Read Online Return of the Rogue by Donna Fletcher - Free Book Online
Authors: Donna Fletcher
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night.”
Cavan leaned down and pressed his cool cheek next to her flushed one. The heat seared him like a branding iron, though he didn’t mind being marked by her. “Thank you.”
Honora nodded and quickly returned to Lachlan’s side.
Cavan didn’t return until dawn, exhaustion having claimed his battle-weary body. He rushed to the solar, Artair joining him along the way.
“Sleep imprisoned us both,” Artair said with a sense of guilt.
“At least we are well rested and can relieve my wife and our mother so they may rest,” Cavan said, reassuringly grasping his brother’s shoulder just before entering the solar.
They both froze as they watched their mother and Honora frantically working over their brother, blood everywhere and Lachlan moaning.
“He ripped his stitches after fighting us while in the throes of a dream,” Addie explained.
“Damn,” Artair mumbled. “I should have remembered that Lachlan always relives the battle in his dreams from that day.”
“Since when?” Cavan asked.
“Since you and Ronan had gone missing.”
“That matters little at the moment,” their mother insisted. “It is what must be done now that matters, and we could use your help in restraining him.”
Cavan and Artair positioned themselves at the shoulders and feet of their brother as Honora once again stitched the wound.
When she was finally done, she would have toppled over if not for the quick reaction of her husband. He caught her arm and secured her in the crook of his shoulder.
“Honora is exhausted,” Addie said. “She has not slept a wink, insisting that I take time to rest while she continued to care for Lachlan alone. If it wasn’t for her calming voice and actions…” Addie shook her head. “…Lachlan would have continued to fight us.”
“You will rest now,” Cavan demanded, tilting his wife’s chin up and seeing how the exhaustion consumed her lovely violet eyes.
“I would like that,” she said with a yawn.
Cavan was about to swing his wife up into his arms when Lachlan suddenly attempted to bolt off the bed. He would have been successful if not for Artair’s firm hold on his shoulders. Cavan helped him keep Lachlan stable, but the injured brother didn’t settle completely until Honora rested her hand to his chest and spoke softly in his ear.
When Lachlan finally woke from his disturbed sleep, Cavan was able to order his wife to go rest. He wished he could join her, be alone with her and express his gratitude for what she’d done for his brother, but he was still needed at Lachlan’s side.
He watched Honora, saw that fatigue had claimed her body, and he worried that she wouldn’t have the strength to climb the stairs to their bedchamber.
“Tell me of the battle, Cavan,” Lachlan said, his teeth gritted against the pain.
“Yes,” Honora encouraged. “Tell your brother of the victory.”
“It was a worthy win,” Artair boasted, and soon the brothers were comparing their prowess with a sword.
Cavan slipped out of the solar a couple of hours later to check on his wife. He found her sound asleep in their bed, snuggled deep amidst the bedding, with a strong fire keeping a chill from the room, and he wished he was keeping her warm with his body.
The thought didn’t startle him as he walked over to the fireplace and braced his hand against the mantel to stare down at the flames. Honora had been on his mind much too often and in ways that would probably shock and offend her innocence.
He had been pleased to realize she wasn’t a complete little mouse, afraid of everything, but then again, that sudden knowledge made him all the more curious to learn how she would react to making love.
She had a gentle touch and a sincere kindness to her, and right now he wasn’t prepared to deal with a tender woman. He needed one with strength and hunger for her husband, for his need for a woman bordered more on ferocious rather than tender.
He rubbed at the back of his neck, a
Cavan leaned down and pressed his cool cheek next to her flushed one. The heat seared him like a branding iron, though he didn’t mind being marked by her. “Thank you.”
Honora nodded and quickly returned to Lachlan’s side.
Cavan didn’t return until dawn, exhaustion having claimed his battle-weary body. He rushed to the solar, Artair joining him along the way.
“Sleep imprisoned us both,” Artair said with a sense of guilt.
“At least we are well rested and can relieve my wife and our mother so they may rest,” Cavan said, reassuringly grasping his brother’s shoulder just before entering the solar.
They both froze as they watched their mother and Honora frantically working over their brother, blood everywhere and Lachlan moaning.
“He ripped his stitches after fighting us while in the throes of a dream,” Addie explained.
“Damn,” Artair mumbled. “I should have remembered that Lachlan always relives the battle in his dreams from that day.”
“Since when?” Cavan asked.
“Since you and Ronan had gone missing.”
“That matters little at the moment,” their mother insisted. “It is what must be done now that matters, and we could use your help in restraining him.”
Cavan and Artair positioned themselves at the shoulders and feet of their brother as Honora once again stitched the wound.
When she was finally done, she would have toppled over if not for the quick reaction of her husband. He caught her arm and secured her in the crook of his shoulder.
“Honora is exhausted,” Addie said. “She has not slept a wink, insisting that I take time to rest while she continued to care for Lachlan alone. If it wasn’t for her calming voice and actions…” Addie shook her head. “…Lachlan would have continued to fight us.”
“You will rest now,” Cavan demanded, tilting his wife’s chin up and seeing how the exhaustion consumed her lovely violet eyes.
“I would like that,” she said with a yawn.
Cavan was about to swing his wife up into his arms when Lachlan suddenly attempted to bolt off the bed. He would have been successful if not for Artair’s firm hold on his shoulders. Cavan helped him keep Lachlan stable, but the injured brother didn’t settle completely until Honora rested her hand to his chest and spoke softly in his ear.
When Lachlan finally woke from his disturbed sleep, Cavan was able to order his wife to go rest. He wished he could join her, be alone with her and express his gratitude for what she’d done for his brother, but he was still needed at Lachlan’s side.
He watched Honora, saw that fatigue had claimed her body, and he worried that she wouldn’t have the strength to climb the stairs to their bedchamber.
“Tell me of the battle, Cavan,” Lachlan said, his teeth gritted against the pain.
“Yes,” Honora encouraged. “Tell your brother of the victory.”
“It was a worthy win,” Artair boasted, and soon the brothers were comparing their prowess with a sword.
Cavan slipped out of the solar a couple of hours later to check on his wife. He found her sound asleep in their bed, snuggled deep amidst the bedding, with a strong fire keeping a chill from the room, and he wished he was keeping her warm with his body.
The thought didn’t startle him as he walked over to the fireplace and braced his hand against the mantel to stare down at the flames. Honora had been on his mind much too often and in ways that would probably shock and offend her innocence.
He had been pleased to realize she wasn’t a complete little mouse, afraid of everything, but then again, that sudden knowledge made him all the more curious to learn how she would react to making love.
She had a gentle touch and a sincere kindness to her, and right now he wasn’t prepared to deal with a tender woman. He needed one with strength and hunger for her husband, for his need for a woman bordered more on ferocious rather than tender.
He rubbed at the back of his neck, a
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