The Beast of Renald (The Northern Knights) by Amber Dane Read Free Book Online Page A

had cost most of those years to be spent in that dreadful tower. That solitary had nearly driven her mad and not only had it left an impact on her but upon Kelbie. She would not, could not live out another nightmare as she had done with Halvard. She refused to.
     
    With their vows exchanged again, they were rushed back to the inside of the keep. It was all a blur to Caroline. 
    She did not know which of them had shaken more, her or Kelbie. She had held him throughout the entire brisk ceremony and vaguely remembered signing the marriage contract. Darc had been none too pleased, yet he’d said nothing nor did he kiss her when the moment came. He’d done naught but grunt and insulted her further by walking on ahead of them out of the chapel.
    Tears had stung her eyes then. And surprised by why his action hurt, Caroline tried to push the feeling aside and tried to focus on her anger. Her vow to be numb was not working. 
    She pushed the platter away and tried to coax Kelbie to eat more from his own trencher, but the little boy seemed not to want to do aught other than sulk with his thumb in his mouth and sit in her lap. 
    Although he had not uttered a single word to either of them after the vows were spoken, her husband watched them like a hawk. 
    She was glad he had not pressed her for conversation for she did not think she could muster up a single word. The lump of despair in her throat was too large to swallow. 
    Around them, she noticed that there were actually more than a handful of servants about. 
    The servants, a few of his soldiers and the maids who had come to her room earlier occupied the dimly lit Great Hall. All three of them huddled in a corner watching her and Kelbie with their sharp eyes. Only a few trestle tables had been set up and sat empty.
    This paled in comparison to the lavish feast Lord Halvard had thrown, which had lasted for seven days as was the usual Saxon custom, but Caroline knew it would not be that way this time. He was a Norman and besides she did not wish it.  
    Nothing in the past week had been the usual or norm. The sooner this eve was behind her, the better.
    Her eyes fell on her husband as he swallowed down another goblet of wine. He’d all but polished off the ewer in front of him. She found herself fascinated with the corded muscles working in his strong neck. From where she sat she had an unobstructed view of him and she took full advantage, taking her fill. Why the Norman mesmerized her and riled her temper so she did not know but each time she looked away her eyes were drawn right back to him.
    Darc swallowed the contents of his goblet in one full gulp. The bitter wine was taking too long to numb him. He could feel her large doe eyes burning into the side of his face.  He shook with his anger over the last week’s events. When the week had started out, he’d no idea it would end with him taking a wife. 
    Another wife. 
    This one was not as tall or as buxom as his first wife had been who had been of Norman blood. Nay, this one lacked in several areas.
    She was short, small of stature and frail looking. Her lips and eyes the largest parts of her face, yet, striking features nonetheless in a unique way that had drawn his gaze to her face more times than he cared to count.  Her torso was long, and dipped in the back to a shapely bottom that he had found his eyes drawn there too, again, more times than he cared to count. She had bitten her bottom lip so much, unconsciously during the vow taking that she’d drawn droplets of blood. 
    He had also found himself struggling not to reach out to the little boy that she had yet to let go of since they had come into his home. 
    She was a protective mother, like a mother bear to her cub. She held onto the boy as tightly as he clung to her. It spoke volumes to Darc, yet he refused to look deeper into it.  It was enough the boy feared him.
    He would have a fight on his hands this night when the boy was taken from her. And he would