The way she settled herself against him, he knew she didn’t plan on going anywhere and either did he. He would stay with her and comfort her for as long as she needed him to.
He situated them comfortably on the bed and pulled the two soft blankets over them. He would wait until she was in a peaceful slumber before he left her.
He settled himself around her, forgetting one thing… he had run naked from his bedchamber.
Chapter 11
Tarass woke with a start, jolting Snow awake since she was wrapped in his arms. He hadn’t known what startled him until he looked at the bottom of the bed to see Thaw standing there, wagging his tail at Nettle.
Tarass saw the shock in the young woman’s wide eyes and the way her mouth hung open. “You will say nothing about this, Nettle,” he ordered sharply.
Snow hurried away from Tarass, her hand rushing to push at his naked chest, but as she did, he moved and her hand fell low on his stomach. She realized then that he was completely naked and she hurried her hand off him, yanking the blanket up around her as she scrambled to move away.
He grabbed her before she fell off the side, and she stiffened. “Any further and you’ll fall out of bed.”
He let her go, not expecting a response, not wanting one. What he wanted and needed was for Nettle to keep what she saw here a secret and that might be impossible for her to do.
Tarass left the bed, not caring about his nakedness. He walked to the door and shut it and saw Nettle pale.
“I’m going to warn you again, Nettle. You are to say nothing about what you saw here, since nothing happened between Snow and me. If you allow your tongue to wag, I will be forced to wed Snow, and you will lose your tongue. Do you understand, Nettle?”
“Aye, my lord. I will say nothing,” Nettle said a quiver in her voice.
“I’ll have your word on that.”
“You have my word, my lord,” she rushed to say.
“Make sure you keep it or you’ll have no tongue to wag,” he threatened again and walked out of the room without saying another word.
Snow hurried to speak when she heard the door close with force. “I had a nightmare and Thaw went and got Tarass. He comforted me and we must have fallen asleep. Nothing happened between us. He doesn’t wish to wed me and I don’t wish to wed him.”
“I don’t want to lose my tongue and I don’t want you forced into marriage. I saw nothing, so there is nothing for me to say.”
“Thank you, Nettle. I owe you much,” Snow said with relief and a touch of sorrow, wondering how one moment Tarass could be so kind to her and the next so cruel.
“It is I who owe you. It has been such a pleasure serving you and I will miss you when you go. You spoke up for me when no one else did, and this morning, on my way here, two women who never said a word to me, approached and talked with me. Of course, the talk was about you and the snowball fight you engaged in yesterday and how much the young lads enjoyed it, but at least they talked with me and actually seemed to enjoy it. It felt so good to be included in chatter with others.”
“How nice for you, Nettle, and I will miss you as well,” Snow said and eased herself out of bed, hoping today she would be able to go home. “It isn’t snowing again, is it?”
“No, and hopefully we’re spared any more snow, giving you a chance to get home.”
“Time to dress and get Thaw outside,” Snow said, guiding herself along the side of the bed to the end and reaching for her garments that Nettle had left on the chest in front of the foot of the bed.
The door suddenly burst open and Tarass stood there. “Come, Thaw, outside with you.”
“I will see to him,” Snow said, feeling the need to keep Thaw with her.
“See to yourself. When you’re done meet us in the Great Hall,” Tarass ordered. “Now tell Thaw to go with me.”
His snappish tongue warned her she was better off not arguing. “Thaw, go with Tarass. He will take you outside.”
Thaw trotted over to Tarass and right out the door.
“Will I be able to go home today?” Snow asked.
“I’ll make sure of it,” Tarass said and hurried the door closed behind him to follow Thaw down the stairs.
He was angry with himself for having foolishly fallen asleep in her bed last night and for being naked. He was also angry that he had slept so comfortably beside her that he hadn’t woken during the night, something that had become a habit of his, though not with Snow. He had slept soundly and felt more rested than he had in some time.