“Where do your men wait?” Torin asked.
Walsh didn’t hesitate to respond. “A distance from here. Where they cannot be detected. I am aware you heavily patrol the woods beyond the bridge, so I took no chance in you finding them.”
“When will your men return with news of the bounty?” Flora asked.
Walsh flashed a scowl at her. “This was a ruse to get me to admit what you suspected?”
“My husband’s idea,” Flora said proudly. “And I can honestly say I would have never thought of it… because I trusted you. Torin warned me not to trust mercenaries.”
“You should trust few people, for most lie,” Walsh advised.
“I do not lie. I see no reason for it,” Flora said.
“An honest wife,” Walsh said with a glance to Torin. “You are a lucky man.”
“More than I ever thought possible,” Torin said. “So, when do you expect your men?”
“It could be three weeks or more unless they get lucky along the way and learn something.”
“Move your troop closer to the isle. They can help join my warriors in keeping anyone from gaining access,” Torin said.
“And be the front line if attacked,” Walsh said, and Torin smiled.
* * *
“Do you think it will work?”Flora asked later that night, lying in bed with her husband naked.
“We shall see,” he said, his hand roaming lazily over her under the several blankets that kept them warm.
“Do you think it is true?” she asked.
He gave her backside a gentle squeeze. “If what is true?”
“What Walsh said about my da, that he spied for the king, and does he, himself, truly spy for the king or is that a lie as well?”
He ran his hand slowly up her back to stroke it, feeling her frustration in her tense body. “I believe he speaks the truth when it comes to that. There would be no reason to tell such a tale. That he was friends with your da would have been enough.”
Flora sighed. “This has me frustrated and perplexed and it is annoying that we are unable to do anything but wait for news from Walsh’s men.”
“You have enough to keep yourself engaged here,” he said, his hand going to skim her breast.
“I should think on this more. I have missed something,” she said.
Torin’s hand fell off her and he dropped on his back. “Aye, your husband trying to make love to you.”
Flora turned a stunned look on him and climbed on top of him to straddle him.
Torin was equally stunned by her action.
“Nay, you have stirred my passion most adequately.”
“Adequately?”
“I meant no insult,” she said, hearing the offense he had taken to it. “I only meant that I quite enjoyed your touch even with my mind wandering.”
Why did he not remember that his wife never looked to judge him but simply expressed her thoughts and opinions openly to him? And that his intimate touches had broken through her wandering thoughts said a lot. So did her sitting astride him.
“I should not have taken it as such,” he said. “My desire for you overruled all else.”