“Aye, it’s me and how foolish are you to be out in a snowstorm like this on your own,” he reprimanded, still shocked from finding her wandering around on her own in the raging snow.
“What are you doing wearing the garments of a barbarian?” she demanded.
“You don’t want to know.”
He warned in such a menacing way that she held her tongue.
“Explain,” he ordered, “and silence your pup’s growls or I will.”
“Thaw wouldn’t growl if you weren’t so belligerent,” she said with a wag of her finger at him.
“Don’t wag that finger at me, woman,” he ordered.
“Then don’t order me about. You have no right. You’re not my husband and thank God you never will be,” she said and gave one last shake of her finger.
He was suddenly right in her face, his hand swallowing her fingers in a tight grasp while Thaw growled threateningly at him,
“You would learn obedience soon enough if you were my wife,” he said, his face so near that the tip of his nose touched hers. “Now silence that pup of yours.” He stepped away from her.
“Quiet, Thaw,” Snow ordered three times before the pup settled into a low growl.
It was getting hot in the small space and Snow slipped her cloak off and felt for the back of one of the two chairs to drape it across.
“Tell me what happened, since there is no way your family would let you go off on your own and while you’re often more foolish than not, I don’t believe you’d be that foolish.”
“Your compliments always overwhelm me,” Snow said.
“Sarcasm will not help your situation.”
“You’re right,” she agreed with a nod, thinking it would do no good to antagonize him in her current dilemma. She needed his help in getting home.
“Finally, you speak words that make sense.”
Snow bit her tongue so hard she thought she’d make it bleed.
“I’m waiting,” he said impatiently.
She caught his movements and she surmised he was shedding his furs as she had done with her cloak.
“Light flurries were falling when I left Willow’s home with Finn,” she began. “The snowstorm seemed to come from out of nowhere. He stopped and tied a rope from my horse to his so he wouldn’t lose me,”
“That was wise of him. So what happened?”
“After a while his horse stopped and so did mine. I called out but got no answer. Thaw jumped out of my arms and I went after him. He led me to Finn.” Sorrow had her pausing a moment. “He was on the ground dead. I felt no wounds on his chest and head. I assumed his heart simply stopped as my mum would say.”
“Finn was a good man.”
Snow was surprised he knew Finn and that he offered even a small bit of condolence. Did the Lord of Fire possibly have a heart?
“Of course, you foolishly didn’t think to keep hold of the horses when you went in search of Finn.”
Nope, he had no heart, she thought and bit her tongue again.
“I tried to find them—”
“In a blinding snowstorm and being blind yourself. Now there’s a wise decision.”
Snow’s anger flared. “What was I to do? My one chance of getting home was to find the horses and hope they would take me there.”
“And deliver you frozen to your brother. You should have sought shelter,” he argued.
“What does it matter?” she said, throwing her hands up in the air. “You came along and rescued me.”
“You could have died,” he snapped.
“And I still might,” she snapped back.
“You don’t think I can see you safely home?”
“I fear that I irritate you so much that you might kill me before you have a chance to do so.” She sighed, exhausted. “All I want is to go home. I promise I will hold my tongue while here with you, if you would please just get me home safely.”
She startled when he suddenly stood in front of her again.
“I will not harm you. You have my word on that and you have my word that I will see you get home safely.”
“I appreciate that, my lord,” she said, addressing him properly.
“You think to address me properly when you have failed to do so endless times?”
She bit her tongue again, thinking she might very well lose it by the end of their time together.
“No response?” he asked.
“I promised I would hold my tongue,” she said.
“Good,” he said and turned away.
“More like biting it,” she murmured for her ears alone.
“What was that you said?” he asked, turning back around.
“Just warning Thaw not to bite you,” she said and Thaw gave a growl as if protesting her command. “Do you know where we are? Close to my home? My sister’s?”
“We’re closer to my home. As soon as the snow allows we’ll head there and when the weather permits I’ll see you get home safely.”
The thought of having to stay in unfamiliar surroundings with not a familiar person to help her terrified her. This small space she could quickly become familiar with and easily maneuver on her own, but a village and keep she had little memory of, not having been there since she was young, was another matter. And how in heaven’s name had they wound up closer to his home than hers? Had Finn misjudged direction? He knew the area far too well along with the land markers. Had a snowstorm driven him that far off course?
She felt for the chair where she had draped her cloak and sat lost in her worrisome thoughts.
Tarass watched her and he saw how Thaw kept watch on him. The pup’s dark eyes followed his every move as he remained firmly planted against Snow’s leg. The pup never left her side and though he had grown some he hadn’t yet gained the strength and size to protect her adequately. However, that did not stop him from trying and for that he had to admire the pup’s confidence and tenacity.
He was much like Snow… stubborn, willful, her tongue snappish, foolishly standing up to those much stronger and more powerful than herself. She was blind in more ways than one.
James, her half-brother, needed a firmer hand when dealing with her. He was much too lenient, letting her wander on her own. Strict watch should be kept over her at all times. Maybe after this unfortunate incident James would see that and do what was necessary. If not, harm was bound to find Snow.
It was difficult to deny her beauty and none did. Many agreed that out of all three Macardle sisters, she was the most beautiful. The three shared red hair and green eyes, though the red color was different for each. Snow’s hair shined with a red brilliance that caught the eye as it fell well past her shoulders. Her green eyes had a shine to them as well, not bright or bold, but pleasant as if they greeted you along with the smile she often wore. At least that was what others said about her, since she seldom bestowed a smile on him.
