He read it, and then read it again. It was not what he had expected.
“Something wrong?” Torr asked as Cree’s scowl deepened.
“Do you read Latin?”
“I do.”
Cree handed the missive to Torr.
Like Cree, he read it once, then read it again, and then read it a third time. He handed the parchment back to Cree without looking at him.
The two men sat staring into the fire, neither saying a word. Then finally Torr spoke, “I will go find Wintra. You best return to the keep.”
Cree nodded. “No one—not a soul—is to know anything about this until I say otherwise.”
“Agreed.”
“Bring my sister home safe,” Cree said as if in warning.
“You need not worry; I will see to her care.”
The two continued staring into the flames, neither one looking at the other.
Chapter Three
Wintra’s eyes shot open and her breath caught in her throat, preventing her from screaming, and screaming was exactly what she wanted to do. She stared at the face only inches from hers and wondered if she was suffering a nightmare. It was as if she was staring at two different men; one a demon and one an angel. A thin scar ran down the left side of the man’s face from above his eye to his chin, while his right side was untouched. His eyes were a piercing blue color that sent an icy chill through her and his large hand weighed heavily across her mouth. But it was the size of him covering the length of her that frightened her the most. Even through his garments and fur coverings she could feel his hard muscles. He was a powerfully built man, and she had no chance against him.
“I have come to rescue you.”
She couldn’t help but crinkle her brow. What did he mean rescue her? She was safe. That had her wondering where Owen was. Had this brute done something to him? The sun looked to have only risen. Had he gone off to hunt breakfast for them or had the man on top of her harmed him? Anger mingled with fear, and she prayed that Owen was all right.
“Your brother sent me.”
Cree.
How she had longed to hear those words, though she would have preferred to hear them nine years ago when Cree had dumped her at Glenburgh Abbey and told her that he would return soon for her. She had waited and prayed every day that he would come for her. Every time the abbey’s bell had tolled, she would run to the gate, hoping it was her brother. The worst part was that Cree had returned to the abbey a few times through the years, but had refused to take her with him.
Not yet he had said, though had assured her the day would come when they would be a family again. The last two times he had visited the abbey she had told the nuns to tell him to go away unless he was there to take her with him. He had left and hadn’t returned. That had been three years ago and she hadn’t seen her brother since.
And now within a week’s time a band of warriors had arrived at the abbey claiming they were Cree’s men there to take her home, only to learn they had no such intentions. Now this man appears and claims Cree sent her. She did not know who to believe anymore.
“You are safe,” he whispered slowly moving his hand off her mouth.
Wintra nodded, remaining silent. She needed to find out what had happened to Owen before she attempted to do anything.
Torr slid off her and to his feet in one easy motion, then reached down to assist her up. She took his hand hesitantly, though he couldn’t blame her. She only had his word that her brother had sent him and, having been abducted once, she was probably leery of trusting anyone.
Her hood fell back off her head as she got to her feet with a jolt, releasing a mass of honey gold-colored curls. They sprung out around her head giving her a wild abandoned look and that was when Torr realized what a beauty she was. She would certainly catch a man’s breath, perhaps rob him of it, her features were so exquisite. And her eyes were the color green of the hills on a bright summer morning.
She kept her voice low when she inquired, “Where is—” She stopped not sure how to refer to Owen, since this man believed him her abductor. She was grateful when he finished for her.
“Your captor is off hunting.”
“And the others?” she asked, though there were no others. The men who had helped Owen had bid them farewell yesterday. They were now on their own.
“How many?” Torr asked, wondering why she was lying to him. It had taken almost two weeks to track them in the snow, but he had eventually picked up their trail. He had followed and watched for a few days. He had been surprised when the six men had left them yesterday and even more surprised when he followed her abductor before dawn and found him meeting with another contingent of warriors. He wondered if her captor had been paid to abduct her for someone else and was about to turn her over to him. In which case, he had to get her out of there as fast as possible.