Page 66 of Merciful Salvation
“Hah.” Her hands flailed. “Several lines are etched acrossyourforehead already.”
He walked to the bed and showered her with feather light kisses from her eyelids to her earlobes. “Promise to be a good girl while I’m gone.”
“As you wish, milord.”
“You’re angry?”
She shook her head. “Sad to see you go.”
“I’ll join you for the eventide meal onFrjádagr.” He collected his weapon belt from a chair and left the bedchamber.
Half way down the stairs, Tyr called for him. “I’ve heard from Jarl Erik.”
They walked together. “Is he coming?”
“Aye,” his cousin confirmed. “He’s already on his way.”
“The man will slit my throat.”
Tyr grasped his shoulder. “You’ve broken no laws.”
“No,” he agreed. “Only tradition.”
“I will tell Erik the Bald the same thing I told you. By uniting our families, the south gains protection and the north gains people to trade with. Whatever gold you’ve saved, consider offering a generous bride price to ease the old man’s spite.”
Aaron rubbed his chin. “I will.”
“Ale?”
“No” Aaron said. “Now that my father-in-law is on his way, I have greater need to finish work on my home. His daughter won’t reside in a sparsely decorated hall or sleep without furs. Watch over my bride, I’ll return in three days to collect her.”
Kara stared at the empty space beside her in bed. Her insides felt swollen from their bedsport. Aaron had made love to her four times, never letting her sleep more than a couple hours at a time. He claimed an exhausted bride wouldn’t complain as much. And he promised to ride her until she couldn’t walk straight when he returned. She draped a leg over the edge of the mattress, then ran her fingers through her tussled hair. The silence bothered her. She’d spent enough time alone.Three days? Why did he care so much about the condition of their home?Pride.She’d live in a hovel with him if that’s all he owned.
She hiked the sheet up when someone knocked on the door.
“Enter,” she called.
The door opened and Rachelle peeked in. “Good morning. You survived the bridal bed?”
Kara felt heat rise in her cheeks. She recalled the first time she’d made love with her husband under the moon and stars. Waking up cold and happy. If she could convince Aaron to take a short trip after affairs were settled with her father, she’d like to return to that lake. A week in the wilderness would please her greatly. Moreover, he promised to let her run naked through the forest. “I did.” She eyed the tray of food her kinswoman held.
“Hungry?” Rachelle stepped inside and closed the door.
“Starved.” Rachelle’s soft laughter made her feel better. “And feeling abandoned.”
“There’s berries and honey cakes.”
Kara stood, then wrapped the thin sheet around her torso. She padded to the table where Rachelle waited and eyeballed the food. Without a care for proper manners, she shoveled a handful of blueberries in her mouth. “So good.”
“Fresh picked.” Rachelle did the same. “I’m not sure which works up a bigger appetite, being with child or coupling.” She flashed a mischievous grin.
“Congratulations.” Kara gave her kinswoman a hug. “I’ll pray for a daughter this time.”
“Whatever God gifts us with will please me.”
Kara sat and took a cake off the platter. Sometimes she forgot her new cousin was a Christian. Somehow it didn’t bother her. After listening to her father and brothers curse the new religion for years, meeting a woman of that faith, who contradicted everything they said, had taught her a valuable lesson. So did her conflict with Aaron.Rushing to judgment was disastrous. She’d never do it again.
Kara ate three honey cakes and drank a large measure of wine before her stomach quit growling. With a sigh, she straightened her legs and stretched her arms over her head. “I could sleep all day.”
