Highland Secrets (Cree & Dawn)

Dawn’s heart hurt for the young woman and all she had been through and continued to go through. She had found herself separated from Cree and the twins for a few months after she had been abducted and she felt as if her heart had been ripped apart. Gratefully, she had found her way back to him. Flora had no such chance. The life she had known had been forever lost to her.

“I make excuses while I should answer what you ask of me,” Newlin said. “Bronwyn, the young woman who works in the kitchen must have disappeared in the hours before the sun rose since she never arrived for her duties in the kitchen that morning. Ah cannae be sure when Hertha went missing since she felt ill after helping our healer, Auda. She ordered Hertha to stay abed the next day and she would stop by and see how she fared. Auda did not get a chance to see her until later in the day and that was when she was found missing.” He scratched his head. “That would mean she went missing sometime the day before to well into the next day.”

“Giving whoever took her enough time to make an escape,” Cree said.

“The four remaining missing ones; Ruth, Ewert, Morven, and Ware are older and have no set tasks to see to—”

Cree finished for him. “So, not much attention was paid to them.”

Newlin nodded. “They spend their days talking with others or the men talk among themselves, or when it snows—they keep to their cottages. There is no way of knowing when or how they were abducted. I took what precautions I could, but it made no difference, people continued to disappear. I grew desperate and that was when I decided to send a message to you.”

“You say Lord Bhric is a skilled Northman warrior and with his marriage to your daughter, he is duty-bound to help you. Why send for me?” Cree asked.

Newlin shook his head slowly, staring down at the tankard in front of him for a few moments, then raising his head to look at Cree. “I have seen firsthand your fearless fighting skills. You are the only warrior I know who would fearlessly battle a demon to save my clan.”

CHAPTER 4

“I may be a while,” Cree said once the meal finished. “I want to talk with the sentinels and the villagers and see what they have to say. I also want to see how the work goes with cutting down the trees, then talk with Henry again. You will stay put here in the keep.”

Dawn smiled and pointed to Beast who had gotten to his feet when Cree started speaking. The dog loved the snow. He especially loved playing in the snow with the twins, trying to catch the snowballs they would throw at each other. He might not have the twins to play with, but she could at least see that he got out to enjoy the snow instead of confining him to the keep.

She pointed back at her husband, letting him know to take Beast with him.

“He stays with you,” Cree ordered.

Dawn sighed silently and shook her head. She pointed to the dog, then tapped Cree’s chest.

“I do not care if he wants to go with me. He is here to protect you.”

Dawn looked around, threw her hands in the air, and shrugged in question.

“You may think no danger lurks inside the keep, but we cannae be sure,” Cree said.

Dawn rested her hand gently on her husband’s cheek before her lips settled on his with a tenderness that tempted. She then smiled softly and mouthed, please.

“You think to work your womanly wiles on me, wife?” he asked, a spark of passion firing in his dark eyes.

Her smile turned playful as she nodded.

“We shall share Beast today,” Cree said. “I will take him with me for a while, then send him back to look after you.” He stood, giving her no chance to argue, though leaned down to capture his wife’s chin between his fingers. “And you, wife, will not tax yourself today, for I have plans for you tonight.”

He released her chin and her wide grin told him she was pleased to hear it. He left her after a lingering kiss that had them both looking forward to later tonight, and Beast eagerly joined him on command.

Dawn wondered over what she would do to pass the day. She was not here to sit idly by. She had joined her husband to be of help to him. Old Mary had said it was necessary she come here, so what could she do to help?

“Lady Dawn.”

Dawn looked to see Tavia enter the room with a woman of good height and slim in body. She had plain yet pleasant features and her unruly dark hair was streaked with gray and appeared to fight the combs that tried to restrain it.