“You are a beautiful woman and you are mine. You belong to me now and always,” he whispered in her ear after kissing her. “And I will love you until my dying day and beyond.”
She gestured that he belonged to her and slowed her gestures as she expressed how much she loved him.
Cree wrapped her in his arms and ran his hand over her rounded stomach. Something he had taken to doing a lot lately. He always loved touching her, but he loved it even more so now that he could feel his child growing inside her. “You grow more beautiful as our child grows within you.”
She smiled, shook her head, and poked him.
“It is true,” he insisted and smiled. “I decree it so.”
Her smile grew and she shook her head again.
“Do not defy my decree, woman,” he said with a teasing laugh. “You grow more beautiful and that is final.”
She nodded, appeasing him and his good-natured teasing.
Wintra suddenly appeared in the open doorway. “Do I disturb anything?”
“What is wrong?” Cree asked.
Wintra had stopped wondering how he could tell when something troubled her. He obviously knew her well and could read her expressions easily. “Elsa insists that Old Mary is not well enough to attend the wedding ceremony or celebration and suggests that Dawn go see her so that the old woman does not attempt to attend.”
Dawn nodded and gave her husband a kiss before walking over to Wintra.
“Go with her, Wintra,” Cree ordered.
“I was planning to,” Wintra said and playfully wrinkled her nose at her brother before taking Dawn’s hand and tugging her along.
After collecting their fur-lined cloaks, the two women were out of the keep in no time.
“The air has a scent of snow to it,” Wintra said.
Dawn agreed. It was an overcast day with a particular nip in the air that warned of snow. But she was not concerned with the weather or her wedding at the moment. Her only thought was of Old Mary. The old woman held a special place in Dawn’s heart and she dreaded the thought of losing her. If Elsa felt she should stay abed, then Dawn wanted to make certain the old woman did so, though she would miss having her at the ceremony and celebration.
Elsa was just leaving Old Mary’s place when the two women arrived. “She is a stubborn one. I wanted her to remain in my cottage where I could keep a close eye on her, but she refused. Several women are going to take turns watching over her so no one misses the celebration.”
Wintra asked what Dawn was about to gesture. “Will Old Mary be all right?”
“With how old she is there is no telling for sure. Her chest seems clear, but the illness has left her a bit weak, so she needs rest and I do not want her out in the cold yet. If she listens to me, I believe she will be fine.”
Dawn nodded and repeatedly patted her chest in thanks. She hurried into the cottage while Wintra remained outside talking with Elsa.
“What are you doing here? It is your wedding day and you have more important things to do than come here,” Old Mary scolded from her bed.
Dawn smiled and gestured that she had wished to see her as she sat in the chair beside the bed.
“Elsa told you to come, the fool.” Old Mary shook her head. “If I had wanted you to come here, I would have sent for you. Are you alone?”
Dawn shook her head, scrunched her brow and shrugged, asking what was wrong. Old Mary never snapped at her as she did now.
“You must return to the keep and stay close to Cree,” Old Mary insisted. “For some reason there is no ceremony and no celebration today. I do not know why, though you will wed; it will not be today. Now go. I will be fine and will attend your wedding when it happens.”
Dawn got upset and, with a quick nod to Old Mary, hurried out of the cottage to find Wintra there alone.
“Is something wrong?” Wintra asked, seeing how pale Dawn had become.
Dawn gestured for them to hurry.
With how upset Dawn appeared, Wintra did not question her. She followed along toward the keep, though stopped abruptly after only a few feet. “Did you hear that? It sounded like a child crying.”
Dawn shook her head and motioned for her to hurry.
Wintra heard it again. “A child in trouble.” And with that Wintra hurried off.
Dawn grew frustrated. This was when she needed a voice to shout out for Wintra to stop and they would get help. But without a voice, the only thing she could do was follow her.
By the time Dawn rounded the cottage, it was too late. Wintra was struggling to break free from a large man who had his hand clamped firmly over her mouth. Another man grabbed her and was about to do the same.