“No, and no one is going to tell her.”
“Why?” Sloan asked.
“I have my reasons,” Cree snapped.
“I am sure Dawn would be curious to know those reasons.”
The three men’s heads snapped to the side, expecting only to see Wintra, but Dawn stood there as well.
Sloan slipped off the bench, hurrying to stand.
Torr got up more slowly.
Cree didn’t move at all.
Wintra and Dawn approached them.
“It is time you see to your duties, Sloan,” Cree said dismissing him, and Sloan quickly took his leave.
Torr stepped forward and held his hand out to his wife.
Wintra took it without hesitation, knowing this discussion was meant for Cree and Dawn alone. They left the hall, Torr with a nod to Cree and Wintra with a quick hug to Dawn’s hand.
Dawn joined her husband—husband—he was actually her husband. The King had decreed it. She sat opposite him.
“Have your say and be done with it,” Cree ordered.
She gestured slowly, pointing to him, then herself, and then entwining two fingers tightly and shrugging.
“Yes, you and I are wed good and proper.”
She smiled and her hands started gesturing faster.
“I knew it. I knew it, and that was why I did not tell you we were wed. I knew you would then object to wedding me again here at the keep and having a huge wedding celebration. And I want that. I want all to see us wed and I want all to celebrate, for our good fortune is their good fortune.”
Dawn’s smile faded and she patted her chest and shook her head.
“You never thought of it that way?”
She shook her head again.
Cree reached out and took hold of her hand. “All will look differently upon you now that you are my wife. They all know how much I love you and how happy you make me, and they will be pleased that we have finally joined as one and want to celebrate the wonderful news.”
Dawn could not help but have misgivings. After all Cree had taken her as his mistress and now the village was to celebrate her status as his wife. Would the villagers truly celebrate or only do so because forced to?
“I did not plan on keeping the news that we were wed from you. I found out just after Torr brought you half frozen to me. I did not want to tell you then and once you had recovered, Torr’s horse had returned and I worried over my sister’s safety. Then Owen had showed up and I didn’t want to tell you with him here. I wanted time to speak with you about it and about planning a ceremony and a celebration, which I knew you would object to, and I was right.”
She nodded, agreeing with him.
He kept hold of her hand as he got up and walked around the table to scoop her up and plant her on his lap after he sat. “I want us to take our vows for all to see. I want everyone to know how much I love you and how very proud I am to have you as my wife. And I want all to celebrate in our joy, in our love, in our future.”
Tears clouded her eyes.
“I love you more than any words can express. Marry me, Dawn, and let us celebrate our love.”
A tear slipped down her cheek as she nodded, accepting his heartfelt proposal.
Chapter Eighteen
“I was surprised to find you gone when I woke this morning,” Wintra said as they walked along the path that ran through the village.
Torr smiled and lowered his voice. “I was concerned as to how tired you were from all that you had learned and been through, and if I had stayed, I would not have been able to keep my hands off your luscious body.”
Her steps faltered from his blunt compliment, and Torr was quick to tighten his hold on her, which only worsened matters since it sent her stomach fluttering before it turned to a loud gurgle.
“You’re hungry,” he said with concern.
“I’m not hungry,” she protested, at least not hungry in the way he thought and, besides, she was more famished—famished for him. She turned her head away from him for a moment, her sinful thoughts heating her cheeks. And, of course her stomach had to disagree and gurgle again.
Torr laughed. “You are such a stubborn woman that your stomach must speak for itself.”
Embarrassed by her stomach’s betrayal, she turned to him with a toss of her chin. “According to you, I have proven time and again how stubborn I am.”
He smiled. “Truth be told, I would not have you any other way.”
Surprised by his response, she asked, “Truly?”
“Your stubbornness challenges me and that will make for an interesting rather than boring life together. It also helps that I love you.”
Her heart fluttered upon hearing him say it without doubt or hesitation. It was as if it came natural to him. He needed no preamble or flowery verse. He stated his love for her simply and honestly.