Page 92 of Viking in Love

“Hah! You could show a little appreciation. Dunstan’s questions were leading in a direction that could very well have ended with you being dragged naked behind a cart with your head shaved. The mark of an adulterous woman.”

“How about an adulterous man?”

“No such thing.”

Her face went deathly white. “He would not.”

Caedmon shrugged. “I have seen worse done by God-men in the name of the church. And Dunstan is a power unto himself.”

“Besides, neither of us is married. So adultery does not come into the picture.”

He waved a hand dismissively. “You are naive if you think that matters.” He went on to tell her stories of things he had witnessed done by churchmen, including the skin of a man tacked to a church door, not to mention all the depravities the king himself had performed.

“I had no idea.” Her shoulders drooped.

“You are not to worry, Breanne.” He got up and went to sit beside her on the bed. Putting an arm over her shoulder, he tucked her into his side and kissed the top of her head. “I will protect you.”

She sniffled, then straightened. “If we work together, mayhap we can survive this mire of quicksand.”

He smiled. “That is the spirit. Now, first off, I think you should wear my ring.” He tugged the signet ring off his middle finger and pushed it onto her right hand. “Nay, do not protest. ’Tis the first of my arrha gifts for you. If we were really getting married, you would move the ring to your left hand during the ceremony, signifying that you will be obedient to your new husband.”

“Never!”

“I am just saying.” He smirked at her.

The lout! She adjusted it on her finger, then made a fist to ensure it did not fall off. “I like it,” she said, staring up at him through lashes that sparkled with tears, like burnished copper.

His heart swelled for some odd reason. “It is too big,” he said gruffly.

“I will fix it with yarn.”

“Once Dunstan leaves, we can dissolve the betrothal,” he pointed out. “So do not worry in that regard.”

“Seems to me that we are spinning so many lies we are bound to be caught.”

“Too bad Rashid is not here. He would no doubt have a wisdom parable to suit.”

She laughed and swiped at her damp eyes. “Definitely, and it would involve camels.”

“Dost think we should seal our betrothal?” he asked then.

“With a kiss?”

“Nay. I was thinking more in the line of a swiving.” Or two.

“That is all I would need…to be discovered by the archbishop in the midst of fornication. Not that I am interested.”

“Your nose twitches when you tell a lie.”

“It does not.” She put a hand over her nose to make sure.

“I could make you be interested.”

“I doubt that. I have built up a resistance to your tempting charms.”

I have tempting charms? I had no idea. “Did I ever tell you about the time I spent in the Arab lands?”

“You pop from one subject to another like fleas on a white dog.”