Chapter 19
ALARIC
Alaric unfolded the missive that arrived during breakfast with a brisk shake of his wrist, glancing up at Hanna as she poured more tea into his cup and murmuring his thanks.
She flashed that small, shy smile again, and Alaric felt his heart seize momentarily at the beauty of her face lit with happiness.
Her cheeks were particularly rosy this morning, her colour high and her step light.
Unable to help himself, Alaric flashed her a slow wink, thoughts of their passion in the dark swirling around in his mind, and Hanna blushed furiously, ducking her head and handing over a plate of sweet buns fresh from the oven.
James fussed in his chair, smacking the kitchen tablecloth with pudgy little hands and Maria shushed the boy good-naturedly, offering him another mouthful of porridge and cooing in that way women did to babies.
Alaric caught himself watching his new family and mentally shook himself, turning his attention back to the letter that still lay unread in his hand.
Skimming the contents, he sighed, gulped down the dregs of his tea and stood, stomping his way to the front room and grabbing the rifle from the case mounted on the wall.
“What is it?” asked Hanna, coming up the kitchen stairs while wiping her hands anxiously in her apron.
Alaric sighed, filling his satchel with shot and leather and checking the powder horn before tucking it inside his jacket pocket.
“The hunting party is extending itself by another three days. I must go and check the peasant and partridge numbers, and round up the beaters. Not sure if I will be home nights, all considering. There will need to be an early start until the lords have satisfied their bloodlust.”
Alaric grimaced at the thought of the carnage and swung the rifle strap over his shoulder.
“Can I do anything?” Hanna asked in a small voice, her eyes wide as they tracked his every move.
Alarix realised that she had not yet been alone in the small flint cottage that was now her home.
“You can not worry,” Alaric said gently, grabbing her chin and stealing a kiss from those tender lips. It was a luxury he did not intend to take for granted. “You are my woman now, nothing for you to do except look after James and Maria and keep our bed warm.”
After staring a moment too long into her eyes, watching as she blinked slowly and nodded, her cheeks turning pink with a shy blush, Alaric nodded goodbye and grabbed his hat on the way out.
Whistling for the dogs whilst throwing his greatcoat around his shoulders as he made his way up the garden path towards the road to the manor proper.