Free Donna Fletcher Short Story Collection by Donna Fletcher Page A

her had
grown with each passing day.
    Quickening his steps, he reached her side and
leaned down and kissed her soundly.
    Her cheeks flushed red and she hid her face
in the crook of his neck and whispered, “That kind of kiss is best
saved for our bed chamber.”
    “Does that mean you wish to retire?”
    She came out of hiding, though he much rather
her face remained tucked in his neck, her soft breath tickling his
skin and arousing him as much as the kiss.
    “I want very much to retire with you but the
ghost—”
    “I had another chamber prepared for us.”
    Brianna smiled, grabbed his hand and tugged
him along.
    Royce laughed, aroused even more by his
wife’s eagerness and rushed to scoop her up and take the stairs two
at a time.
    “We’ll not be bothered by ghost or prankster
tonight,” he said brushing a kiss across her sweet lips. “I have
two warriors standing guard outside our door and the chamber has
been examined to make certain no one lurks in hiding. We are free
to enjoy ourselves and you shall have an uninterrupted night of
sleep.”
    “Bless you,” she said and kissed him on the
cheek.
    “Can you not do better than that?”
    Brianna laughed and whispered in his ear and
Royce raced up the stairs.
    They wasted not a minute once in the room.
Their lips met and their hands were quick to help each other shed
their garments, but it wasn’t fast enough. They fell partially
clothed on the bed together, their lips sealed in a never-ending
kiss.
    When passion could be denied no longer Royce
rose up off his wife to rid her of her clothes. His eyes remained
on hers as his hands hurried to undo the ties of her blouse. He
loved seeing how her desire for him danced like firelight flames in
her eyes.
    Suddenly her eyes grew wide and desire
quickly vanished replaced by fear... and she screamed.
    “Someone tugged at my toe.”
    He was off her in a flash, reaching for his
sword near the bed.
    The door flew open and the guards rushed in
swords drawn.
    The three warriors glanced quickly around the
room but saw nothing.
    Royce nodded at them and they spread out
searching in the dark corners and under the bed. One even opened
the small chest in the corner, though it was too small even for a
child to hide in.
    The two warriors remained silent waiting for
their laird’s command.
    “No one slipped past you?” Royce asked but
knew the answer.
    “No one has entered the hallway,” one
said.
    “Remain on guard,” Royce ordered and the two
men left closing the door behind them.
    Royce rested his sword against the wall by
the bed and then joined his wife, much too pale to his liking, in
the bed. He wrapped his arms around her and she buried herself in
the strength of his embrace.
    “Why does the ghost torment me?”
    Was the old woman right? Did the ghost want
his wife’s help? If so, why her and not him? Royce didn’t wish to
further upset her so he did not tell her about the old woman’s
warning. She might do something foolish like try and help the
ghost.
    “You will sleep with your feet tucked beneath
my legs tonight,” he said. “If the ghost intends to tug toes again
then only mine will be available to him.”
    “I do not know if I can sleep. This troubles
me so, especially now that the ghost has not waited for me to sleep
but interferes in our love making. What could he possibly want from
me?”
    “I will find out and settle it, this I
promise you.” He kissed her forehead, then her cheek and lastly
brushed his lips across hers. “You are not to worry, I will see
this done.”
    They snuggled beneath the heavy quilt after
Royce added several logs to the hearth and blew out the candle. He
wrapped his muscled legs around her feet, the ghost not able to
touch them without touching him. And he swore to himself that he
would not sleep. He would keep watch over his wife and keep watch
for the ghost.
    ~~~
    Brianna drifted awake and cringed; her feet
cramped from the strength of her husband’s legs. She would