A Woman of Courage by Marlow Kelly

Author:Marlow Kelly [Kelly, Marlow]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Historical, Second Chance Love
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2015-08-26T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Connell rolled onto his back, gasping for breath. He had made love to Fianna for a second time. And it was love. Did she feel the same way after everything that had happened between them? Her guileless responses seemed so open and honest, it was easy to let himself believe the past had never happened. He had not intended to seduce her when he decided to examine her wounds. But her reaction to his touch had been unmistakable. He had taken advantage of their mutual attraction, and goaded her with gentle caresses, hoping that their renewed physical intimacy would bring them closer.

She raised herself up on one elbow, cupped his face, stroking his beard with her thumb. Dark circles shadowed her eyes making them appear more luminous, revealing her grief with a transparency that hit him like a blow from a hammer. Was she using his body to deal with her anguish? Perhaps. He knew from experience that when faced with overwhelming death most people chose life, and one way of doing that was to copulate. But how did he feel about being used? It didn’t matter. If she’d asked he wouldn’t have refused. He couldn’t.

She traced a finger down his cheek, lingering on a small scar by his right eye. “What caused this?”

“Quinn.”

“He hit you?”

“No, but my foster brother is a man of strong opinions. In this particular case he said unkind things about my brother Padraig’s ability with a sword.”

“And Padraig hit you. Our son is staying with a man who hit his brother?

“No, he threw the punch at Quinn, who ducked. I didn’t.”

“You’re getting slow in your old age.” Her lips curved into a half-smile that didn’t touch her eyes. He wished he could take away her pain. He wanted to see a smile light her face, and hear her voice bubble with laughter. He ran his hand along the length of her body letting it rest on her hip. The bath had cleaned the scratches that criss-crossed her legs and thighs. A bruise on her knee showed signs of turning a deep bluish-purple, but she didn’t seem to notice. The cut on her head no longer seeped blood. She hadn’t complained about a headache, which surprised him.

“Why have you never had a wife for longer than three months?” She tilted her head to the side.

“Because none of them were you.” He answered without hesitation, relieved to finally admit the truth.

She fell onto her back. “You tease me, but it’s a serious question.”

He leant over her, brushing a kiss along her bruised cheekbone. “I’ve missed you, and none of the other women could make me happy because they weren’t you.”

She didn’t say anything. Damn. She didn’t believe him. Was there anything he could say to make her understand the truth? What use were words after all the pain he had caused her. He changed the subject. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Can you even remember the last time you ate?” He regretted the question before he’d even finished speaking.

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