“Why dinnae ye think I should feel desperately worried about you, as ye would if this danger was mine, not yours?”
Because I love you,he almost said, then swallowed the words. She was not ready to hear them. Nor was he ready to speak them. He was not sure of her full respect, and he needed that as much as he did her passion or her love. And now, he knew, was not the time to try to learn the extent of her respect.
“Loving”—he took her hands in his—“it pleases me that ye do worry. It does no good though, does it? Balreaves still stalks me and will continue to do so until I can find proof that cannot be denied or lied away. Who can say how long that will take? I but try to make you stop something that helps no one. Is it wrong of me to do that?”
“Nay.” She felt her anger slip away and knew a lot of it had been born of her fears. “’Tis but the way ye spoke. Hacon, if ye seek a wife who will ne’er criticize or question . . .”
He laughed and kissed her. “I would ne’er have set ye at my side.”
“I dinnae ken whether I should be flattered or nay,” she murmured, half smiling. “I fear ye set spark to tinder when ye spoke of a mon’s duty to his wife.”
“I will be certain to avoid such ill-chosen words in the future.” Cupping her face in his hands, he brushed her lips over hers. “Although there is one duty I truly look forward to fulfilling.”
“And I will see that ye fulfil it—often. Hacon.” She frowned, stepping out of his light hold. “Mayhaps ye should think again before wedding me. There is no bairn, so our handfast marriage can be ended in a year and a day. Ye are now a baron and could easily rise higher. I may not be the right wife to aid ye in that goal.” Seeing the way he was scowling at her, she hurried to explain, “But think—my kinsmen even have a feud with the Douglasses.”
“Lass, when we return to Dubheilrig we will be married by a priest. If who I wed makes any difference, then so be it. I have all I truly desire. If I gain more, aye, that would please me, but if I dinnae . . .” He shrugged.
“All right.” She laughed softly when he pulled her into his arms and heartily kissed her.
“Weel, that wasnae so hard,” he murmured as he held her close and rubbed his cheek against her hair.
“What wasnae so hard?” She sighed her enjoyment when he began to nibble her ear.
“Our first argument.”
“I think there may be more.”
“Oh, I ken it.”
“I probably will ne’er be a peaceful wife, meek and obedient.”
He chuckled. “I ken that verra weel indeed.”
“I dinnae think,” she managed to say as he picked her up, laid her down on their bedding, and sprawled on top of her, “ye are giving this confession of my faults the solemn attention it deserves.”
“I treat every word ye utter as the jewel that it is,” he drawled while kissing her throat.
Her laughter was abruptly cut off as an eerie, chilling howl echoed through the forest. “Hacon?”
He touched her lips with his finger to silence her and sat up listening intently. Aware of the sudden silence of the camp, he prayed he had misheard the sound. Then it was repeated and answered. The chill of fear seeped through his veins. Standing up, he tugged Jennet to her feet and began to collect their blankets.
Jennet looked all around her, fighting her growing fear. “’Tis wolves?”
“Aye. Mayhaps the stink of blood is strong around here and draws them.”
“But the dead are buried.”
“In only a shallow pit.”
“Weel, surely they wouldnae attack so many men.”
“I dinnae think so, lass. Not if we are all together.” Grabbing her hand, he hurried back to the others. “We cannae tell how bold they may be. If they are driven hard by hunger . . .” He shrugged. “Even if they arenae, ’twould be best if we crowd together.”
“Wolves?” a tense Dugald asked, seeking confirmation as Hacon reached the shared campfire.
“Aye, and by the sound of it they are near and drawing nearer. Everyone should gather closer together. Set the wounded in the middle. Build up the fires. Mayhaps a circle of them with us in the midst of it. And bring the horses in nearer.”
“Do ye think there is much danger?” asked Malcolm as Dugald and Ranald hurried to carry out those orders. “There is a score and ten of us here, mayhaps more. So many men together should make the beasts hold back.”
