Hadwin was taken aback by her question and looked quickly to Torin.
“They do not concern you,” Torin warned and brushed the smudge of dirt off her cheek.
Flora went to protest but Torin’s finger pressed firmly to her lips stopped her.
“Not another word,” Torin cautioned and taking firm hold of her arm forced her to keep step with him.
“We must pay him for the scroll. I wish to keep it,” Flora said.
“A gift to the new bride,” Hadwin called out.
“How thoughtful. Thank you!” Flora called back. “We must talk. I wish to know where you got it.”
She got no reply and she realized why. Her husband’s handsome face wore an angry scowl and people hurried out of his path, keeping their distance. She kept silent as he hurried her along right to the cottage they were presently sharing, though she spent more time there than he did.
“Why didn’t you tell me about the two men murdered just past the bridge?” she asked once he shut the door and released her arm.
He ignored her question. “You are my wife and are to behave in a certain manner. Bent over a cart with your rump up in the air is not how I wish to find you.”
Except if you’re bent over the bed naked.
The thought had Torin shaking his head and silently spewing oaths. He was no randy young lad. He was a man in control of his thoughts and deeds and yet when with his wife he fought to control both. At the moment, he wished he was not a man of his word since he would like nothing better than to… he shook his head again.
“I do not understand why you would keep such news from me,” Flora protested.
With great willpower that would surely be lacking by week’s end, he took control of his wandering thoughts. “You need not know.”
“Why not? This is my home and I want to know all that goes on in my home. How can I help you if you keep things from me?” she argued and struck by a sudden thought, she placed the scroll on the table and went to her husband to rest a gentle hand on his arm. “I should have realized it.”
Her lovely face always seemed to captivate him, hold him prisoner, especially her dark eyes, so wide and expressive. They invited him to look deeper and once he did, they tempted and if he gazed on them too long, he knew he would be lost.
He nearly shook his head again but stopped. “Realize what?”
“Your mum and da led separate lives. Your mum never helped your da, so you do not expect such help from your wife, whereas my da always sought my mum’s counsel. They would share opinions and thoughts and work problems out together. I would much prefer that kind of sharing marriage to a secret one. So, these two men found in the woods, were they found together or separate?”
“Together,” he answered without thinking.
“Were they known to you?”
“Nay. They were not at all familiar.”
“Could you tell if they had been attacked or could they have possibly fought and killed each other?” Flora asked, her mind tossing possibilities around as she spoke. “The wounds on the bodies might help determine that. Let me have a look—”
“Absolutely not!” Torin said, her absurd suggestion drawing him out of what felt like a daze to him. His wife had a way of drawing him into a conversation to discuss things he never intended to discuss with her. Though, he could not help but think she was right about why he did not discuss things with her. He had never seen his parents discuss anything. His da’s word ruled and that was that. There was no opinion but his and at times it had annoyed Torin. His da would hear no other proposal. It was his way and his way alone. And there were times his decisions had proven wrong.
“But I may see something you missed,” Flora continued to argue.
“You are not going to look on two dead bodies,” Torin commanded.
“Why not?” she asked.
Torin snapped at her. “Because I said so.”
“That makes no sense,” she said and shook her head disregarding it as nonsense.
“Need I remind you that my word rules here.”
Her response was quick and blunt. “Then it should rule wisely.”