Insolences and displeasure
When I woke up the next morning, I found myself in front of a sleeping Connor. His relaxed face turned towards me, he was lying on his belly and had bedded his head on his arms, while some dark strands of his hair had fallen into his face. A sight that made me smile dreamily. I had married this man and was allowed to wake up with him every morning from now on, for the rest of our life. How had I earned this luck?
Slowly I reached out my hand and gently brushed the hair from Connor's face. The corners of his mouth twitched and his eyelids fluttered for a moment but then he remained still. I smirked. Normally Connor was a light sleeper. Even the tiniest sound woke him up and also now, I was entirely sure that my touch had wakened him at the latest and that he pretended to be asleep now.
If you want to play this game...
A faint grin curled my lips as I moved closer to him, sat up slightly, and ran my fingertips over his arm. Over his forearm, up to his biceps, that twitched shortly under the touch and I asked myself if Connor was ticklish. So I let my fingertips slide down his arm before stroking them up to his shoulder again. Another twitch. I had to suppress a chuckle as I saw how Connor pinched his lips for a second. He was awake but still tried to convince me of the opposite. But that was fine with me.
I finally sat up and let both hands stroke over his shoulders and into his nape where I tickled his hairline shortly before my hands slid downwards and pushed the blanket down to his hips. I noticed with satisfaction how a shiver ran through Connor's body but he still kept his eyes closed. I bent down and placed a kiss into his nape, then one on each shoulder blade before I kissed a trail down his back, but stopped over his scars. My fingertips touched the light bumps and followed their way from his right shoulder blade, diagonally down to his left hip. My lips followed this path but I stopped between each of my gentle kisses and waited for a reaction. He already hadn't wanted me to touch his scars yesterday.
But Connor stayed calm even though I felt exactly that his breath had quickened. I stopped my caresses and kissed his nape again while my hands stroked along his sides. I looked into his face, as they disappeared underneath the blanket and stopped on his hipbone. Connor took a deep breath and a tensed expression appeared on his face. Did he still not want to give up his charade? My hands moved up again, teasingly slow and my fingertips drew small circles that found their way back to his hips and finally his buttocks.
"What is that supposed to be once you are finished?", Connor mumbled, his face still half-buried inside his arms, eyes closed.
"What do you mean?" My fingertips stroked lightly over his bottom, over his hipbone and sides again and I smiled innocently, as Connor opened his brown eyes. There was a sparkle in them that made me grin mischievously.
While he was just looking at me, I still let my hands roam over his backside. But before I was able to react, Connor had turned to his side, grabbed my waist, and pulled me next to him onto the mattress. A surprised sound escaped my lips when he suddenly lay over me and grinned at me.
"Why do you not let my sleep?", he asked and got his revenge for my wake-up call while stroking over my sides.
"You didn't sleep anymore." I laughed and squealed quietly as he pinched my waist.
"But you cannot claim that you did not take advantage of it."
His comment made me grin and I fluttered my eyelashes innocently. "But you didn't stop me either."
A smirk, before Connor bent down and kissed my lips. Instantly I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me. The time could stop now and I wouldn't mind because I wanted to savor every single second in his arms. I never wanted to part from him again and leave this bed because being with him was too beautiful.
That was why I uttered a protestant sound when Connor broke the kiss and put his lips to my forehead instead. "We should get up", he murmured and earned an almost shocked gaze for it.
"No!", I replied almost defiantly and kept his nape in a firm embrace.
Connor smirked. "The sun is up already. I am sure it is midday by now."
"So what?", I grumbled but just made Connor cock his head and look at me in amusement.
"So we shall stay here in bed when Caleb comes home? Are you sure?"
Damn it. I totally had forgotten about Caleb. First of all, we couldn't leave him to his own devices and I also doubted that he would not expect us to be up already when he came home. He neither needed to find us naked in bed.
"Fine", I grumbled and Connor stole another kiss from me before he pulled away gently, pushed the blanket back, and stood up. Still grumbling I snuggled up in his pillow and watched him taking fresh clothes from the closet and putting them on. Such a shame.
