Seth looked ready to take up arms and battle. “Sorrell is my intended, so see that you keep your hands to yourself, giant, or I’ll cut them off.” He turned and stomped out of the cottage.
“See her to the keep while I see that he takes his leave,” James ordered and rushed off after Seth.
Sorrell kept her head rested on John’s chest, though it was hard with muscle, it was comfortable. She had felt him grow tense through the ordeal, his muscles expanding and growing harder. A tiny twitch still pulsed at the corner of his one eye as if he was trying to contain his anger. Through it all, he had kept a tight hold on her, kept her safe, as he continued to do now.
“I’ll get you to your sisters,” John said and was relieved to feel her relax in his arms as he stepped out of the cottage, the anxiousness that had rippled through her finally fading.
He had wanted to reach out and snap Seth’s neck for laying a hand on Sorrell, accidentally or not, and he would have if he hadn’t had Sorrell in his arms. The more he thought about Sorrell marrying the fool, the angrier he got. But it wasn’t for him to say and that angered him all the more.
“What happened?” Willow asked, rushing toward John when he entered the Great Hall with Sorrell in his arms.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” Snow asked anxiously, hurrying off the bench with a bit of a struggle.
“After we fell through the roof together and landed on the bed in the cottage, your sister took a punch from Seth meant for me,” John said.
Sorrell worried when neither of her sisters responded. They simply stared at her in silence. “I’ll explain it all.”
“I, for one, can’t wait,” Snow said with a smile as she sat. “Falling through a roof and landing on a bed with the giant, you always have the most exciting things happen to you, Sorrell.”
“Exciting?” Willow questioned with a shake of her head. “You mean foolish, and now this will be the third black eye she’s suffered and a bruised cheek along with this one.”
“Oh my, are you all right,” Snow asked, anxiously.
“I’m fine, nothing to concern yourself with,” Sorrell assured Snow.
John wondered how she got the other two black eyes, the wee woman certainly had courage, though her tenaciousness could have had something to do with it as well.
“Please put her down, so I can tend to her cheek and eye,” Willow said, seeing how the giant was reluctant to let her go and, if she wasn’t mistaken, she didn’t think her sister wanted him to.
“I’ll put her down next to you, Snow,” John said.
“How thoughtful of you.” Snow was quick to reach out to Sorrell as soon as she felt her next to her.
Sorrell took her hand and reached her other hand out to take hold of John’s arm as he went to turn away.
“Thank you. You kept me safe,” Sorrell said and reluctantly let go of him.
“No more roofs,” he said and tapped her nose gently.
She smiled and he did to, then he turned and left the Great Hall.
“Be careful, Sorrell,” Willow said. “I think you more than like the giant.”
“That’s nonsense,” Sorrell argued. “I barely know him. He has been kind to me, that’s all.”
“I have to agree with Willow, Sorrell,” Snow said. “I could feel how reluctant you were to let him go.”
“Ridiculous. Now tend to my face, I have work to see to,” Sorrell ordered and her two sisters grinned.
James entered the Great Hall just as Sorrell was about to leave.
“A moment of your time, Sorrell… in my solar,” James said and extended his hand out for her to lead the way.
Sorrell did as he asked and, once in his solar, stood in silent defiance.
“Seth extends his apology for accidently hitting you. He made it clear he intended the punch for John. He has requested to meet with you in two days’ time. I told him I would speak with you first.”
“Three days’ time,” Sorrell countered. “I’d rather not see him too soon.”
James nodded, pleased she had not flatly refused. “I will notify him.”
“Is that all?”
“Will it do me any good to tell you to stay off the roofs?” he asked, wondering why he even bothered.
“No,” she said bluntly.
“One day, Sorrell, you’re going to do something that you can’t get yourself out of,” James warned.
“Perhaps or perhaps not. Are we done now?”
“Does it hurt?”
For a moment, she didn’t know what he meant and then it dawned on her. She raised her hand to gently touch her bruised cheek. “Somewhat, but it will heal.”
“I’m sorry and, while it was an accident, I did warn Seth that if he ever intentionally raised a hand to you before or after your wedding, he would regret it, and that you have my word on.”