A soft smile spread over Auda’s face. “Hume adored Hertha, but he did not have the courage to tell her. Hertha insisted it was not proper for her to claim that she cared for him and that it was his place to do so first. I told her he would never have the courage to do so and that she should speak up, but she refused. She insisted that if he did not have the courage to tell her how he felt about her, then how would he ever have the courage to be a good husband and protect her.”
“A man presumed meek often has hidden strength he finds in himself when necessary,” Cree said, recalling a few such men he had met throughout the years.
“Aye, my lord, I have seen that for myself and expressed the same to Hertha, but she was stubborn and would see it no other way. I assumed in time all would go well since they spent much time together. Hume was interested in healing as much as Hertha. Though, it was the property of the plants that held his interest more.” Auda’s eyes grew teary. “Whatever has happened to them, I hope they are finally together.”
Dawn saw a woman, a few cottages away, waiting anxiously outside the door of her cottage, her eyes on Auda. She nodded toward her and Cree and Auda turned to look.
“Someone is in need of you. Go,” Cree said with a wave of his hand.
“Thank you, my lord.” Auda gave a brief nod and hurried to the woman.
Dawn waited, knowing her husband would say what she was thinking.
“If Hume cared that much for Hertha, he would definitely find the courage to search for her.”
Dawn agreed with a nod, then scrunched her brow, pointed to her husband, and shrugged.
Cree asked her question and answered it. “Why not leave the search to me? He found his strength when necessary.”
Dawn thought how sad and yet courageous. She mouthed to her husband, Bronwyn.
“You want to inquire about Bronwyn, the lass who worked in the kitchen?”
Dawn nodded.
Cree gave her hand a tender squeeze. “Let’s go see what we can discover.”
They were not far from the keep when Cree’s arm suddenly captured her around the waist. He rushed her around the back of a cottage and pinned her against the wall, bracing his one hand just above her head and planting his body nearly on top of hers.
Fear raced through her, since shielding her would leave him vulnerable… until she saw his eyes dancing with playful passion.
“It has been too long since I have kissed you,” he said, her lips having tempted him from the time they first met. And now that he knew how they tasted, he could not get enough.
She reminded him with simple gestures that they had only kissed a few hours ago when they woke and made love.
“Too long,” he whispered and captured her lips in a tender kiss.
Dawn’s hand went to the back of her husband’s neck to grip it after he deepened the kiss. She loved his kisses. They warmed her heart and reminded her how much he loved her, not to mention they always sent pleasurable tingles through her.
Cree lingered in the kiss and after reluctantly ending it, he nipped along her lower lip. “I can never get enough of you.”
She tapped his chest letting him know she felt the same and her heart swelled with love for this man who never failed to tell her or show her how much he loved her.
Cree went to kiss her again when a sudden, loud bark had them both jumping.
Beast came barreling around the corner nearly slamming into them.
“Realized you didn’t know where we were, did you?” Cree said to the dog and Beast barked. “Come with us,” he ordered, taking Dawn’s hand. “We go to your favorite place—the kitchen.”
Beast barked and ran happily ahead of them.
The kitchen was busy with activity, but it all came to a sudden halt when Cree and Dawn entered, though Beast trotted right past them and went straight to Cora.
Cree glared at her but said nothing.
“I give him a bone now and again, my lord. He is such a well-mannered dog,” Cora said.
Dawn beamed with pride while Cree shook his head.
“Go ahead and give him a bone,” Cree said and once the large bone was in Beast’s mouth, he turned to Cree. “Take it to the Great Hall, we follow shortly.”
Beast trotted off.
“A hot brew and a light fare, Cora,” he ordered. “You bring it to the Great Hall. I want to talk with you.”
Cora paled and braced her hand on the table in front of her.
Dawn hurried to wave her hand and smile, hoping the woman understood there was nothing for her to worry about.
Cree shook his head again and to appease his wife, since he rarely explained himself, said, “There is no need for worry, Cora.”