Hunter's Woman by Kaitlyn O'Connor Read Free Book Online Page A

but….”
    Again the scrape of feet brought Aslyn’s attention to the door.  She broke off abruptly when she saw a young soldier stood in the opening, holding a pair of candle sticks.  “With Lord Algar’s compliments.”  Moving to the table, he set them down, then turned, bowed and departed, all before Aslyn could jog her surprised mind for a polite refusal. 
    “Wait!” Aslyn called to the soldier’s retreating back.  He neither slowed nor turned, much to Aslyn’s indignation.  “I can’t take these….”
    Enid snickered.
    Aslyn glared at her.  Kale, she saw when she glanced in his direction, was frowning at the smoldering fire on the hearth. 
    “I see you’re in a fair way to getting settled in so I’ll just leave the basket I brought you and be on my way.”
    Aslyn grasped Enid’s arm, giving her a pleading look.  “Stay … a moment.”  She cast about in her mind.  “How is your husband faring?”
    Enid relented, hiding a smile as she gave in to Aslyn’s silent plea.  “Well enough, I suppose.  Limping about, of course, and muttering under his breath, but I checked his bandage.  There’s been little bleeding since you patched him up this morn.”
    “Ladies.”
    Enid and Aslyn both turned startled eyes upon him. 
    “Good eve.”
    Aslyn studied him uncomfortably.  In truth, she was exceedingly grateful for the fire, however much she would have preferred to build it herself and thus be free of obligation.  She had not done so, though, and could not bring herself to be so rude as to allow him to go without expressing her appreciation for his efforts.  “Thank you.  If you have need of … of … uh….”  She broke off.  Neither ‘care’ nor ‘attention’ seemed the sort of thing to utter, particularly not when they could so easily be turned against her.
    Kale’s lips curled faintly.  “If I have need of?” he prodded, his dark brows rising questioningly.
    “I’m sure she’d offer you a fine stew for your trouble if she had a hare to toss into the pot,” Enid supplied helpfully.  “I’ve brought her what I can spare at the moment, but the roots alone….”
    He frowned, glanced around the austere cottage, nodded and left.
    Aslyn elbowed the woman in the ribs.  “For shame!  That was blatant….”
    Enid shrugged.  “You’d rather go to bed hungry?  The roots will not make much of a soup.”
    Obviously, there was no point in belaboring the fact that Enid had not only discomfited her by soliciting on her behalf, she had encouraged a closer association with the man … which Aslyn was desperate to discourage.  Instead, she focused upon Enid’s determined efforts to repay her for her help.  It was winter.  Food was scarce.  The basket of food she’d brought could well create hardship for her own family.  “It’s too much!  As much as I appreciate your generosity, Enid, you’ve repaid me twice over already.  You must take your basket with you.”
    “What?  In giving you a spot of tea and a ride into town?  We’d have done the same for anyone we passed, with no expectation of payment for it.  You cannot count that.  I figured Jomares could patch the roof as soon as he was able, but that’ll not be for a while.  Anyway, you’ve not had time to settle in and it’s only neighborly to bring a bit of food to tide you over for the night.”
    “That’s too much for so little,” Aslyn said firmly.
    Enid’s brows rose.  “My Jomares means a sight more to me than a hand full of potatoes and carrots, I can tell you!”
    Aslyn reddened, mortified to have her words interpreted in such a way.  “I didn’t mean it that way.”
    “I never thought you did, but I do.”  With that she set the basket down and marched toward the door.  She turned when she reached it.  “I’d stay and help, but I need to get my own family settled in and supper on if we’re to eat tonight.”
    Aslyn nodded and thanked her.  She was relieved to have the cottage to