He kissed her then with a passion that tickled her senseless. And when it ended, she tapped her chest, placed her hand to her heart and patted there several times then pressed it over his and patted there several times as well.
“You love me that much do you?” he asked teasingly.
She smiled and shook her head and stretched her hands out wide on either side of her flicking her fingers over and over.
He stared at her for a moment and she thought that he might not understand, and then he shook his head as if he didn’t quite believe what he was about to say. “Your love for me is never-ending?”
She nodded, brought her hands to his face, cupped it, and kissed him.
They lingered in the kiss, parted reluctantly, and when the door closed Dawn pinched herself to make certain she wasn’t dreaming. It was real, no dream, Cree had just told her that he loved her.
Chapter Twenty-eight
Cree walked to the keep anxious to be rid of the people who had brought such misery into his life. It was time to do what he did best… go into battle with only one thought in mind… victory. The moment he had told Dawn that he loved her changed everything. This farce of a marriage could not be allowed to take place. No good would come of it for him or his clan… or for the King, and Cree intended to make him understand that.
Once in the Great Hall, he stopped a moment to speak with Flanna. She gave a nod and hurried off to do as he requested, and then he proceeded to his solar. Unfortunately, Lucerne cornered him before he could escape her or before Sloan could stop her.
Cree noticed the dark half-circles beneath her usually vibrant eyes and the pallor of her skin. She looked as if she hadn’t slept at all or hadn’t slept well for days. And she appeared frantic, as if what she was to speak with him about was a matter of life or death.
Sloan was right behind her. He shook his head, rolled his eyes, and held up his hands as if in prayer shaking them at Cree, pleading to be freed of his punishment.
“My lord,” Lucerne said rushing around in front of him to block his path. “It is imperative that I speak with Turbett concerning the wedding feast.”
“Turbett has preparations for the feast well in hand,” Cree said, though he didn’t know that for certain. However Turbett had handled far greater challenges, so a wedding feast should prove no difficulty.
“But I have certain requests and concerns—”
“Talk with Flanna; she will see that Turbett is made aware of them.” He went to step around her and she grabbed his arm. He glanced down at her hand and then turned a warning scowl on her. “I don’t recall giving you permission to touch me.”
She stepped away from him. “And I will never give you permission to touch me.”
“I don’t need your permission, as my wife, I may touch you whenever I wish.”
“I am not your wife yet.”
“And God willing you never will be.”
“Believe me, my lord, I pray every day that He will spare me from the devil.”
Cree leaned forward, his face not far from hers. “Perhaps you would be better off asking the devil himself.”
“You are a cruel, cruel man,” Lucerne said.
“And you will do well to remember that.”
“I pray that the devil and his whore get their due,” Lucerne cried out, her body trembling with anger.
Cree’s hand shot out and grabbed her around the neck. He shoved her up against the stone wall, her eyes bulging and her hands slapping at his rock-hard arm. “Be careful of your words, for they will seal your fate.” He released her and turned to Sloan. “Keep her out of my sight or I might do something that I will regret,” —he shook his head— “and see that Elsa has a look at her.” He walked off leaving Sloan to see to Lucerne.
Kirk McClusky was waiting in Cree’s solar, the warrior who had accompanied him taking his leave as soon as Cree entered.
“I want this done and finished before week’s end,” Cree said walking over to Kirk. “I will not wed that shrew. I will wed your daughter and the King will approve it.”
“You are sure of this?” Kirk asked hopeful.
“Once we have what we need to prove that Dawn is your daughter and that Lucerne is nothing more than a peasant’s child, I’m sure he’ll agree to the change in arrangements. We do have one problem though. It seems that Lady Ann does not intend to admit that Dawn is her daughter.” Cree explained Dawn’s meeting with Ann Gerwan.
Kirk was standing, though sunk slowly to a chair as the story unfolded. “I cannot blame her for wanting to save both daughters. And it was better that she didn’t know where Dawn was all these years. Any mother would be tempted to see how her child was doing. And all of this must have come as a shock to her. She is doing what she feels best for both young women.”