiled, and said, “You’re a barbarian.”
“Sometimes,” he said with a chuckle.
“No, you are a true barbarian,” she said and began to explain.
Chapter 34
Two weeks later
Sorrell hugged Willow, tears running down their cheeks.
“I am so going to miss you,” Sorrell said.
Willow reluctantly stepped out of the hug. “And I you.”
“Tell everyone I love them and we will see them—”
“After winter,” Ruddock said. “Travel will be too difficult before then, especially with snow falling so early this year.”
“Safe journey,” Sorrell said and hugged Willow again and leaned against her husband as she watched her sister disappear through the village with a troop of Ruddock’s warriors to keep her safe.
“Your sister is a good woman and a skilled healer. She deserves a good husband. Find her one, son,” Finn ordered from the top of the keep’s steps, Sage’s arm wrapped around his.
“You’re looking so much better, Da,” Sorrell said pleased to see him healing nicely.
“Because I had two wonderful healers,” Finn said and looked to Ruddock. “And a wise son who is much like his da.”
Sorrell had noticed that Finn referred to Ruddock as his son often and also talked about how much his son was like him. He wanted all to know he didn’t doubt Ruddock was his son, and she suspected he wanted to rectify the awful mistake he had made in thinking otherwise.
“You said your good-bye to Willow, now it’s time to rest,” Sage said.
Sorrell was pleased with their new healer. Willow had told Sorrell that Sage was a wise healer and that she should trust the woman. With how easily she handled Finn, Sorrell had to agree.
“See you at supper, son, and don’t forget to mind your tongue, Sorrell,” Finn said.
“That’s not possible, Da,” Ruddock called out, laughing and got a jab in the ribs from his wife.
“I’m so relieved that all is well between you and your da and that he’s recovering nicely and not dying,” Sorrell said. “All is good now.
“Not quite,” Ruddock said and took her hand. “Come with me.”
Sorrell went along with her husband and was curious when he led her into the barn where Prince and a couple of other horses were kept. She wondered why they were there until she spotted the anvil and hammer.
“Your shackle,” she said.
He raised his wrist. “It’s time.”
She took hold of it, running her finger around the iron cuff. She had felt it against her naked skin endless times. And endless times she asked him to remove it. He would tell her not yet or it wasn’t time. She was glad it was finally time.
“That day Lana mentioned the name Slatter—”
“You told me he was the man at the other end of your shackle.”
“I had discovered that a man named Slatter had been given substantial coins for using his tongue to charm some folks in the Northwick Clan. I discovered this Slatter had been taken prisoner by a chieftain whose wife Slatter had seduced. I tried to free him, was caught, and chained to him. After a couple of days of talking with him, I discovered he wasn’t the Slatter I was looking for and I freed us both.
“The shackle reminded me that I would never be free of the lies until I proved them false and claimed what had been mine since birth. Until I accomplished that, the shackle would remain on my wrist.”
Sorrell smiled, took her husband’s hand and walked over to the anvil with him. She watched as with one forceful swing, the pin and shackle itself broke in two and fell off his wrist with ease. Her heart swelled with relief for her husband. He was finally free.
Ruddock dropped the hammer down on the anvil and reached out to snag his wife around the waist and yank her to him.
“We should celebrate,” she said, draping her arms around his neck and cast a glance to the horse stalls. “A ride.”
“You want to go for a ride?” he asked, having a different thought in mind.