“I think we will always hae tae take Dude, he misses Scotland as well. He wants tae go back, he told me so.”
I frowned. “You two have been planning a fast getaway to the sixteenth century without me? I don’t get a say?”
He watched my face. “Aye, ye daena get a say?—”
“Torin, that’s outrageous, of course I get a say!”
His brow raised. “Then why did ye ask me?”
I pouted.
“If ye are in danger and we need tae flee, what would ye say, ‘nae’? Ye want me tae listen tae ye? I daena think that is how it would work, we will go tae Muckhart, tis decided. Tis a good idea.”
I pouted. “I’ve changed my mind about all of it, I don’t miss it. I don’twantto return to the sixteenth century.”
He looked at me from under his brow. “Ye daena mean it, Alexandria, or if ye do ye are provin’ yerself tae hae made a grave mistake, as ye hae married a man who is from the sixteenth century. Tis a surety that we will hae tae live there sometimes.”
I exhaled. “Yeah, I didn’t truly mean it, but… I have a million reasons why I don’t want to go, not now. We’re on our honeymoon?—”
“Ye keep mentionin’ it, what is ‘our honeymoon’?”
“The period of time after our wedding. Where we just lay around in bed.”
“Ye mean, tae consummate, aye, we hae done this already.”
“A honeymoon should last at least a week!”
His brow drew down. “Och nae, ye want the world tae stop for us tae do what every man and wife hae done since thebeginning of time? We married — we consummated it, now we hae duties and dangers tae deal with.”
“That is so unromantic!”
He scoffed. “Tis unromantic tae say I hae bedded m’wife well, she bedded me well, now I am goin’ tae protect her life as if tis m’own?”
“I guess that is romantic, fine.”
“The bedding is part of life, we get tae do it many times a day for a half-century at least if God wills a long life for us.” He grinned.
“Many times a day!”
“Aye, thousands of times over our lives, ye ken, but tae do that we must survive. We hae duties, Princess, yer survival is m’utmost concern.”
“Alright, that’s romantic, I agree. But I really want to stay here for a little while and enjoy some time in the modern world.”
“It daena hurt tae make plans, mo leannan.”
“Is that how you soften me up to get me to do what you want, ‘mo leannan’?”
He smiled, lovingly, “Nae, tis how I soften m’request. The way I get ye tae go is tae sternly look at ye, pat the horse, and tell ye tae mount up. I am tellin’ ye, mo leannan, that if there comes danger and I say mount up, ye will hae tae mount up, and we ought tae prepare for that eventuality. Tis good news, a few hours ago we dinna hae anyway tae leave tae get ye tae safety.”
“Except my Beamer.”
He said, “Ye ken m’point.”
“Yes, fine.” I huffed. “Does Muckhart have a nice hotel?”
“The tavern is good, our room would be comfortable.”
I gulped. “It’s just… I haven’t been back since…”