Looking at her now she appeared upset and he could easily guess why. She wanted to go home to what was familiar to her, not be stuck in a place she didn’t know. He would have to assign one of the women to attend her since she wouldn’t be able to get around on her own.
“I’m going to need to get more wood to keep the fire going,” he said.
She turned her head in his direction. “The wood is wet. How do you get it to burn?”
“It needs to be stripped down to where it’s not wet, then it burns, but I think a saw a wood pile under a lean-to. There might be some dry wood there.”
“What if the people who live here return?” she asked.
“In this snowstorm that would be doubtful, but from the looks of the place I’d say it’s been deserted for some time,” Tarass said and saw a sadness wash over her, then she shook her head slowly.
“Of course, this must be Janick’s place.”
“The name isn’t familiar to me.”
“It wouldn’t be. Janick and his wife settled into this cottage after you and your family left. He and Sybil were old then, looking for a place where they wouldn’t be bothered and could live their lives in peace. My sisters and I took turns visiting them to make sure they were well and if they needed anything. They were content with each other and a more caring couple than I had ever met.”
She smiled and Tarass was struck by the way her whole face seemed to light with the smile and how her green eyes even turned brighter.
“I remember how they looked at each other with such love. How proud he was to admit that his heart belonged to her and always would. How they could always be found holding hands.” She wiped at her eyes to stop tears from falling. “That’s how they were found, holding hands. Willow found them. Sybil had gotten sick and Willow feared she would not make it. One day she arrived here and found Sybil in bed, Janick sitting in a chair next to the bed, his body slumped over hers and their hands joined. From what Willow could tell they didn’t die long after each other. That’s a strong love to follow each other into death.”
“Love is nothing but pain and sorrow and best avoided,” Tarass said.
“How sad for you to believe that.”
“Not at all. It frees me to live and—”
“Feel nothing and that’s living in fear,” she finished.
“I fear nothing!” he snapped.
“We all fear something,” she said with a shrug, “and in some ways it makes us stronger.” She rested her hand on the table and almost pulled it back, having touched the animal head, but stopped and began to explore it. “Why do you wear this—” She paused, her fingers trying to determine what she touched.
“Wolf’s head,” he said and while her hand paused, it never left the animal’s head.
“Why?” she asked again.
“The fire dwindles,” he said, ignoring her question. “I’m going to get more wood.”
She stood and slipped on her cloak.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“I must see to my needs and so does Thaw,” she said and felt heat stain her cheeks.
“You will not take long,” he ordered.
His hand clamped around her arm before she had a chance to respond and he led her to the door, Thaw staying close to her side.
The wind howled and whipped as if angry and Tarass walked her to a tree near the cottage.
He took her hand and rested it on the tree. “You will remain here until I come for you.”
“As you say,” Snow said, having no desire to be caught in the storm alone again.
“Stay with her,” Tarass ordered, looking down at the pup and Thaw gave a bark and plopped on his rump beside her.
“I’m going to see if that was a wood pile I saw, then I’ll be right back. It’s only a few steps away. Call out if you need me.”
“I will,” she said, though saw no reason she would need him. She waited a few moments to make certain he was gone and when she felt Thaw leave her side to see to his duty, she knew it was safe for her to do the same.
She was quick about it, the furious wind and biting cold forcing her to hurry. She was finished adjusting her garments when Thaw began to bark and wouldn’t stop. He remained in front of her like a shield and continued his nonstop barking.
Snow jumped when she felt a hand at her arm.
“It’s me. What’s wrong?” Tarass asked, leaning close to her face so he didn’t have to shout above the wind.
She turned her face, her cold cheek brushing his. “Something or someone must be out there. He only barks like this when he thinks I’m in danger.”
Thaw gave a loud bark followed by a vicious growl, then he lunged forward into the snow.
“Stay here, and keep your hand on that tree,” Tarass ordered. “I’m going after him.”
She didn’t argue, didn’t respond, didn’t want to waste time with either. She wanted Tarass to make sure Thaw was safe. She planted herself against the tree, straining to hear Thaw’s barks and when they faded her worry grew.
After a moment, she thought she heard someone approach or did it sound like something was being dragged? She couldn’t tell and without word from Tarass or a bark from Thaw, it couldn’t be them.
She stayed where she was, not knowing what to do. Tarass told her to stay by the tree, but what if something had happened to him? And what if she walked away from the tree, wandered aimlessly, not knowing in what direction to go, since she had turned several times after Tarass had deposited her there. She had no idea of the direction of the cottage.
She strained to listen again when suddenly a hand fell on her shoulder squeezing it tight and saying not a word and began to drag her away from the tree. Her instincts flared and she fought to free herself. The unknown person was strong and fear rose up in her. If he got a good grip on her, she might not be able to break free of him.
Snow kicked, swung, and did whatever she could to yank herself free, but it was a sharp swing of her head that caught him under the chin that did it and once his arm fell away, she hurried off in the snow as best as she could. She didn’t know what direction she went in, couldn’t see anything but shadows that she quickly avoided.
Were they trees or were there more men like the one who had grabbed her?
The wind made it impossible to determine how much snow had fallen, swirling it around and depositing it deeper in some places than others. She kept her hands out in front of her as she stumbled her way in the snowstorm. She thought to scream out for Tarass, but if there were other men, they would hear her as well.
She continued to stumble around and then like a light in the darkness, she heard Tarass scream her name. She turned, not knowing what direction it came from and took a step as she went to answer him.
Her foot found no solid ground and just before she fell, she screamed out to him, “Tarass!”