Viking Fire by Andrea R. Cooper

Author:Andrea R. Cooper [Cooper, Andrea R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Contemporary, Romance
Publisher: Crimson Romance, an imprint of F+W Media, Inc.
Published: 2013-07-29T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Kaireen stared at the half moon creeping through the clouds. She heard coughing in the distance and people milling about.

Obviously she was ill-suited to have a husband. After her mourning, she would enlist in the convent. God must want her as a nun if disaster trod so fiercely on her heels. All of his bravery flooded back to her. He telling her to leave when the other Lochlanns came, whatever he said to Owen made the man stop beating his wife, putting up with her temper and harsh words, and even today fighting the fire valiantly to save them. The image of him covered in smoke and ash while he rescued her niece pulled at a piece inside her. She searched her mind for any noble men she knew who would have done as much as he and was chastened to know no one.

Fire eased its possession of the homes and fields as the men and women pounded the last traces with soaked blankets and cloaks.

Two chimneys toward above the wreckage like watchtowers. One was the one she and Bram had shared. Nothing stirred in the remains. She accepted the hugs of the women, feeling numb.

A man’s hand wrapped in bandages and covered in soot extended to her. “Let the woman and child ride with you.” The voice, tinted with familiarity in her mind, was clouded behind raspy coughs.

She nodded woodenly. Guilt made her look to thank the man for his help with the fire, when Bram’s azure eyes held her. He smiled and his teeth lit his darkened face. She realized he held her hand, but while she wanted to keep holding on, pride made her jerk away.

“Someone must not want us dead.” He winked.

Her handmaid pushed a colored flask into Bram’s empty hand. “Drink this to rid your cough.”

He downed the liquid and then handed back the flask. “Tastes like cedar and sand.”

“Never mind.” Elva waved her hand. “Sit and rest before you ride back.”

“I am fine.” He mumbled and then fell to his knees. “Well, maybe a rest will do me good.”

Bram coughed three more times, then vomited black mucus. Then his coughing stopped. He breathed in and the muscles in his face relaxed. “Thank you.”

Elva nodded and then stalked away to assist others.

Shivering from a gust of wind, Kaireen moved away to gather her sister and niece. Despite nearly dying, she could not keep a smile from her face. She mounted and waited for her sister to hand her Megan and then to mount as well. Her niece, Megan, sat before her in the saddle, her sister behind her.

Bram strode forward. “Take care.” He scratched her mare behind the ears. “This fire did not rouse from natural causes.”

She frowned at him. Megan whimpered against her.

He leaned forward, his hand brushing her knee. And she tried not to think about his hand on her bare skin. The fire had damaged this gown beyond repair and her shift did not give her much cover. “The hearth in the bedroom was the only one with logs.

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