“You are familiar with the barbarian tribes?” she asked, then shook her head. “Of course, you would be if your clan trades with them.”
“My lord,” Erland said, hurrying over to the couple. “Lady Sorrell is unharmed?”
“A small wound, nothing more,” Sorrell said.
Erland seemed nice enough. He was short, though next to Ruddock anyone was short. His brown hair was beginning to gray and he had a few age lines around his eyes and mouth. He did not appear old yet she recalled Ruddock telling her that he had been his father’s longtime friend. He either aged well or never stretched his mouth out in a smile or held a hardy laugh more often than not. He was attentive to Ruddock’s every need, but he was reserved with her. Or perhaps like her, he had yet to learn enough about her to call her friend. She would reserve her opinion until she got to know him better.
“Where is Asger?” Ruddock asked.
“He took his leave with his warriors,” Erland said.
Sorrell felt her husband tense with annoyance.
“Did you tell him what happened here?” Ruddock questioned.
“He showed no interest,” Erland assured him.
“What about his warrior that lies burned to death on the ground? Sorrell asked astonished that his tribe had abandoned him.
“The spoils of battle,” Erland said.
Not quite. Ruddock knew Asger well. If he had no interest in the fallen warrior, then that meant only one thing. The warrior didn’t belong to his tribe. If that was so, then what barbarian tribe had the warrior belonged to? And who wanted Ruddock’s wife dead?
After a few words with Erland to see that the sentinels were doubled for the remainder of the evening, Ruddock returned to the abbey and ordered items brought to him.
“I can see to the burn,” Sorrell said when he settled her on the bed.
“No, I will see to it,” Ruddock said.
The finality of his tone left no room for debate and Sorrell let it be. She noticed that the room had been made clean, bits of debris from the log and the burning cloth having been removed. But the stench of burning cloth and flesh still lingered.
The items Ruddock had ordered brought to him arrived quickly.
“How is Sister Eleanor?” Sorrell asked of the nun who handed the items to Ruddock.
“I cannot say,” she said quickly and hurried away with just as much haste.
“Stay put,” Ruddock ordered when he saw her about to stand. “You can inquire about Eleanor in the morning.”
“She was so fearful at first and willing to accept death far too easily.”
“Until you showed her differently,” Ruddock said and sat on the bed beside his wife, placing some of the items he needed to tend her hand next to him. The bowl of water and towel he set on the chair he had moved beside the bed.
“I’m not one to surrender easily,”
“A thought that makes me proud and frightens the hell out of me,” he admitted, taking her injured hand gently in his. “I fear one day that it may cost you your life, and I do not like to think of life without you.”
“You would miss me? I would miss you,” she eagerly admitted.
He smiled at how she never held back. That she told him how she felt. It did his heart good.
“I have grown accustomed to spending much of the day with you and now, of course, I get to enjoy the nights with you.” She grinned, then winced when he placed her hand in the bowl of cool water, the burn stinging.
“I would miss you too, far more than you can imagine.” He dabbed at her hand to dry it so as not to cause her pain.
Sorrell rested her head on his shoulder, a sudden tiredness coming over her. “I think fate brought us together. We were meant to be, nothing can stop it.”
“Nothing,” he agreed, since he’d kill anyone who tried to take her away from him.
She yawned and the way her body relaxed against his, he realized the exhaustion of the long day and the frightening incident had finally caught up with her.
“You need sleep,” he said and finished spreading honey over her wound.
She yawned again. “I would argue with you, but you’re right. I can barely keep my eyes open.”
Ruddock wrapped her hand in the clean cloth, ripping the last of it to tie around the bandage and keep it in place.
She didn’t argue with him when he laid her on the bed fully clothed, explaining that their garments would remain on them in case needed. It also helped not to reignite the passion that had had them so close to climax earlier. She was far too exhausted and his mind far too occupied.
He tucked himself in beside her, covering them with the lone blanket and taking her in his arms. As soon as she laid her head on his chest, she was sound asleep. However, sleep did not come as fast for him.