“Terrorizing your brothers, Lily?” Alex took the wooden sword from the girl’s hand and wrapped his left fingers around it before lifting her with his good arm. “The men are nearly through. We can go into the lists in ten minutes. Where are your cousins?”
Alex looked around for Brice’s children, seeing the two boys the same age as his and Caitlyn’s two youngest children. They stood with Brice at the entrance to the lists. Caitlyn came to join them as Alex and his children joined Brice and his sons.
“Lily, you don’t have to win every time,” Caitlyn whispered to her daughter. “Be gracious.”
“But, Maman—”
“Are you arguing with your mama?” Alex interrupted. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I can’t make excuses for you if I hear you.” Alex winked at Lily, cutting some of the sternness from his words.
“It’s not my fault that I inherited Maman’s smarts and your speed.” Lily returned her father’s wink, but it resembled more of a flinch.
“Your mama is still faster than me sometimes.” Alex shot Caitlyn a lascivious grin, both knowing he referred to him chasing her to their chamber the night before, the loser having to pleasure the winner first. Neither of them ever felt like a loser, despite Caitlyn often reaching their chamber first.
“Laird!”
Alex turned toward the guardsman hurrying toward him and wanted to groan. He was enjoying his time with his family, but he sensed duty called. He handed Lily to Brice, who blew a raspberry on her neck, spoiling the only lass in their family.
“Aye.” Alex tilted his head away from the children and held out his hand to Caitlyn.
“It’s good news, Laird.” The guardsman beamed. “Elliots approach with ten coos, and four riderless colts. Their leader says it’s Laird Elliot’s thanks for you saving his brother’s and his son’s lives last sennight. He says his laird kens they couldn’t have defeated the Maxwells and Douglases without you.”
Alex hadn’t wanted to enter the fight, enjoying a brief stretch of peace from the English harrying their border, but Angus requested the help, and they’d lent it against the English warden who sent reivers. He’d seen Graeme unseated from his horse before fighting on foot. Laird Maxwell raced toward the man with his sword raised, but when he saw Alex, he changed directions. He goaded Alex by insulting Caitlyn, throwing vile epithets at Alex until Alex ended their conversation by cleaving the Maxwell’s head from his shoulders. It was no secret that disparaging Caitlyn was the one thing that antagonized Alex into losing his temper anywhere, but it was also equally well-known that no one had survived to do it twice.
By the time he defeated his foe, Graeme was injured but alive. He shouted as his nephew fell one hundred yards from where the Maxwell laid dead, and his horse pawed the ground. Alex spurred his horse, arriving just as another Maxwell warrior intended to gut Angus’s son. The force of Alex’s thrust, along with Strong’s speed, lifted the man off his feet to dangle from Alex’s sword. Alex carried him several feet as Strong skidded to a stop. Alex flicked his wrist and slid his blade from his dead opponent. Men stared, the fight forgotten for a moment, marveling in Alex’s renowned strength. He glared at those who ogled him, his men in particular, before swinging his mount around and finding the next Maxwell to challenge. They’d won the day, and Graeme and his nephew survived.
“I didn’t think Angus really meant to send the horses for the weans,” Caitlyn admitted as Alex glanced down at Caitlyn as they walked to the gate. “I feel bad for Brice’s weans.”
“Don’t,” Alex chuckled. “You know they’ll adopt those coos and have them prancing through the meadow within a sennight. The lads have a way with those stubborn beasts that I’ve never seen before.”
Caitlyn raised an eyebrow in acknowledgement as they took the steps to the wall walk together. They stood next to one another as their gazes swept the land they led together. In the distance, they spotted the Elliot entourage, man and beast plodding along at the cows’ pace. Alex slid his hand into Caitlyn’s and turned toward her.
“I do this for you and for our weans. You know I would give it all up for that croft, but you were far wiser than me ten years ago when you insisted I stop being so selfish.”
“Which time?” Caitlyn grinned.
“All of them. When I realized I was going to lose the only woman I could ever love. When I realized that fear was turning me into a mon I couldn’t respect. When I accepted that the only person who thought aboot my injuries was me. You have been my partner in everything, and I’m a laird because of it.”
“I know accepting that this role was still inevitable was a struggle. I know those doubts didn’t disappear because I said, ‘I do.’ But I will be by your side through this life and the next, just as I pledged. I’m proud of you every day, and I’m proud to be your wife.”
“We are as we were always meant to be.” Alex kissed Caitlyn as she melted into him, their guests’ arrival forcing them apart.
“Alex?”
Caitlyn shook his shoulder as he came awake. Alex’s eyes opened as the sun rose over the horizon. It was far later than he expected, and the men had broken most of the camp down. He sat up abruptly and nearly knocked Caitlyn over as she kneeled beside him.
“It’s late.”
“We all understood you needed the sleep. You barely moved all night. You mumbled, but you felt at ease.”
“I was. I had another dream, Caity. I haven’t had a nightmare since we married. Even while Henry had me. I feared sleeping because of it, but the few hours I snatched here and there were all dreams aboot us. Last night was no different. A few have been while my father lives, but almost all are when I’m laird, and you’re lady. Mayhap it’s the Lord trying to make me listen or follow His path for me. Mayhap I’m a romantic. But something is making me stop and wonder why I keep having these dreams after months of nightmares.”
Caitlyn listened to Alex, trying not to grow excited in case she misinterpreted his train of thought. She smiled as she wondered what the dreams showed Alex that he hadn’t shared.
“We need to speak to Father and Brice.” Alex rose smoothly to his feet. He thought nothing of it, but he caught the lust spark in Caitlyn’s eyes as she watched. She marveled at his grace and fluidity and how the muscles rippled beneath his breeks and bunched beneath his doublet.
“You are a braw mon, husband.” Caitlyn mused before meeting his eyes, unaware that she’d spoken aloud. She blinked several times as Alex’s gaze took on a predatory heat. He pulled her against him, but rather than bring their mouths together, he nuzzled her neck. He found the spot behind Caitlyn’s ear that made her shiver.
“It’s a brisk morning, wife. I wouldn’t want you to grow chilled. You ride with me. I think you may need your plaid.”
