Heart of Honor by Kat Martin

Author:Kat Martin
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: London (England), Vikings, Nobility - England, Women Editors - England - London, General, Romance, Historical, Women Newspaper Editors, Fiction, Love Stories
ISBN: 9780778323839
Publisher: Mira
Published: 2007-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

“I’ll see to the horses,” Skinner said, taking the lead rope from Leif. “I can make meself a pallet out in the barn and take care of the wheel first thing in the mornin’.”

“Thank you, Mr. Skinner,” Krista said.

Parting company with the coachman, ignoring the gusty wind and the first drops of rain, Leif led Krista toward the front door of the tavern, an old, drafty stone building with wide-planked wooden floors. Heavy oak beams, dark with soot from the big open fireplace, lined the low ceiling of the taproom. A group of rowdy patrons, obviously more than half-drunk, sat around a long wooden table in the corner.

As Leif and Krista walked up to the tavern keep, a fat man with thick, wooly sideburns and an apron tied around his heavy girth, she took charge.

“We need lodging for the night,” she said. “Our coachman will be sleeping in the stable.

He needs food, and our horses need hay and grain.”

“I’ll have the boy see to your man and horses.” The tavern keep’s gaze ran over Krista’s tall, womanly figure, and a lecherous smile curled his lips. “How many rooms?” Leif stiffened at the way the man’s small pig eyes mentally stripped away her clothes.

“Two,” he answered, though he would get little use of his own, since he would have to stay awake to make sure no one bothered her. “The lady will need a room of her own.” The fat man’s lewd smile remained. “Well, now, that’s a problem. Only got one room left for the night. Got a big bed, though. Plenty o’ room for ye both.” Leif looked at Krista, who returned his gaze with uncertainty. “We’ll take the room,” she said.

The fat man chuckled. “Figured ye would.”

Leif clamped down on an urge to hit him.

Krista managed a smile. “We’ll have to make do. We don’t have any other choice.” No, there was no choice at all, not with the storm closing in and no way to travel. They would be sharing a room, spending the night alone together, and in that moment Leif realized the gift he had just received. He had asked the gods for their help in making Krista his. He believed his prayer had just been answered.

“Have ye et?” the tavern keep asked.

“We’ve been on the road,” Krista answered. “We were hoping you might have something left in the kitchen.”

“I’ll have the girl fetch ye up a tray and light the fire. Be extra for that.” He handed Leif a big iron key. “Room’s upstairs, down to the end of the hall.” Leif reached into the inside pocket of his frock coat to pay the bill. As he pulled out the bag of coins he carried, he saw Krista open her reticule.

He tossed her a hard look of warning. “Do not even think to pay.” She glanced up at him. “I was only—”

“I will be the man this night.”

Her golden eyebrows lifted. “Fine,” she said a bit tartly, and turned and started walking toward the stairs.

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