Wild Conquest by Hannah Howell

Author:Hannah Howell
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, Man-Woman Relationships, Fiction, United States, Indentured Servants, Historical
ISBN: 9781420113464
Publisher: Zebra
Published: 1993-01-02T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

“Are ye and Tearlach going to be wed?”

Pleasance sighed as she carefully lifted candles out of the dipping kettle. She placed the candle rod across poles carefully laid between two chairs so the candles could cool.

Moira had been home for nearly a week. Several times Pleasance had tried to speak to the girl about what was between her and Tearlach, but she had always balked at the last moment. A part of her had hoped that Moira would either not notice or would simply accept things as they were without question. She knew now it had been a foolish hope.

“Nay, I think not.” She felt herself blush and was glad of the need to keep working. It meant she did not have to look directly at the girl.

Moira frowned as she added tallow to one of the two kettles over the fire. “Does he make ye share his bed ‘cause ye are his servant?”

“Nay, Moira. There was no force, no coercion. It seems I lack the strength to behave as I ought.”

“Or he does.”

“Mayhaps we both do, aye. We can begin the bayberry candles soon.”

“I like them better than the tallow. ‘Tis a pity the berries arenae as plentiful as the animal fat.”

“Aye.” Pleasance took a deep breath as she prepared to more thoroughly discuss Tearlach and the fact that she shared his bed without the sanction of marriage. “’Tis not right, what Tearlach and I do. I do not wish you to think it is. Not ever. All I said about honor and a woman’s good name still hold true.”

“Then why do it? Is it because ye love him?”

“Moira—”

“I will never tell him. ‘Tisnae my place, is it? Ye love him and let him bed ye, but he makes no promises.”

“That says it most succinctly. Do not scowl so. There is no law that says he must. I am not sure how to explain this to you.”

“Ye dinnae need to mince words with me, Pleasance. We learn the ways of nature early around here. I ken how folk have the urge to rut same as animals. People just dinnae have a special rutting season. They can feel that way each and every day of the year. I ken it can be done without marriage, or in marriage, or for love, or for coin, or,” she added softly, “in violence and hate.”

Knowing that Moira was remembering what had happened to her mother, Pleasance hugged the child. To her delight Moira returned the gesture. They exchanged soft smiles when they finally parted and returned to candlemaking.

“There is a reluctance within me to talk of this, Moira. It seems as if it is a matter of do as I say, not as I do. I tell you how you should act, then act another way myself. Knowing how thoroughly my name is blackened back home certainly weakened my convictions, but I cannot wholly blame that. I am merely weak, and can only stress that when you are grown you should not behave as I have.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.