With a theatrical sigh, I stood up, too while Connor was already slipping into his shoes and he chuckled, as I passed him, markedly slowly and hip-wiggling before I also opened the closet and slipped into a shift. He stepped behind me, put his hands to my hips, and gave a gentle kiss to my hair.
"I will make breakfast", he told me before he left the room.
Reality, we're back.
The reality had taken over control very soon because as much as I would like it sometimes: Our duties and responsibilities didn't spare us. I still had to run a household, worked in the inn and Connor was more and more frequently in the frontier or Boston. He hoped to find out who was responsible for the attacks on the small villages, but nothing had happened since the night before our wedding. Connor came back empty-handed every night and I felt how frustrated he was because of it. I tried to cheer him up while telling him that the gang might have left already, but it only worked slightly.
One week later he luckily stopped to think about the incidents. His mood got better, too and it wasn't only to my advantage. Connor and Caleb often met in front of the stable and built his own bow for the boy out of a piece of wood. Caleb was excited about it and even though I was glad for him, I still didn't feel well with the thought, that he was supposed to learn the handling of this weapon. But I couldn't do anything else but trusting Connor's opinion and so I watched them with a laughing and a crying eye.
They needed four days until the bow was finished and so, one morning, I heard Caleb's excited voice as I went downstairs to the kitchen. There the two of them sat at the table, had pushed their dishes aside, and regarded their work that was lying diagonally on the table. I squinched up my face but put on a neutral face as Caleb beamed at me.
"Look, Lillian!" He pointed at the bow. "Isn't it great? It's stable like Connor's. But it fits better to my size and Connor says that I will be a really good bowman soon."
"If you practice", the Assassin added with a smirk while I grabbed past them for their dishes.
"Great", was my half-hearted reply and I dropped the dishes into the dishpan. "But I would appreciate it if you wouldn't spread your things and especially weapons all over the kitchen table."
Caleb took his bow from the table grumbling, when I turned around, while Connor gave me a frowning look. But no matter how much acceptance and sympathy I wanted to summon up, the collection of weapons in the basement was enough for me. I didn't need them in the kitchen, too. But as I saw how Caleb plucked at the bowstring with a grim expression, my expression became lenient again. "I'm sure, if you try hard, you're going to shoot more game than Connor and Myriam together."
My words brought back the beaming into Caleb's face and he excitedly leaped onto his feet.
"Can we go then?", he asked Connor and he nodded shortly.
"Go ahead. I will come in a minute."
Caleb hung the bow over his shoulder and had disappeared through the back door shortly afterward, without saying goodbye.
"Where do you want to go?", I asked in confusion while Connor was still sitting at the table and looked at me.
"Into the forest, down the river. There is a small clearing where I wanted to start practicing with him."
"Practicing on what?"
"On trees." Connor raised an eyebrow smirking. "Or did you think I would let him shoot at everything that moves? After all, I am going to go into the forest with him on purpose, so that nobody gets harmed."
"Of course not", I grumbled and put the water-filled zinc jug onto the fire. Of course, I hadn't expected that Connor would let Caleb shoot at living creatures. At least not yet. If Caleb wanted to go hunting sometime, I would let him. I just hoped that this hunt was restricted to animals then and that the boy wasn't forced to use the weapon against men like Connor was.
He had stood up by now and pulled me against him. "You still do not want me to teach him, do you not?", he asked and I uttered a deep sigh.
"You know my opinion about that. It's enough that one person in this house is running around armed." I put a hand on the tomahawk on his side and my fingertips ran over the cold metal. "He admires you and what happens after he had learned archery? Will he borrow your hidden blade then and wants to become an Assassin?"
Connor grabbed my hands and led them to his chest, away from his belt.
"Don't think about it", he said seriously. "I will take care of him."
I didn't know if this was a satisfying answer regarding my concerns, but I nodded anyway and Connor kissed my forehead. "We will be back in the afternoon, alright?"
I nodded again and shortly afterward, the door had closed behind Connor.
After I'd had breakfast and had tidied up the kitchen, I left the house, too, and went to the inn. Like always, the homestead was full of life already and I smiled widely as I met Maria on her way to Ellen's.
