“Are you saying I am a wise woman?” she asked.

Her smile told him she was teasing and it brought a smile to his face. “In this situation you are.”

“A true compliment, I’ll gladly accept,” she said and thought the Lord of Fire wasn’t as insufferable as she had thought.

That thought came back to haunt her when she felt him lift the hem of her shift and tunic too high and roll up her wool hose to expose the wound on her leg, and she warned him. “You’ll not take advantage of me and go any further.”

“Rest easy, Snow, I have no desire to poke a bli—” He clamped his mouth shut, realizing how his words would sound.

She, however, finished his words for him. “A blind woman. You have no desire to poke a blind woman. Isn’t that what you meant to say?” She shoved his hand away from her leg. “And I have no desire to be poked by an insufferable arse.”

Tarass learned not to feel. It did little good to feel. It only brought pain and sorrow. So he often spoke in the same manner, not giving thought or caring about others’ feelings. This time, however, his own words had disturbed him. Not that he would apologize. He never apologized. That was another thing he learned not to do.

“The wound on your leg needs cleaning,” he said, thinking she would respond to sound reasoning.

“Give me the cloth and I will see to it myself,” Snow ordered.

“No!” he said sharply. “I will see to it and you will rest afterwards and I will hear no more about it.”

“You cannot dictate to me,” Snow argued.

“I just did,” Tarass said firmly, his hand going to rest at her ankle. “And do not fight me on this, Snow. You will not win.”

Thaw growled from where he sat beside her.

“You’d be wise to teach the pup to let someone tend you when necessary,” Tarass said.

His words had echoed Willow’s when someone the pup didn’t know had attempted to help Snow when she had stumbled and Thaw had snarled and snapped at him. She didn’t want to admit Tarass was right and she wouldn’t, though she would let Thaw know Tarass could tend her.

“It’s all right, Thaw, Tarass helps me,” she said, reaching out to touch the pup.

Thaw quickly stood to receive the pat and rub and know that all was well.

“I’ll see to your face first and then your leg and you should seriously consider letting me look at your side,” he said as he stood.

“I feel no blood there, so it’s probably nothing more than a bruise.”

“Can I at least have a look at your side to make sure no blood has seeped through your garments?”