For a moment he thought about hurriedly collecting up their things and returning to Muircraig, then hastily sending her on her way back to Caraidland. Then Alexander's words spun through his mind. Since the birth of their children he and Islaen had been little more than strangers. The fact that she would go to such lengths to draw him back to her if only in passion showed him how little she liked the situation between them. He admitted to himself that he did not like it either.
As she took far too long to clean away what meager crumbs might have stuck to his face, he came to a decision. He had wasted months of their lives and would waste no more. Neither of them gained anything from his faltering attempts to protect them from pain. He was past protecting and she was obviously miserable, caught in a marriage that was really not much of a marriage. All he could do was hope that he was not letting his starved body do his thinking for him.
"Islaen,” he murmured as she gently wiped his mouth, “are ye trying to seduce me?” He smiled when she blushed.
She thought that if he laughed she would definitely strike him. “'Tis so obvious?” she asked softly.
"Nay, I wasnae quite sure at first.” He studied the small face so close to his and ached to kiss her.
"Weel, I was trying not to be too obvious. I wanted ye to think that t'was your idea."
He laughed softly. “So what do ye do now?"
"I am nay too sure. I have used all of Alexander's suggestions."
"Alexander?"
"Aye. I felt t'was only wise to seek advice from an expert."
"So long as his advice was but words and not actions."
"He behaved himself most gallantly except that he kept laughing.” She smiled faintly when Iain laughed.
"Aye, he would. So ye have come to a sticking point, eh?"
"Ye were supposed to have succumbed by now."
She felt her heart skipping at an alarming rate. He was not stopping the game, not making any move to return to Muircraig. There was a soft, warm look in his eyes that raised her hopes. He seemed willing to fall in with her game but she could not be sure.
"Aye, I have succumbed."
"Ye look more relaxed than I had expected ye to. Are ye certain?"
"The question should be—are ye certain, Islaen. T'was a hard birthing ye suffered,” he murmured, frowning in concern as he recalled it.
"'T'was six months ago, Iain,” she said a little angrily. “I didnae need twa months a bairn to recover. Mayhaps a wee bit more than other women but nay six months."
"I thought we should wait until they were talking,” he drawled, then laughed at her horrified look.
"Wretch,” she grumbled and half-heartedly struck him on the arm. “Ye shouldnae tease me so at such a time."
"Nervous, sweeting?” He began to unpin her hair.
"Weel, aye. I wasnae sure I was doing it right."
"Ye were doing it right but before I grant ye your victory, is there naught ye wish to ask me?"
"Ask ye?” She found it a little difficult to think when what she had ached for for so many months was finally close at hand. “What do I want to ask you?"
"About Lady Mary?"
"Oh. I was just trusting you, Iain."
He traced the shape of her mouth with his finger and felt her tremble slightly. “'Tis verra good of you, little one. Lady Mary has been only a nuisance. I was trying to think of ways to make this her last visit. I will be honest with you, lass. A time or twa I thought on using her as the whore she is to ease the aching my abstinence caused me."
"I ne'er asked it of you,” she whispered.
"Nay, I forced it down our throats and t'was kenning that t'was my choice that kept me from Mary, that and the knowledge that she couldnae give me what I need."