"Good morning", I greeted her and my friend hugged me as we reached each other.
"Good morning, Mrs. Kenway. How's the married life going?"
She always asked me this question when we met, always grinning. I wasn't sure what she wanted to achieve with it or which answer she was expecting. I just rolled my eyes laughing and answered like always: "It's liveable."
"Oh, I believe that," Maria smirked. "By the way, I want to drive to Boston tomorrow. I have to collect some fabrics and thought I ask if I could borrow your carriage. Maybe you want to come with me? It's been a while since you have been outside Davenport."
She cocked her head and gave me a questioning look. Since our arrival in the Homestead, I had visited Boston only once and the thought of strolling through the city again was more than appealing.
"Yes, sure", I answered and smiled. "But I have to check if the carriage is still roadworthy. It's been inside the barn for an eternity. But I think we can manage that."
Maria clapped her hands. "Well then." She hugged me. "Just in case we don't see each other again, I will come by tomorrow morning. Alright?"
I nodded smiling and we said goodbye to each other.
My way led me further to the inn and when I entered, I was directly greeted by Corrine, who was just wiping the tables.
"Everybody's gone already?", I asked as my gaze roamed through the empty room. Corrine nodded smirking. "You missed the first run, sweetheart. But you can do the dishes if you want to."
A theatrical sigh escaped my lips before I went into the kitchen and filled a big pot with water, heated it, and poured it into a zinc tub. I attended to the dishes with enthusiasm and got the innkeeper's support shortly afterward. Chatting we worked hand in hand until we heard that the inn was entered. "I'll go", I told Corrine, put the dishcloth aside, and wiped my hands dry at my apron, while I went to the dining area. There stood a group of five men, all of them looking around in the room. I had never seen them here before but wasn't surprised. Strangers, who were on their journey through to Boston or another town in the surrounding area, came here often and these men looked like they already had a long journey behind them. Their boots were dirty as well as their coats. The bags over their shoulders were bulging and they carried weapons with them. Pistols, rifles, and daggers. I couldn't guess if they were peacefully minded or if you had to be afraid of them but for now, I had to treat them with hospitality anyway.
"Can I help you, gentlemen?", I asked and stopped at the bar. Five pairs of eyes turned to me immediately and a young man stepped forward, certainly their leader, regarding his confident appearance. His leather coat slapped against the legs of his boots as he approached me with a bright smile and took off his hat.
"Well, I hope so, pretty lady." He stopped in front of me and looked me over, while I tried to keep my smile upright. I was used to guests who came from outside the homestead and let their offensive charm– sometimes with more, sometimes with less charm – pour down on me. I always tried to smile it away with polite ignorance. Like I did now, as the man bowed his head in apparent deference and pointed at his companions.
"My friends and I are on the journey through. It's early in the day but we traveled the whole night and hoped that we could get rooms here."
My gaze wandered to the other men who were only standing silently in the middle of the room and stared back. Who travels through the frontier at night? Not so long ago there had been wolves and bears in the direct environment of the homestead and only a few miles westwards you could still meet cougars and lynxes. Such meetings weren't desirable in the daytime and they certainly weren't desirable at night. No matter if you were armed or not. But what did I know? Probably Connor would still wander through the forests at night, too.
"I will go and ask the innkeeper", I said and went back into the kitchen were Corrine was just clearing the dishes away.
"There are five gentlemen asking for accommodation."
The innkeeper lifted her head and nodded slowly. "For how long?"
"They say, they have been on the road the whole night. Because they're on their journey through, I guess until tomorrow at the latest."
Corrine wiped her hands at her apron and adjusted her bonnet before she went past me into the dining area. I followed her closely.
"So the gentlemen asked for rooms? Until tomorrow?", she asked friendly and the man, I had already talked to, nodded.
"We will set off tomorrow. But we thought we allow ourselves a day of relaxation and I think we're in the right place for that." His gaze slid to me and his smile became wider. That was going to be an interesting day.
