My Highlander: A Cree & Dawn Novel, page 13
That thought had not set well with him. He never wanted her to fear speaking to him about anything and he never thought she would. So it was all the more disturbing to him that she held her tongue.
Cree stretched himself off the bench and went to his bedchamber. He shed his garments and slipped naked under the blanket to wrap himself around his wife. He hated that she wore a nightdress, and at his insistence, though more so for his sanity. It would not be long before she could shed it permanently. She was growing stronger by the day and Elsa had only recently assured him that no more than another week and she would be well healed.
He could not wait. She had made it easier on him this morning when she unselfishly saw to his needs. And as much as he had enjoyed it, he could not wait to make love with her. There was an intimacy about joining with someone you loved that could not be denied and never matched. It was a lasting intimacy that went far beyond that movement of satisfying pleasure and he had missed it terribly while Dawn had been gone.
Cree closed his eyes and smiled as he rested his face near his wife’s hair and the scent of lavender drifted off it to tickle his nose. She was home, in his arms where she belonged and he could not be happier.
Cree was not happy when he woke the next morning and found Dawn gone. He was, however, pleased that when he went and found the twins still sleeping, that Beast was gone which meant he went with Dawn when she came to see the twins.
He did not need to worry where she might be, he knew.
Beast was sitting outside Elsa’s healing cottage, his eyes alert.
“Go get your food, Beast,” Cree ordered as he approached and the large dog did not wait, he hurried off toward the kitchen.
Flanna made sure the dog was fed in the morning and again in the evening. Cree was pretty sure others fed Beast as well, his daughter being one of them, since most of the clan was growing accustomed to him and how he protected Dawn and the twins.
Cree rapped on the door before opening it and with no one denying him entrance, not that it would matter if they did, he would enter anyway.
His wife stood at the table blending herbs in a bowl while Elsa attempted to spoon broth into Ann’s mouth, her eyes drifting open only to close again.
Cree went to his wife. “You will tell me where you go before leaving our bed.”
Dawn’s first thought was to ask why when she had not done so before, but with what had happened she understood her husband’s need to know her whereabouts.
She nodded and with her one finger traced a cross over her chest.
“I am pleased by your promise,” he said and kissed her cheek before turning to Elsa. “How does Ann do?”
“It is too soon to say. She tries to wake now and again, but to no avail. So far her wounds show no signs of turning putrid, but again it is too soon to tell.”
“Let Dawn continue feeding her. I need to talk with you,” Cree said.
Dawn went and took the bowl from Elsa and sat, leaving Elsa free to leave the cottage with Cree.
Cree walked a few steps away from the cottage door before stopping. “Ann has not spoken a word to you?”
“No, my lord,” Elsa said, a tear appearing in her one eye. “She barely has the strength to open her eyes. She suffered two wounds that concern me. A third only broke the surface of her skin.”
“The other two wounds, are they deep?”
“Not as deep I expected, which bodes well for Ann and gives me hope that she will survive.”
“That is good to hear, but Dawn cannot keep helping you. She has yet to heal completely.”
Elsa nodded. “I told her the same myself, but her guilt keeps her here, though it is misplaced. I am, however, going to need help since Ann requires care and there will be those who seek my care throughout the day. Lucerne I am sure will help—”
“As much as you need me.”
Cree and Elsa turned to see Lucerne approaching, Sloan beside her shaking his head.
“Her food revolted on her this morning,” Sloan said.
“Some morning unease. It is to be expected,” Lucerne said, dismissing it as if it meant nothing.
“True enough,” Elsa said, “though it will do you no good to tire yourself out working here all day.”
“I will find you help,” Cree said.
“I am still going to help,” Lucerne insisted.
Sloan was ready to argue when Cree spoke up, “Only if I permit it.”
Lucerne sent her husband a scathing look.
Sloan threw his hands up. “I said nothing.”
“Lucerne can help me now, my lord, if you permit,” Elsa said, “so Dawn can go eat and rest since she has been here well before sunrise. I will go get her.”
Cree nodded, annoyed that he had not known his wife had left their bed far earlier than he had thought.
Lucerne followed Elsa into the cottage.
“Cree!”
That Elsa screamed his name without proper title, shot fear through him and he ran into the cottage to find his wife lifeless on the floor.
“No!” Elsa cautioned when Cree went to scoop her up. “Let me make sure she suffered no injury.” As soon as she bent down, Dawn began to stir. “A faint, I believe.” And motioned for Cree to scoop her up.
Cree lifted her gently and once cradled in his arms, her eyes drifted open.
“Did you faint?” Cree asked, his heart still pounding with fear.
She nodded.
“Lucerne, stay with Ann. I want to go see that Dawn is settled in bed and check the bruise at her side,” Elsa said.
“I will remain with her until you return in case she requires help,” Sloan said.
Cree nodded his approval and hurried out the door, keeping a quick and steady gait to the keep. Elsa had to rush her steps just to stay a few feet behind him.
Once in their bedchamber, Cree deposited Dawn gently on the bed.
She went to push herself up.
