Lord of Hawkfell Island

Read Online Lord of Hawkfell Island by Catherine Coulter - Free Book Online

Book: Lord of Hawkfell Island by Catherine Coulter Read Free Book Online
Authors: Catherine Coulter
Ads: Link
legs drawn up, her hands folded beneath her cheek. He stood over her, saying nothing. She looked defenseless. She looked helpless, but he knew the truth. He’d felt her damned knife in his throat.
    What was he going to do with her?
    He nudged her buttocks with his foot.
    She mumbled something in her sleep, then quieted again.
    He nudged her again, saying, “Wake up. I have much to do and wish not to waste more of my time with you. You try me with your very presence.”
    She was awake in the next instant. She sat up slowly and brought her hands up to push her hair from her face. It was in the next moment she remembered that her right hand was chained.
    He watched her face pale then saw the anger build in her eyes. He said again, “I have porridge for you. You will eat now. I have no more time to waste.”
    She was so hungry she wanted to snatch the bowl from him. The smell made her mouth water. She forced herself to nod slowly, very slowly. She could smell the porridge and the melting butter. She swallowed convulsively, eyeing that porridge. She looked at the large man standing over her, the man who’d smashed his fist in her jaw and taken her from Clontarf, the man who’d set his big foot on her neck and on her back during the long voyage back to this island, andsaid, “Is it better than the offal you offered me last night?”
    Rorik dumped the porridge on the floor, turned on his heel, and left the sleeping chamber.
    Mirana stared at the porridge, that beautiful porridge with its rich smell and the sweet melting butter, all of it now seeping slowly into the packed earth. She cried. She didn’t make a sound, just cried, the tears falling over her cheeks, dripping onto the blanket. It was her own fault. Why had those words come from her mouth? She hadn’t planned them, they’d just come out without her permission. Why hadn’t she just kept silent? Just nodded and accepted the porridge from him? After she’d eaten it she could have told him it was offal. Why had she baited him? She lowered her head in her hands.
    She didn’t know how much time had passed, perhaps minutes, perhaps hours, but suddenly she heard a movement, thought it him returning, and quickly sniffed back the tears. To have him see her weak like this was more than she could bear. She sniffled and wiped her eyes. She couldn’t bear to look up, to see him staring down at her, doubtless pleased at her failure to control herself, more than pleased that he’d beaten her down so easily.
    A soft young voice said, “I brought you some bread. I made it myself. It’s very good. Lord Rorik and the men have left. Would you like it?”
    Mirana raised her head. On her knees directly in front of her was a young girl with hair so blond it was nearly white. She was slight and very pretty, wearing a pale blue wool gown with a darker blue tunic over it. Two simple brooches of pounded silver fastened the tunic at her shoulders. More importantly, in her hands she held a wooden plate and on that plate were fourslices of flatbread. Smeared on the flatbread were butter and honey. The smells were beyond description. It was a gift from the gods.
    â€œThank you,” Mirana said, her eyes never leaving the bread. “I’m very hungry.”
    â€œOld Alna said you would be. She said Lord Rorik came out of his chamber looking like a man ready to commit murder, his face all red, the cords standing out in his neck. She said she doubted you got any of the porridge, he looked just that mad. She is always saying that men have no patience, that their spirits are too easily irritated and their actions the result of too little thought. They can’t always control themselves, she says.”
    â€œOld Alna sounds wise.” Mirana said no more. She tried not to stuff the flatbread into her mouth, but it was difficult. She concentrated on taking one bite at a time and chewing thoroughly. She knew the girl was

Similar Books

Red Angel

William Heffernan

Trust Game

Scarlet Wolfe

Bad Tidings

Nick Oldham

A LITTLE BIT OF SUGAR

Lindsey Brookes

Undone

Rachel Caine

Magic Hour

Susan Isaacs