“I will return later.”
A tingle of anticipation settled between her legs and she scolded herself for her body’s wicked reaction.
Cree stopped beside her at the table and leaned over her. He raised his hand, though stopped in mid-air, as if he questioned his actions and then as if resigned to the inevitable he stroked her bruised jaw with the back of his fingers.
“I will find who did this to you and I will see him punished.”
The resolve in his voice sent a small tremor through her but it was his kiss that made her shiver and tingle. It was so unexpected and so very tender that it made her feel cherished like never before.
“Until later,” he whispered and brushed his lips lightly across hers, then walked out the door.
Dawn gasped, though no sound was heard, when she realized that she had been holding her breath.
Later.
He would return and what then would he expect of her? Her thoughts were quickly diverted when she eyed the meat on a platter. She stared in awe at it. She could not recall the last time she ate meat, though she did recall the delicious taste of it.
She stared a few minutes more not believing that she could actually reach out and take a piece and not just one but many. She smiled and snatched a slice. It was more delicious than she remembered. She grew bolder and tasted from the other platters and bowls amazed at the tastiness of the food. Though she hated to admit it, Turbett was a far better cook than Flanna.
A crack of thunder caused her to jump and soon after that the rain started growing heavier by the minute. Dawn sighed inwardly feeling lucky that she was in a warm place with plenty of food.
She sprung up in her chair, struck by an unexpected thought. Dorrie. Good lord, she could not be left out in this rain all night. She would catch her death and Dawn could never live with that. Dorrie might not be a friend to her, but illness and death was too much of a punishment to suffer for her foolishness. She hurried to the door not bothering to collect her cloak. The rain would soak it quickly enough, and then it would prove more hindrance than help.
As soon as she opened the door one of Cree’s warriors blocked her from leaving.
“You are to stay here,” he said. “Cree’s orders.”
She shut the door and stood in thought. Then she remembered the window and hurried into the other room. She pushed the flat-top trunk beneath the window, yanked open the heavy shutters and hoisted herself up and partially out the window. Once her waist cleared it, her weight took her down the rest of the way. The mud eased her fall, though didn’t help with her appearance.
It didn’t matter though, her priority was Dorrie. The woman may have treated her badly at times but leaving her locked in stocks in a rainstorm was beyond horrific. It was inhuman.
She crept along the edge of the woods, steeling herself against the fright that ran through her when it stormed, until she was far enough away so that the warrior standing guard could not see her, and then she ran. The heavy rain had turned the ground quickly to mud and with dusk giving way to night and clouds covering what little moonlight there was, and it raining buckets, it would soon be difficult to see where one was going.
Dawn hurried through the empty village, everyone having retreated to their homes. She stopped briefly when she spied Dorrie. Her head hung down as if there was no life left in her and Dawn rushed to her side.
When she laid her hand on Dorrie’s shoulder, the woman barely raised her head, though she did managed to say, “I’m sorry.”
Dawn didn’t wait. She grabbed hold of the metal spike that locked the stock and pulled. It was wet and difficult to keep hold of and it took much effort to pry it out. Her arms ached from the task and once done with the one, she worked on the other. The top part of the stock was heavy and she feared for a moment that she would not be able to lift it without hurting Dorrie but after a struggle she got it off without harm to the woman.
Dorrie had trouble raising her neck and lifting her wrists so Dawn helped her and once free of the stock, she collapsed against Dawn.
“Bless you, bless you,” Dorrie said over and over.
Dawn nodded and slipped Dorrie’s arm over her shoulder and forced her to walk along with her. The rain was so bad Dawn could barely see in front of her and supporting Dorrie’s weight didn’t help the situation. But Dawn did not give up. She had to get Dorrie to the cottage and get a hot brew into her and some food and get her into dry garments.