“You will stay put,” Cree ordered and slipped his hands beneath her arms to lift her carefully and place two pillows behind her head.
Knowing there would be no convincing her husband otherwise, she did not respond.
Elsa approached the side of the bed as Cree stepped aside, but before she could say a word, Dawn began to gesture.
She patted her side and turned her head fast.
Elsa nodded. “You moved fast again and you were hit by a pain in the area that is bruised.”
Dawn nodded, patted her chest and smiled.
Elsa smiled along with her. “Otherwise you feel well.”
Dawn nodded and looked to her husband.
“I do not care if you believe you feel well. You will rest.”
That did it for Dawn. She did not care if she fainted again. She was tired of resting, being told to rest, and being forced to rest. She pressed her hand against the bruise, swung her feet off the bed, and stood before anyone could stop her.
Elsa hurried out of the way and out of the room, seeing the two were about to argue.
Cree went to lift his wife to put her back in the bed and she swatted at his arms.
“You will get back in that bed,” he ordered.
Dawn pursed her lips, narrowed her eyes, and defiantly shook her head.
“You either get back in it or I will put you in it,” Cree warned.
Dawn shook her head even more defiantly.
Cree growled like an angry dog and went to scoop her up.
“Cree!”
Sloan’s shout had Cree and Dawn turning as he came rushing through the door.
“One of the men who abducted Dawn has been found and will arrive here shortly.”
Chapter 14
“You will confirm that this man is one of your abductors, then you will return to our bedchamber and rest,” Cree ordered after Sloan had left to see to the prisoner’s arrival.
Dawn nodded, then shook her head.
“Dawn—”
She raised her hand in front of her husband’s face, stopping him from saying another word and her hands started flying.
“You are talking too fast I cannot understand you.”
Dawn threw her hands up. She was far too annoyed, leaving her far too impatient to temper her frustration. It was at times like this that she wished she had a voice so Cree did not have to interpret what she was saying.
“You will do as I say, wife,” Cree said his own frustration heard in his clipped tone.
Dawn shook her head and threw her hands up again.
“Excuse the intrusion.”
Cree and Dawn turned to see Old Mary in the open doorway.
“The village worries over Dawn after seeing you carry her to the keep, as do I. I came to see how Dawn fared, and I see for myself she is doing well.”
Dawn sighed, the only indication of it the heaving of her chest, and pointed to Cree.
Old Mary smiled softly and looked to Cree. “She is frustrated with you.”
“Frustrated with me?” he asked and raked his hand through his hair and addressed his wife. “You are still healing and refuse to rest. If you will not do what you should, I will see it done for you.”
Dawn started gesturing at her husband, her face pinched with annoyance.
Old Mary remained in the doorway as she interpreted. “She says stop ordering me to rest, to eat, to sleep. I know what I need to do to heal.”
“Then why do you not do it?” Cree demanded, then answered for himself. “Because you are too stubborn.”
Dawn’s hands moved even faster.
Old Mary had no trouble interpreting for her, having known her since she was young. “You are far more tenacious than me and I will have no more of it.”
Cree stepped closer to his wife. “Are you dictating to me? And think wisely before you answer that.”
Old Mary continued interpreting. “You are dictating to me.”
“I rule here, therefore I dictate.”
Dawn tapped her chest and shrugged and that gesture needed no interpretation.
“Yes, I dictate to you when necessary. When you are too stubborn to know what is good for you. Like that day you were abducted. You insisted you needed no guard, you would be only a short while and what harm could come from collecting a few plants. Elsa and Lara did it all the time without incident, not so the day you joined them. I failed to dictate that day. I will not fail you again.”
Old Mary backed out of the room, knowing it was time to take her leave, and quietly closed the door behind her.
Dawn had known her husband blamed himself for what had happened to her. She had known he would even before returning home. She did not, however, realize that it would make him even more overly protective of her than before.
She tapped his chest and shook her head.
“I am at fau—”
Dawn pressed her finger to his lips, shaking her head. She would not hear him say again that he was at fault for what happened to her. She tapped his chest, then hers and shook her finger.
“You may believe neither of us are at fault, but I believe differently. I am not only your husband but the leader of this clan and it is my responsibility to keep you and the entire clan safe. No matter what you say, I failed my duties and that is unacceptable. And I will not let it happen again.”
Dawn realized then that she would never change his mind. But then how could she? Did she not love her husband for who he was? A loving husband and father, a protector, a warrior, a leader, the defender of his clan. He did what he did to keep her safe and to see her from harm, to see that he never lost her again.
She pressed her hand to his heart and then to hers, letting him know she loved him and his arm went around her waist.
“Even when we argue,” —he grinned— “due to your stubbornness. I never doubt you love me.” He kissed her softly. “And that you know my love for you grows stronger by the day.”
She smiled and nodded, then tapped his chest and pointed around the room and mouthed, prison.
“You feel our bedchamber is a prison?” he asked as if he did not quite believe it.
She shook her head, tapped his chest, folded her hands to her cheek and shut her eyes as if sleeping, then rolled her hand around and around and around.
