“Snow was on her way home when the snowstorm hit. From what she could tell, the man escorting her suffered a sudden death and the horses got away from her.”

“So you found her wandering aimlessly around in the snowstorm?” Rannock asked.

“I did.”

Rannock rubbed at his chin and his eyes narrowed. “You brought her straight here?”

“No questions, Rannock,” he ordered.

Rannock’s brow shot up. “I understand.”

“So Twilla is finding you a wife,” Tarass said and watched Rannock’s cheeks burn bright red. The man was thick-chested, with arm muscles that his shirt had difficulty containing, good features, long, flaxen colored hair, and a scar that ran along the one side of his jaw, not to mention the various scars on other parts of his body, proof of what a ferocious warrior he was. But when it came to women, he was a complete failure.

Rannock’s head hung low as he spoke as if he was about to admit to a horrendous crime. “I have no choice. You know better than anyone how difficult it is for me to speak to a woman.”

“You mean to speak to a woman you think might make a good wife, since I know firsthand you have no trouble speaking to a woman otherwise.”

Rannock rubbed at his chin, this time more roughly. “My tongue gets tied in knots. It’s a curse. That’s what it is a curse.”

“Did you tell Twilla that you like Runa?” Tarass asked, casting a glance at Thaw, still taking his time.

“She’d have no interest in me,” Rannock said, shaking his head to confirm his words to himself.

“You don’t know if you don’t try.”

“And what of you, Tarass? Don’t you want someone in your bed who wants to be there?” Rannock asked.

“I want what’s best for this clan.”

“What’s best for this clan is to have a leader who has a wife who gives him lots of bairns and lots of love.”

“I don’t need advice from you,” Tarass warned.

“I give it whether you want it or not. I always have and I always will, and you know that.” Rannock reminded.

Tempering his annoyance, Tarass said, “And I count on it, my friend.”

Thaw barked as he ran toward Tarass.

“All done?” he asked the pup without thinking.

Thaw barked and looked toward the keep, then barked again.

“We’ll speak in the morning, Rannock,” Tarass said and turned toward the keep.

Thaw bolted up the stairs and was in the room and on the bed curled beside a sleeping Snow before Tarass entered the room.

Nettle jumped out of the chair by the fire as soon as Tarass entered the room.