Read Donna Fletcher Short Story Collection for Free Online Page B

When
would he realize how thoroughly they had been joined? Honora often
knew what he thought, finishing his words before he could, and it
was the same for him. It was as if they were one, never to be
separated, for neither could survive without the other.
    “We should gather the men,” Lachlan said
handing his son to his wife.
    Ronan kissed his son’s cheek then returned
him to his mother. “I’ll see to the weapons.”
    “I’ll see if Neddie can detail the location
of where she and Honora gathered the root plants,” Artair said.
    “I’ll never forget the spot,” Neddie
said.
    “You best not wait too long,” Alyce advised.
“With the air turning bitter more snow is sure to fall and any
tracks will be lost to you.”
    Cavan felt a hand on his arm and he saw that
his mother stood beside him. “Go and bring your wife home in time
for Christmas.”
    One day to find his wife, tomorrow being
Christmas and his mother’s wedding day, an occasion his wife had
been so looking forward to.
    “Two of you will stay and see to the
protection of the keep, one will come with me,” Cavan ordered
looking to each of his brothers. “It’s up to the three of you to
decide, but hurry, for we leave in five minutes.”
    Cavan walked out of the keep and stood on the
steps looking in the direction of the woods. “I will be there soon,
Honora and when I do, I’m going to kill the man who dared to take
you from me.”
    ~~~
    Honora had thought the warrior would tire
after carrying her only a short distance, but he hadn’t. He kept
going, taking her further away from home. Her stomach turned from
the thought or the jostling she wasn’t sure, though she was sure of
one thing... she was afraid.
    Fear could help or hinder her predicament,
and she had to be wise in how she dealt with—the large warrior.
    His size certainly would be a deterrent in
her ability to escape. Her husband was strong and when playful
would hold her down and tease her with kisses, but he would always
release her so that they could make love without restraints.
    The size of this man warned that it would be
impossible to free herself from any hold he placed on her, and the
thought turned her stomach again. She wanted no man but Cavan
touching her, and the possibility that another would brought tears
to her eyes.
    She chastised herself for thinking the worst
when she should be spending time trying to plan an escape. She had
escaped captivity from the Barbarians once; she could escape one
lone man, though she had learned later that she had had help from
Carissa. But even though she had been fearful she had taken the
chance. And she was skilled with a dagger thanks to Cavan.
    There were options for her to consider,
besides Cavan would follow soon enough. She had to stay strong and
keep herself safe until her husband came for her.
    Her first thought was to get him to put her
down. On her feet, she could at least attempt an escape.
    “Please,” she pleaded, “please put me
down.”
    “No, you’ll try to run, and I need you.”
    While his response worried her, it also
angered her. He took her captive to satisfy his lust? Or could he
possibly have another need in mind? But what? What could he
possibly need from her?
    They continued to travel until he stopped
suddenly and placed her on the ground, though kept a firm hold on
her arm.
    “Run and I will catch you and then I will
bind your hands and tether you to me, understand?” he asked, though
it resonated more like a demand.
    Honora nodded.
    She stared at him as he looked about, as if
determining his location. He looked a descendent of the Norsemen,
though had a bit of a Scottish brogue to him. He could be from the
settlements far north where some of the Vikings remained once they
stopped pillaging and made peace and eventually became more
Scotsman than Norsemen.
    Few if any of the Norse ventured far from the
lands they had claimed, and she wondered what he was doing here and
why he had abducted her.
    His confused