She didn’t have time to ponder. They were entering the village at a good speed and villagers were rushing out of their way, their eyes wide with curiosity and fear. She had expected Cree to deposit her at her cottage, but instead he scooped her off the stallion after dismounting and with a firm grip on her arm hurried her into the keep and to the Great Hall.
He shouted for Sloan and a couple of servants rushed off no doubt to find him. He all but shoved her to take a seat on a bench at a table close to the large hearth. He then yelled for hot cider and a flush of servants appeared not only with pitchers of hot cider but platters of food.
William wandered in appearing as pale as Dawn along with several warriors while more warriors followed behind. William took a seat across from Dawn and with shaking hands accepted a tankard from one of the servants.
Dawn cupped a tankard in her hands but she had yet to drink.
Cree leaned down in her face and ordered, “You’re chilled, drink.”
His dark eyes flamed with such fury that she immediately obeyed as did William, though Cree’s edict had not been directed at him.
When she finished taking a swallow Cree leaned down in her face again. “You will stay here. You will not move until I come for you. Understand?”
Dawn nodded, his eyes so feral with fury that he actually frightened her. And at that moment she wondered if perhaps he didn’t have a heart after all. She was relieved when he walked away to talk with his men. It was as if she could finally breathe again.
“That was a frightening ordeal,” William said in a near whisper.
She nodded, the hot cider finally chasing away her chill or perhaps it was her fear dissipating. Whatever the reason she was feeling comfortably warm and let her cloak fall off her shoulders, though she kept it tucked around her waist and over her legs that still trembled a bit.
“Have you always liked to draw?” William asked.
Dawn’s face lit with a smile and she nodded.
William smiled as well. “It is a God-given talent you have.”
She placed her hand on her chest and bowed her head briefly, thanking him.
“You are most welcome,” he said understanding her and then lowered his voice. “I will make certain that I bring you some drawing tools. Your talent is too amazing to waste.”
It was thoughtful of him, and so few people were thoughtful of her, that she wished to show her appreciation. So she reached out and gave his arm a squeeze.
Cree appeared out of nowhere. “Does William not understand you that you need to touch him?”
Dawn froze, his face only inches from hers and that feral look in his eyes worse than she remembered. She blessed William a hundred times over when he offered a reasonable explanation.
“Forgive me, my lord, Dawn was gracious enough to offer me comfort after this most upsetting ordeal.”
“Busy yourself with your designs and you will have no time to dwell on it,” Cree ordered. He planted his hands on the table blocking Dawn from William’s view and whispered harshly in her ear, “You will touch no one but me.”
He walked away leaving Dawn to stare after him.
“Would you like to look at the drawings?” William offered. “Perhaps my lord is right and we would be better off with our minds occupied on other things.”
Dawn nodded. Her eyes remained locked on Cree’s back until her shivers returned and distracted her. She reached for her tankard and drank in hopes of chasing them away once again.
She was grateful for William’s endless chatter and she soon became engrossed with the drawings and the plans he so graciously detailed.
Cree kept a watch on Dawn out of the corner of his eye. He had had to restrain himself when he had seen her touch William. It had been a simple gesture more than a definitive touch and yet it had infuriated him. And he was even more infuriated that the archer had yet to be found.
“He eludes us at every turn,” Sloan said.
“Have you and the men become so complacent that you allow one, solitary man to evade you?” Cree accused, his temper still much too close to erupting.
Sloan wisely refrained from debating the issue and said, “No, my lord.”
“And you have yet to find him,” Cree said, though didn’t allow for a reply. “I’m going to take twenty men and see to this myself. You will make certain that Dawn is kept safe while I am gone.”
Sloan gave a nod and Cree could see that he was not pleased with his decision but he would not dare challenge him. He would obey.
Cree looked over at Dawn. She was engrossed with the drawings. He thought of going over to her, warning her to obey Sloan but decided against it. His obsession with her had to stop. He turned and without another word to Sloan, he stormed out of the Great Hall his anger growing ever darker.