“It feels like a prison when I tell you rest again and again and again.”
Dawn smiled and nodded.
“I worry you do too much and not heal as you should and believe me when I tell you I want you to heal since it is not rest you will be getting in our bed once you do.”
Dawn’s smile grew.
“You are no fool, wife, so promise me that you will rest when you know you should and I will not order you to do so.”
Dawn crossed over her heart with her finger, nodded, then sealed their pact with a tender kiss.
When her lips left his, he rested his cheek to hers and whispered, “I grow hungrier for you by the day.”
Dawn brushed her lips over his once more and patted her chest, letting him know she felt the same.
Cree wisely stepped away from her and Dawn did not object. Though she did take hold of his hand and cherished the way his strong fingers wrapped around hers to grip her hand lovingly.
“As I said before, you will confirm the identity of this man… and take your leave. And I will brook no arguments on that.”
Dawn nodded, knowing her husband did not want her witnessing what he would do to the man.
Dawn stared at the man. She recognized him immediately, short, round, a pug nose, and a bald spot at the crown of his head, but she made no move to confirm it. His arms were drawn back behind the wood post and secured tightly. A rope around his waist and at his ankles secured him even more tightly to the wood post. His garments were filthier than she recalled and what hair he did have grimier. He had a pungent odor before and even more so now.
A shiver ran through her from the memories that assaulted her and she leaned against her husband when his arm went around her.
“He is the one?” Cree asked, his wife’s discomfort confirming it for him.
Dawn nodded.
“Beast will follow wherever you choose to go,” Cree said.
Her husband was letting her know it was time for her to take her leave and go where she pleased and she was grateful for that. She raised her arm and cradled it, rocking it back and forth.
He kept his voice low when he said, “I am pleased you tell me that you go to the twins.”
Dawn kissed his cheek, patted Beast’s head, and left without glancing at the man tied to the post.
Cree gave a nod to one of the warriors nearby and he followed a distance behind Dawn. With his wife’s safety secured, he turned his attention to the prisoner.
“Mercy, my lord. Mercy. I have done nothing,” the man begged.
“Speaking false words to me is not wise. It will only earn you endless suffering, whereas the truth will bring you a less painful death,” Cree said, his hand going to rest on the hilt of his dagger tucked in the sheath at his waist.
The man paled. “Death? But I have done nothing.”
“More false words, more suffering,” Cree reiterated. “You abducted my wife. I want to know why.”
He made no mention that he knew someone had hired the man. He wanted to see what the man would offer of his own accord.
“I know nothing of what you speak,” the man said.
“Then you say my wife lies when she identified you as one of her two abductors?”
“She must be mistaken. I—”
Cree’s fist slammed into the man’s mouth before he could finish. “More lies, more suffering.” And Cree’s fist struck him again.
The man gagged on the blood that filled his mouth and after spitting it and a tooth out, he finally spoke. “I wanted nothing to do with it. It was all Gille’s doing. He comes to me and tells me, Bram, I need help. There’s a debt I owe this man and if I do not repay it, he will do me in. so what choice did I have but to help Gillie, being he is my cousin.”
“That is not what my wife tells me, Bram.”
Bram crinkled his face. “She is struck dumb, has no voice. How can she tell you anything?”
Cree’s fist came down on Bram’s nose so hard it shattered bone and cut flesh. “My wife is not the dumb one. By the time I get done with you, you will have no face and no voice either since you will lose your tongue for all the lies you spew.”
Bram’s head hung down, blood spilling from his nose and moans from his lips.
Cree grabbed him by the hair at the lower back of his head, snapping his head back. “My patience is gone. The truth or I will beat you unmercifully until you beg me to die.”
Bram’s face was a bloody mess and he struggled to speak. “A man hired Gillie to abduct a woman. Told him it would be easy. She would give him no trouble since she was dumb—”
Cree’s fist came down on Bram’s jaw, knocking him out.
Cree nodded to Sloan and stepped aside as he picked up a bucketful of water and a warrior grabbed Bram’s hair at the nape and yanked his head back. Sloan did not hesitate, he threw the water in his face, waking the man.
He spurted and coughed blood while the warrior kept tight hold of his hair, forcing him to face Cree.
“Call my wife dumb again and I will use my dagger on you and relish every moment of it,” Cree said. “Who hired you?”
Bram shook his head.
Cree pulled out his dagger.
“Gillie knows, not me.”
“Where do I find Gillie?”
Bram spoke with haste. “Bertie. With Bertie.”
“Where is Bertie?”
“Take you.”
“You will tell me,” Cree ordered.
“Hard to find.”
Cree stepped forward.
Bram turned his face away with a groan. “Truth. No pain, I beg. Please no more pain.”
Cree stepped away from the man and Sloan joined him.
“I would worry it was a trap,” Sloan said, “but he is far too ignorant to plan anything. A small troop of warriors could escort him and bring both of them back.”
“Give the task to Elwin and—” Cree glared at Sloan. “Why do you shake your head at me?”
