His Bonnie Bride by Hannah Howell (the beginning after the end read novel .TXT) 📕

it would put a wedge between them. One of her fears was that he would demand that, if she bore him a son, the child stay with him. That was something she could never bear. It was becoming imperative that she get home.

Sighing as she moved to the door, Storm knew that her troubles would not cease once she got home. Eventually she would have to tell her father and in such a way that he did not ride out for Caraidland screaming for blood. There would be the spiteful tongues blaming her for what she had no control over to contend with. With no maidenhead and a bastard child, she would be unweddable. A cold, loveless future stretched before her, and that would be the hardest thing to face, especially now that she had had a taste of love, if unreturned, and the passion it bred. She envisioned endless nights of aching with a shudder.

As she walked into the hall, she thought about the life growing within her. Despite her gloomy thoughts on her future, as well as her current worries, she found a flicker of elation struggling to grow. She would have a piece of Tavis to hold and love. Storm knew that would bring her future pain, but she felt the joy of their child could outshine that. There would be a child of Tavis's body to whom she could give all the love she ached to give to Tavis.

Tavis sat in the hall, drinking ale and talking with his family, but his mind was on Storm, not on what he was saying. Fighting weather was passing even in France, he presumed. Soon Lord Eldon would be coming home. The king could not hold all his high-born knights at his side even if he opted to stay in France for the winter. By now word of the trouble at home must have reached Lord Eldon, and Tavis had no doubt that the man would be hieing it back to Hagaleah to gain his daughter's freedom through ransom or sword. Each day Tavis expected to hear word from the man.

The ransom would be paid, Storm would return to Hagaleah and Tavis's bed would be empty again. The thought brought a chill to his bones. Still, he ignored the small voice that wearily tried to tell him of his feelings. He continued to tell himself that he liked her and relished her passion, a combination he had never enjoyed before. That was why he hated the thought of her leaving. It meant a return to women who satisfied a need at only the most basic of levels.

He had grown greedy of late as thoughts of her leaving crowded into his mind more and more. It did not surprise him that she lingered abed in the mornings. A twinge of guilt assailed him as he recalled how wan she looked at times. That would not stop him from making love to her each and every chance he got, however, but he did think he would try not to disturb her night's sleep as often as he had been. It would not do to send her back to her father looking ill and well used.

Thinking that brought him to wonder what would happen when Lord Eldon discovered that his daughter had slept with her captor. It was ample reason to take up his sword. Tavis knew that his family would be crying long and loud for blood if they had a cherished daughter treated as he had treated Storm. It was a man's responsibility, if nothing else. Dishonor must be paid for in blood.

The only reason he was not positive that they faced a battle with Eldon was because of Storm. It was not vanity that told Tavis she thoroughly enjoyed their lovemaking. Her protests at the start had been very weak and, after that, she had never turned from him; rather she had welcomed him to her bed each night with open arms, a sweet smile and a passion to equal his own.

Would she tell her father how she had been used? If Eldon guessed, would she try to turn aside his natural wrath? Storm did not seem to be the vengeful sort but, because he had offered her no words of love, would she react as a woman scorned and need MacLagan blood to soothe her wounded vanity?

Even as the questions formed, Tavis answered them negatively. Storm would do her best to keep the families from meeting at sword point over her lost innocence. She was a practical, logical person and would not wish any deaths to occur over something that was inevitable and that she had enjoyed. If naught else, she would want to do all she could to keep her own family from battle.

His thoughts were interrupted by her entrance. A slow, enjoyable survey of her as she came toward him told him that no one could say she had been abused. In fact, he thought she looked better than she had when she had first arrived, although there was a sadness in her eyes at times that he was loathe to investigate. Her gentle curves had become more womanly. A lovely smile touched her equally lovely face as she greeted everyone, and he felt his loins stir, causing him to smile crookedly at his own weakness.

Just as he was about to greet her, a messenger from Hagaleah was announced. Everyone tensed, and Tavis noticed that Storm was again looking pale as she sat down next to him. There was no time to puzzle over her reaction, for his father was reading the missive the courier had given him.

Storm had discovered that she was torn two ways. She did need to get away to the sanctuary of Hagaleah, but the idea of leaving Tavis was nearly unbearable. Her personal conflict of emotion was forgotten as she caught the look on the laird's face. The news from Hagaleah was not good.

"They have finally refused a ransom openly?" she