"Of course." Corrine's kindness was unwavering. "Unfortunately I can only offer you bread, ham, and cheese at the moment. A warm meal will be served in the evening."
"We don't mind." The man nodded at her. "We're satisfied when we can get a good Ale."
"That isn't possible at the moment either but I would like to bring you something to eat, gentlemen. Lillian, would you prepare the rooms?"
I nodded and was relieved as I could leave the dining area. This blunt wannabe charm was just too antipathetic to me and I hoped, that I didn't need to bare it too often and for too long. I twisted the wedding ring on my finger while going upstairs to the guestrooms and smirked.
Maybe I only have to show this and I will have my peace and quiet.
I took the duvet covers and sheets out of a cupboard in the hallway and began to make the beds in each room. I opened the windows, plumped up the pillows and blankets, and checked if the rooms were clean in general. Corrine put a high value on keeping the rooms as clean as possible for the guests and I was more than willing to follow this maxim. I probably wouldn't want to sleep in a dirty dive either.
When I was finished, I went back into the dining area and led the five men, who had eaten something by now, to their rooms. Their leader was the last I led to his door and after he had stepped inside and had had a short look around, he turned around and made an inviting gesture towards the room.
"I wouldn't be averse to having some company. Resting together is always more pleasant."
My eyebrows arched. I had thought he was just blunt, but now he was impudent.
"Then you are in the wrong establishment", I replied sharply and only made him grin.
"Oh, I wouldn't have paid but just hoped for voluntariness."
"You can wait long for that. I wish you a good rest." I turned away and went back to the staircase, while I heard him laughing behind me and calling: "Just in case that you change your mind, you know where to find me. Name's Nathan, by the way."
I just hoped that he and his friends were going to sleep for the rest of the day and that I wouldn't see them again before their departure.
The five gentlemen didn't show up for now and so I could do my work without disturbances. I swept the dining area, helped to make the beverage barrels ready for the evening, and also prepared the vegetables for the stew which Corrine wanted to cook later on. Everything was like always and as the inn filled with settlers and sailors, who wanted to end the day here in pleasant company, in the early evening, I took care of serving the drinks with joy. It was always a pleasure to have a chat and a joke here and there. Everybody was understandably in a very good mood after all the work was done and of course the Ale helped with it, too. Nevertheless, it was always a pleasant atmosphere and if somebody had one over the eight and behaved inappropriately, they were accompanied home by some friendly arms. I enjoyed these evenings in the inn but today my mood sank, as I went with a jug of ale through the dining area and reached a table in a corner of the room.
There sat our five new guests and their oh so charming leader gave me a wide grin as I approached them.
"Do we get something to drink?", he asked and I nodded shortly before I put down the jug, went to the bar, and returned with five tankards which I filled.
"Thank you, beautiful." He raised his tankard to me before he put it to his lips. I kept every reply to myself but then I irritatingly remembered that these men were guests and I had to be friendly and polite. No matter how hard it was. So I put on a smile as I asked: "I trust the gentlemen had a good rest?"
The four others nodded simultaneously and I began to ask myself if they were able to talk at all. Again it was Nathan, who answered.
"Very good. Although I have to confess that I've missed something warm and soft by my side." He grinned suggestively and I had to suppress the urge to pour the remaining beer in the jug over his head. As a woman, I already had to endure many things like that but never before, a man had been so persistent and impudent in his "amorous" intentions.
I looked at him irritated but I didn't say anything. I just grabbed the handle of the jug in my hand firmer than it was necessary and turned away to attend to my work again. But I couldn't do it entirely. Over and over again I was called to the table in the corner to refill their tankards and every time I received some doubtful compliment which I couldn't throw out with open reluctance eventually. It seemed as if every snub was goading Nathan on and it became worse with every Ale he had. Also, his comrades had had a few and began to grin or to laugh when their leader emitted one of his sayings. I even had been asked by Terry, Godfrey, and some sailors, if I wanted them to do something about Nathan, but I always said no. As I did when Corrine offered to take on the serving. I didn't plan to let myself be intimidated by some stupid remarks. At least I still thought so as I returned to the table again.
