Gareth glanced at the tree behind her and thought about smashing his head against it. It would be more satisfying than trying to reason with such a stubborn little…
“Tanon, hear me. You will not argue so openly with me.”
“I wasn’t arguing with you. I was merely telling you…” she frowned at him when he closed his eyes and raked both hands through his damp hair.
“You’re arguing with me right now,” he insisted in a deceptively calm voice.
“I certainly am not.” She pounded her fist on the ground and then scooted away from him when he bent over her. “Mayhap, if you weren’t so prone to telling me what to do. I would—”
“Silence!” he roared, then ground his teeth trying to control his temper. “You will be silent while I speak.”
She opened her mouth, but Gareth’s icy gaze made her think twice about saying anything. Her lips grew tight around her mouth instead.
“I’m lord here. My people…my men accept what I tell them. And so will you.”
Her nostrils flared and she stared at him in mute fury while she rose to her feet.
“I’m not one of your men.”
“Nay,” he agreed. “If you were, you’d be in the circle with me right now getting your arse whipped.”
Tanon’s fingers curled into her palms. “Oh! You crass, uncaring son of a—”
“Tanon!” His eyes widened with stark disbelief, but when he spoke her name, his voice dripped with warning that she stop now before she regretted it.
Thatfired up her nerve endings.
“Can William swim?” she demanded.
Gareth’s face contorted into a scowl of pure confusion. “What?”
“Can that pig swim, Your Royal Pompousness?” She shot out her arm and pointed to the sooty swine watching them from the door.
“How the hell should I know?”
“You should discover if he can,” she shouted at him. “Because when I see him swimming the length of this stream,I will obey you!”
She whirled on her heel and stomped away toward the cottage. Gareth thought about going after her, but then decided he was daft for even considering it. He stormed away toward the front of the house instead, glaring at the pig as he went.
Chapter Eighteen
Gareth swiped hisforearm across his sweaty brow and lifted his face to the afternoon sun. He’d been working his field for the past two hours, plowing and sowing grain and various seed. Cian, Alwyn, Madoc, and Hereward planted vegetables with hoe and spade. He barely saw his wife at all in that time, save for when she opened the door to greet Cadwyn and Dierdre, and then sent them away.
Brooding, Gareth pushed his body against the plow and continued working. He glanced at the cottage from time to time, hating that Tanon was inside cleaning again. At least Rebecca was with her. Still, he didn’t understand why his wife refused help from his people. Everyone here worked together. Tanon would be expected to help the other women with a task should they ask her. Their unity made them an invincible army. Not of brute strength or military force, but of courage. His people worked hard together and trained even harder. Every accomplishment they achieved rewarded them with greater strength of will, a tenacious sense of pride, and a firm resolve to protect, not only themselves, but their neighbor as well. And it was Gareth who taught them. He led them. He’d gained their respect by fighting for them and always returning when the battle was over. They trusted him to oversee their needs, to treat them fairly, and to teach them how to survive with or without him. Tanon hadn’t given him a chance to explain any of this to her. She’d angered him. Hell, she riled him more than any other living being. She needed to learn to trust him. If their village was ever attacked again, she would have to obey him in order to stay alive.
The thought of losing her terrified him. He would annihilate the entire north region if harm came to her.
Pushing those thoughts from his mind, he sent Cian to the cottage to find some food that wasn’t spoiled by chimney soot. A short while later Tanon returned carrying two trenchers. The gushing, golden haired dolt at her side balanced another three trenchers in his arms.
“Your fair wife was gracious enough to prepare us a fine meal.” Cian announced while Madoc, Hereward, and Alwyn accepted their trenchers from him.
“The bread was wrapped, and the fruit was easy enough to clean and slice.” Tanon said stiffly. She handed Gareth his trencher without a word, and then passed the last to Cian with a warm smile before returning to the cottage.
Gareth watched her with a mixture of stubborn pride tightening his jaw and powerful feeling softening his gaze.
Hereward elbowed Madoc to have a look at his lord.
“They quarreled,” Madoc explained and began eating.