“I ache all over, wife,” Tarass said quite seriously, though he smiled.
“Then I will see to kissing you and easing your pain,” she whispered seductively.
Tarass scooped her up in his arms and whispered near her ear, “You’ll not get very far, wife, since you turned me hard already.”
Snow laughed softly and rested her head on his shoulder.
“You’re free to do as you please, Nettle. Lady Snow and I will be busy for the next few hours,” Tarass said as he walked past her.
Nettle smiled but had no chance to acknowledge him.
“Lord Tarass,” Rannock called out.
Tarass cursed beneath his breath, knowing Rannock was about to disrupt his plans and turned to face his friend. “Who dares disturb me now?”
“Abbot Bennett and Lord Polwarth are a short distance away.”
Chapter 26
Snow stood beside her husband on the keep’s steps waiting for the Abbot and Lord Polwarth. Her heart pounded madly in her chest and her stomach roiled with fear. She told herself not to ask the question she already had the answer to, but she desperately needed her husband to confirm it.
“You won’t let them take me, will you, Tarass?”
Tarass’s hand left hers to snag her tightly around the waist and yank her against him to rest his brow against hers. “You know the answer to that, wife, though I understand your need to hear it from me. I will let no one, not a single soul, take you from me. You belong to me as I belong to you. We are one and will always remain so.”
She sighed. “I do so love you, husband.”
“And I you, Snow, for now and all time.”
He kissed her, wanting to feel the tingle of pleasure he always got when his lips touched hers, whether the kiss was gentle or demanding, and feel the slight shiver in her body as passion flared in her, and know that she responded to his slightest intimate provocation so easily.
A bark from Thaw had them breaking apart.
“They approach,” Tarass said, taking hold of his wife’s hand snugly in his, letting her know he’d never let her go.
Tarass had never met Abbot Bennett and wondered if his wife was familiar with him. “Have you ever met Abbot Bennett?”
“I have, twice, when he came to visit my da. From what I recall he was a short man, thick in the stomach with a pudgy face, dark eyes that always seemed to judge, and no hair on top of his head.”
“I would say he hasn’t changed much,” Tarass said, watching the Abbot approach on a horse, Lord Polwarth riding beside him.
Abbot Bennett spoke as soon as he brought his horse to a stop. “I will speak with Cleric Norman before speaking with both of you.”
Abbot Bennett confirmed what Tarass had feared. Cleric Norman never made it back to the monastery.
“Cleric Norman left here in the snowstorm shortly after arriving here and against my warning,” Tarass said.
“It must have been of the utmost importance for Cleric Norman to take his leave in a snowstorm. What happened here that forced him to take such a dangerous chance?” Abbot Bennett demanded.
“What makes you think you can come to my home and make demands of me?” Tarass’s hand snapped up when Abbot Bennett went to respond. “This is my land, my clan, and I rule here. You have no authority here so I warn you… guard well what you say to me.”
“I care not for your heathen soul, but I do care for Snow Macardle’s soul and I have come here to save her. Your marriage is invalid and Lord Polwarth has been generous enough to agree to honor the valid arrangement that had been made between him and James Macardle. Snow is fortunate that Lord Polwarth would do such an honorable thing under the circumstances.”
“Snow is where she belongs… by her husband’s side. She stays with me.”
“Perhaps it would be best if we discussed this inside,” Lord Polwarth said, glancing around at the crowd that was gathering.
“Nettle, direct our two guests to my solar,” Tarass said as he turned and, continuing to hold his wife’s hand, entered the keep.
Snow remained silent, her shoulders slumping in relief when her husband seated her in a chair in his solar and took her cloak to drape across her lap.
He bent down and kissed her softly. “You didn’t actually think I wouldn’t allow you to be part of this meeting, did you?”
“I should have known better.” With a smile, she kissed his cheek and feeling the chill there placed her cheek against his and whispered, “I’ll warm you later.”
“You warm me now,” he whispered in her ear and smiled when he felt a shiver run over her.
“Snow, you will leave us so we may discuss this matter,” Abbot Bennett ordered upon entering the room and seeing her there.
“Do I need to remind you again that you don’t dictate in my home?” Tarass’s hand went up once more to silence the Abbot before he could speak, letting him know he didn’t expect a response. “Speak your piece and be done with it.”