The mood there was more than tipsy and when I was asked to refill again, I shook my head. "I thought you've had enough."
Nathan's initial laughter died away and he ran his hand over his face before he nodded at the jug in my hand. "That's on us to decide, beautiful. So, if you would be so kind..."
He held his tankard to me but I shook my head again and turned away. But suddenly I was grabbed by my hips and pulled back. Before I could react, I sat on Nathan's lap who immediately wrapped his arms around me and held me like that, as I tried to stand up again, swearing and cursing.
"Whoops, why so weak on your legs? Good that I've caught you, isn't it?", asked Nathan, grinning dirtily and the other men laughed, too.
"Let me go! Now!", I hissed and tried to ram my elbow into his chest. But his grip was so strong, that I couldn't even manage that.
"Why do you want to go? I think it's quite cozy right now", Nathan murmured to me with a chuckle and I squinched up my face when I smelled his beery breath. But luckily three men appeared in front of the table at this moment. The two lumberjacks Terry and Godfrey and a crewmember of the Aquila called Finley.
"I think you've heard what the lady said." Godfrey had folded his arms in front of his chest like the others and gave Nathan a cold, but threatening gaze.
He didn't react immediately but finally freed me from his grip and I instantly leaped onto my feet, just to be pulled "into safety" by Terry. In the meantime, Nathan's men had risen from their chairs while their leader himself was still sprawling on his seat.
"I was just joking. Isn't it understandable that you try to take up with a girl after having some ale?" He folded his hands in front of his belly, cocked his head, and looked at the three men in front of him.
"You better open your eyes and pay attention with whom you want to take up. The lady is married and as the Captain's wife taboo anyway, understand?", Finley replied.
But Nathan just laughed over his words and looked at me. "Well, I hoped that this ring there is only pretty jewelry." He looked at Finley. "Maybe your Captain should take care of his wifey. I believed she had given me clear signals. Didn't she?"
Widely grinning he looked at his comrades who started to laugh. But they were the only ones who found this statement amusing.
Finley took a threatening step towards Nathan, who stood up now, no sign of a grin on his face anymore. While the two men put on a silent duel with their gazes, Nathan's comrades stepped behind him and made Terry and Godfrey step forward, too. Several chairs were also moved back when other sailors stood up and seriously looked into our direction. A paralyzing silence spread inside the room in which my gaze slid back and forth between Finley and Nathan. Oh God, shouldn't I be able to defend myself? I just opened my mouth to intervene, but Oliver already stepped between the two squabblers.
"Stop it!", he barked. "I don't want such quarrels here and especially not such behavior towards the ladies." His gaze was only aimed at Nathan now. "Either it is peaceful now, or you can pack your things together and leave."
Nobody said anything for a moment but then Nathan grinned widely again and lifted his hands.
"All right, all right. We surely don't want any trouble. I think we will retire now."
He gave a signal to his men and gave me a last meaningful grin. "Good night, beautiful. Send your husband my regards."
Certainly not.
Grim gazes followed the five gentlemen until they had finally disappeared to their rooms. Not until then, I allowed myself to take a deep breath. "Thank you", I said and smiled at my "saviours". But they shook their heads.
"You don't have to thank us for that", said Terry, and Oliver put his hand onto my shoulder.
"Do you want to go home?"
I gave him an almost indignant gaze and shook my head. "I will stay. Corrine needs my help anyway", I said determined and saw Oliver smirking before I went to the kitchen.
There I was directly received by a worried Corrine who had noticed everything from the kitchen door and who asked me several times if I was alright. I had to chuckle about her concerns and reassured her. Nathan had scared me but luckily I had enough friends here who had helped me and as I said that, the innkeeper nodded with a smile.
"But I feel sorry for you anyway", she said and patted my arm. "I still remember what I always had listened to in my youth. Some men believe that they can bag women like fair game. Bu these years are over for me already."
She laughed amused and I shook my head smirking. "You're just surrounded by men with the wrong taste."
Corrine uttered a giggle while she patted my arm again. "Thank you for trying to cheer an old woman up."
