Cree turned to Sloan. “You know what to do; I will join you in a moment.”
Dawn couldn’t hide her disappointment that he would be leaving her. She didn’t want him to leave; she wanted him to stay there with her and hold her tight and let the whole world disappear for the rest of the day. But that would not be, no matter how much she wanted it.
He lifted her chin, Dawn not realizing it had drooped. He brushed his lips over hers and then kissed her ever so gently, as if he was afraid she’d break. It sent a shiver of passion through her and she wished again that he would stay.
“I must see to this,” he said and this time kissed her, not with a fiery passion but with a taste of temptation, almost as if he purposely teased her. “I will return later, after supper.”
She placed her hand over his heart.
He smiled and stole a quick kiss. “I promise. Nothing will keep me from you this night.”
She nodded and forced a smile, praying that it was true and he would return to her this evening.
“You will not leave this cottage the rest of today,” Cree ordered.
She crossed her heart.
“You promise me?” he asked as if shocked. “You know I will hold you to it.”
She nodded and crossed her heart again, then narrowed her eyes and pointed her finger at him.
“Is that a but I hear?”
She grinned and nodded. He would never know how very much he pleased her when he spoke with her, as if he could actually hear her.
“I’m listening,” he said, pushing a stray strand of her hair behind her ear and giving her a playful kiss.
He was not taking her seriously and this was important to her. She frowned and scolded with a shake of her finger.
“It is important.”
She pressed her finger once against his arm confirming that it was.
“You have my attention,” he said, his dark eyes steady on hers.
She pointed to him and then to herself and then tapped her mouth.
“We need to talk. About what?”
Dawn pointed around the room and then held her wrists together as if shackled.
“You are no prisoner,” he said adamantly.
She pointed to him, and then to her and tapped her mouth again and waved her hand.
“You want to discuss this later but I tell you now that you are no prisoner.”
She titled her head and placed her hands on her hips.
“You’re going to be stubborn about this aren’t you?”
She nodded, her expression softened and her hand reached out to rest against this chest.
“If it is that important to you we will talk.”
Dawn nodded and tapped his chest thanking him.
“I will see you later,” he said and gave her a brief kiss before heading out the door.
Dawn slipped off her cloak and after hanging it on the peg, she went and retrieved the comb she had hid behind the baskets the first day she had entered the cottage. She unwrapped the cloth she kept it in and admired the intricate design carved along the top of the bone comb. It had been her mum’s and she had kept it hidden these many years. Her mum had warned her that if she showed it to anyone someone would accuse her of stealing it for a peasant should not own such a fine item. But her mum had assured her that it had not been stolen that it had been given to her by a generous person who felt that a mother should have something to pass onto her daughter.
Dawn took it out to look upon every time she felt the need to feel her mum near. Her mum had taught her to be strong and brave even against great odds. She supposed that was why she had held onto the possibility that Cree would someday love her enough to wed her.
However, she had spent enough time on dreams. Her life was in danger and it made no sense why. She was a peasant, an insignificant lass. Why would anyone want her dead?
She needed to find out for herself what was going on and she knew where to start and who could help her.
A knock sounded at the door and it opened. Dawn smiled as the person she was thinking about walked in.
Chapter Five
Flanna placed a fresh pitcher of cider and a basket covered with a cloth on the table, then reached out to take Dawn’s hand. “Are you all right?’
Dawn smiled, nodded, and gave Flanna’s hand a reassuring squeeze. It wasn’t only this incident today that had people wondering over how she faired. She had hid herself away, feeling sorry for her circumstances instead of staying strong like her mum had taught her. She did not know what fate she would face once it was known that she carried Cree’s babe, but she intended to keep her courage no matter the outcome.