“Then it is time he did,” Torr said.
“What are you saying?” Wintra said her eyes turning wide as she stepped in front of him. “We are staying here tonight where we will not be found and can be alone.”
Torr took her hand and stepped close to her, planting his nose not far from hers. “We are going to sleep in our own bed tonight, though I cannot guarantee how much sleep you will get.”
Wintra blushed, turning her head to look at her brother.
His scowl was deep and his eyes had narrowed.
“It is time for you to leave,” Torr said to Cree.
Wintra was shocked by Torr’s demand.
“Now!” Torr said with a strength that sent a shiver through her.
“You are lucky that you are her husband,” Cree said with an angry growl.
“And you are lucky that I have not spirited her away to my home by now.”
“But you would be wise to remember that you are presently in my home,” Cree warned.
“And I have respected that, but Kellmara being here changes things and you need to respect that.”
Cree nodded. “I am glad to know that my sister’s husband is a courageous warrior.” He walked to the door and turned. “But do not tempt my patience too much.”
“Wait,” Wintra called out and walked over to him. She stared at him a moment, not knowing what to say or perhaps not knowing how to ask the questions that troubled her. Then suddenly, as if it came to her, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tight.
Cree did not hesitate to hug her back. He had missed the hugs she had given him when she was a little girl. He recalled how tiny her hand had been in his and how her little fingers would curl around his one finger and squeeze tight. And now she was all grown, little no more.
She looked up at him with teary eyes.
He knew she was looking for an explanation of why he and their mum had lied to her. “Tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow,” she confirmed. They would talk tomorrow and she would have her answers then.
Wintra looked to Torr after Cree left. “Nothing I can say will change your mind?”
“Nothing,” he said adamantly. “I will not cower to Kellmara’s demands whether he is your father or not. And if it turns out to be that he is your father, I will not have him thinking he can dictate to me. I do, however, appreciate the extent you went to keep me safe.”
He walked over to her and leaned down to brush his lips across hers. “But I want nothing more than at this moment to cart you off to the cottage and make love to you.”
“We can get there faster if we both run,” she said with a smile.
He pulled her close. “And is it the cottage you run to or Kellmara you run from?”
Her smile faded. “I would be lying if I said I did not care if we met up with Kellmara. It is a worry to me that will not go away anytime soon.”
“Since I would prefer spending the rest of the night with you rather than arguing with the man who just might be my father-in-law, I will promise you that if at all possible we will avoid him.”
Her smile returned and she threw her arms around him, gave him a quick kiss, and then pushed him away and ran to the door, calling out, “I will beat you to the cottage.”
“Waiting naked for me?” he yelled and chased after her.
Wintra was laughing as she rushed down the keep steps. She had made it out of the keep before Torr, and thankfully Kellmara was nowhere to be seen. A few short steps and she would be at the cottage.
“Wintra,” she heard Torr shout and ran faster, wanting time to undress and be waiting in bed for him.
His second shout had her turning, since he sounded as if he warned and that’s when she saw one of Kellmara’s warriors headed for her and another warrior going straight for Torr.
She thought fast and grabbed a log from the woodpile by the door and swung it as he came upon her. The blow stung her hand and sent him stumbling, though he did not fall over as she hoped he would. She did not wait until he righted himself, she ran toward the warrior still several feet away from Torr and tossed the log at him. It hit his knees and sent him stumbling, though he got up faster than she expected.
Torr caught up with her and shoved her behind him, ordering her to stay put.
That did not happen. She gathered snow in her hand and stepped in front of Torr to through a snowball at one of the warriors, catching him right in the face.
“Enough!” Kellmara shouted.
The warriors immediately stilled and Torr once again shoved Wintra behind him, this time with a much stricter warning. “Stay behind me or I will beat your bottom red.’