Luckily the rest of the evening was quiet and without any other disturbances and I felt glad somehow, as I left the inn and went home. The sun had set already and long shadows roamed over the paths of the homestead while a cool breeze of the sea blew around me. Shivering slightly I wrapped my waistcoat tighter around my torso and quickened my steps. When I reached the bridge, I stopped surprised as I saw a figure approaching me quickly. It was only a dark shadow but I recognized its figure and its walk and a bright smile appeared on my face.
"Hey. Do you want to...pick...me...up?" I started to stammer when Connor swept past me without saying a word. You couldn't describe his walk differently than energetic and I looked after him in confusion for a short moment.
"Connor?" No reaction. "Hello?" He stubbornly kept going as if he either hadn't seen me or hadn't heard me. I snorted and ran after him.
"I'm glad to see you, too. How was your day?", I called after him, full of sarcasm while I tried to catch up with him. But this man made huge steps. I had to run to finally reach him and firmly grabbed his arm. "Could you please tell me what is wrong with you?", I asked and he turned around with a growl. He was mad as hell.
"Are they still here?"
"Who?" I blinked in surprise but at the same time, I understood who he meant and his answer became unnecessary.
"The men Finley talked about. Are they still here?"
I closed my eyes shortly and took a deep breath. I would have preferred it if he hadn't learned about this incident. His reaction had been expectable.
"Yes, they are", I answered reluctantly. "But everything's fine. Finley and the others have put them in their places."
Connor huffed and reminded me of an angry bull who wanted to thrust its horns into somebody's body. In Connor's case, it was his tomahawk.
"Nothing is fine", he growled. "The one man has pestered and insulted you. This incident is not over for me yet." He pulled his arm away from my grip and went on which made me run again.
"You don't have to start a fight. He has been reprimanded and I am fine. He's an idiot and that's why you shouldn't give attention to him."
I easily could have talked to a stone because Connor showed no reaction to my words and we came dangerously close to the inn again.
"Stop, goddammit", I swore and when he didn't, I grabbed his coat and braced my feet against the ground just to be torn forward in an instant. I let him go again, started to stumble, and ended up face down on the grown. My loving husband just walked on.
He must be kidding...
"Connor Kenway! If you do not stop in an instant, I will...you...you won't be allowed to share the bed with me for a long time!"
I almost hadn't expected it, but Connor's steps actually slowed down and he stopped finally. He turned around and unfortunately I couldn't see his face as he saw me lying on the ground. Certainly, my face was as angry as his and swearing quietly, I stood up and patted the dust from my clothes. Connor came back to me but gestured towards the inn.
"Do you want to put up with it?", he asked angrily. "Do you expect me to accept that someone treats you like that?"
No, thanks for asking. I didn't get hurt after falling into the dirt because of you.
I had to bite my tongue to hold back this sharp comment but probably it would have provoked Connor even more. I should try to reassure him instead. So I approached him and wrapped my arms around him, hoping to seize him like that if he wanted to go on.
"Of course not", I said gently. "But I don't want you to pay more attention to these men than they deserve it. They are not worth the trouble."
Connor huffed again and stared at a spot over my head while he clenched his jaws.
"But they...", he began again but instead of giving him the chance to speak, I stretched and pressed a peck on his lips. His expression hardened.
"I will not..."
Another kiss.
"Nobody should..."
And another.
"Lillian!"
When I wanted to kiss him again, Connor seized my chin with his hand and stopped me.
"I am serious. I cannot accept that someone behaves like that in our homestead."
"And I can't accept that you go there and pick a fight with them. Knowing you, it's not going to be a peaceful conversation." I raised an eyebrow while Connor kept looking at me with a grim expression. But at least he didn't contradict and so I gave him a gentle smile.
"Please. Calm yourself and let us go home. I'm tired and freezing. These men are going to leave tomorrow and we will have our peace and quiet back. Please, don't get worked up about them. They are not worth it."
Connor looked me over silently for a moment and even though he was still looking irritated, I felt him relax a bit.
"All right", he grumbled and I had to suppress a sigh of relief. That had been close to a catastrophe.