Highlander Unchained(77)

Cree appeared out of nowhere. “Does William not understand you that you need to touch him?”

Dawn froze, his face only inches from hers and that feral look in his eyes worse than she remembered. She blessed William a hundred times over when he offered a reasonable explanation.

“Forgive me, my lord, Dawn was gracious enough to offer me comfort after this most upsetting ordeal.”

“Busy yourself with your designs and you will have no time to dwell on it,” Cree ordered. He planted his hands on the table blocking Dawn from William’s view and whispered harshly in her ear, “You will touch no one but me.”

He walked away leaving Dawn to stare after him.

“Would you like to look at the drawings?” William offered. “Perhaps my lord is right and we would be better off with our minds occupied on other things.”

Dawn nodded. Her eyes remained locked on Cree’s back until her shivers returned and distracted her. She reached for her tankard and drank in hopes of chasing them away once again.

She was grateful for William’s endless chatter and she soon became engrossed with the drawings and the plans he so graciously detailed.

Cree kept a watch on Dawn out of the corner of his eye. He had had to restrain himself when he had seen her touch William. It had been a simple gesture more than a definitive touch and yet it had infuriated him. And he was even more infuriated that the archer had yet to be found.

“He eludes us at every turn,” Sloan said.

“Have you and the men become so complacent that you allow one, solitary man to evade you?” Cree accused, his temper still much too close to erupting.

Sloan wisely refrained from debating the issue and said, “No, my lord.”

“And you have yet to find him,” Cree said, though didn’t allow for a reply. “I’m going to take twenty men and see to this myself. You will make certain that Dawn is kept safe while I am gone.”

Sloan gave a nod and Cree could see that he was not pleased with his decision but he would not dare challenge him. He would obey.

Cree looked over at Dawn. She was engrossed with the drawings. He thought of going over to her, warning her to obey Sloan but decided against it. His obsession with her had to stop. He turned and without another word to Sloan, he stormed out of the Great Hall his anger growing ever darker.

Sloan walked over to Dawn intending to make certain she understood that she was not to go anywhere without a guard. But when he approached the table and caught sight of a change she was making to William’s drawing, he stared in awe at her remarkable talent.

“A double battlement, I would have never imagined and yet it makes sense,” William said staring in just as much awe as Sloan.

The three were soon discussing other changes that Dawn had made and it was an hour later that William nodded and said, “These changes are good. I will present them to Cree.”

“He’ll approve,” Sloan said with a nod.

William rolled the parchments and stood. “I have more work to do.” He gave a nod to Dawn. “It has been a pleasure working with you and I hope to do so again.”

Dawn smiled, patted her chest and pointed to him to let him know that she had enjoyed working with him as well.

William smiled and gave another brief nod and left the Great Hall.

Sloan turned to Dawn and delivered Cree’s edict. “You are to go nowhere without a guard and until Cree returns it would be best for you to stay to the keep or your cottage.”

Dawn knew without being told that Cree had gone with his men to find the culprit who had attacked them. And she did not want to think about what he would do to him once he found him. She also did not want her movement limited to two places. She wanted to visit with Lila, see how baby Thomas was doing, get to hold him, and get to talk with her friend. She also wanted to see how Flanna was doing, though she felt odd going to the kitchen and taking what food she wanted, though it would give her a reason for being there.

She gave Sloan a nod and let him know that she understood. He hadn’t ordered only suggested it would be best that she limit herself to the keep and her cottage. Therefore, she was free to go other places if she wished as long as a guard accompanied her. She suddenly looked forward to the rest of the day.

Sloan rubbed his jaw and stared intently at Dawn and she could see that he debated about asking her a question. She wondered if he didn’t because he worried about understanding her gestures. She had found it to be a common reaction in people and the reason many ignored or made fun of her, flaying their hands and arms in mock facsimile of her gestures.

Whatever the reason for his hesitation did not matter to Dawn, she was more curious to know his question. And so she pointed to him and shrugged.