Warriors in Winter by Willingham Michelle

Author:Willingham, Michelle [Willingham, Michelle]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Warrior, Irish, Historical Fiction, Vikings, Historical Romance, Love Story, General, Romance, Ireland, Historical, Fiction
ISBN: 9780373297184
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2012-11-13T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

Rhiannon trembled, but said nothing. Kaall knew he’d pushed her too far, but it was better if she remained afraid of him and didn’t come back. With every moment he spent at her side, she made it harder to turn her away. This last kiss had shaken him, making him wonder why she would embrace a man like him when she could have any other.

But she likely wouldn’t return. She was an innocent, high-born, and meant for marriage. The distance between them was too great to be spanned, and no doubt she would regain her senses when she returned to her own people. Slowly, he drew back, holding her hand for a moment before he released her.

In the distance, he heard the sound of men approaching on horseback. Rhiannon inhaled sharply and confessed, ‘They’re searching for me,’ she told him. ‘If my father is with them...he can’t find us together.’

Kaall didn’t like hiding. Not at all.

But Rhiannon seized the horse, guiding it with one hand into the woods while she gripped his palm and led him with her. ‘Can you find your way back, with the horse?’ she asked.

He gave a nod, though it would take time to regain his bearings. Rhiannon handed over the reins and squeezed his hand. ‘I promise, I’ll come back.’

A strange hollowness clenched in his gut as he released her hand and voiced the words that needed to be said. ‘It’s better if you don’t.’

* * *

Rhiannon avoided her father’s men, making her own return to Laochre. Inside, it felt as if the past two days were nothing but a broken dream. She’d been stranded alone with a handsome, fierce warrior...and Kaall was just like all the others—avoiding her because of who she was. Though her mouth was still swollen from his kiss, it was her heart that held the bruises. As soon as she walked in the gates, her mother descended upon her, embracing her hard.

‘Oh, thank God you’re safe.’ Aileen MacEgan squeezed her tightly, touching her hair and breathing a sigh of relief. ‘We’ve been searching since yesterday. When we couldn’t find you—’ Her mother’s words broke off with fear.

‘I’m all right. I found shelter in a cavern.’ Piecing together the story, she told what truths she could, leaving out any mention of Kaall. Her mother brought her inside and ordered a meal of hot stew and bread. Though Rhiannon ate and answered more questions, she couldn’t stop thinking of Kaall.

In the background, she saw her cousin Brianna with a basket of pine boughs. The young woman was busy hanging them around the Hall, decorating for Christmas.

Guilt sank deeply into her, for she knew Brianna had not forgotten her husband’s death. The young woman still grieved for Murtagh. If she learned that Rhiannon had taken shelter with the man who had killed her husband, her cousin would never forgive her.

Worse, Rhiannon had kissed him. And she’d liked it far more than she should.

Kaall wasn’t a tame man, nor one who would ever fit into the role of a husband.

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.