Didn’t he understand what a good fighter shewas? Hadn’t he seen her take down eaters on the AI scanner?
Lachlan might need her and, quite frankly,his accusation from the night prior had haunted her upon waking.’Tis a boon to ken you care, he’d said. Even when he’dmuttered that out she’d known his words were born of sarcasm. Andcould she blame him for feeling that way? Veronica understood thatshe couldn’t. He’d done everything within his power since she’darrived to make her feel safe and secure—the things she neededmost—and had given him paltry little in return. Even their intimateepisode in the bath tub had been about her pleasure and not theirstogether.
She was selfish. The self-absorption hadbeen born out of fear of getting close to Lachlan, but that excusedidn’t matter to her anymore. Her husband was at Ground Zero andshe’d never told him she cared. Guilt consumed her.
“Ramsay,” Veronica quietly ground out,“either move out of my way or I’ll move you out of it. Don’t testme.”
Just then a stable boy ran into the greathall and announced Lachlan, Finn, and Victor’s return. Veronica’srelief must have been palpable for Ramsay put a comforting hand onher shoulder.
“You see?” Ramsay said. “You dinna have tofight me. Your husband and brother are home.”
“Child, why are you dressed like that?”Moira called out from her seat at the head table. “You’ve the lookof a vicious warlord sent straight from the bowels of hell.”
Veronica’s eyebrows rose in amusement.“Thank you. It’s what the women warriors of my clan wear.”
The wide-eyed soldiers looked dumbstruck.She was amused enough to give them more proverbial fat to chew on.“I was going to the Campbells to retrieve your laird,” she toldthem truthfully. “I’d have killed any man who got in my way.”
Silence. They looked as impressed as theydid shocked. Finally a big, burly, red-headed man stood up andtoasted her. “To the Lady Gunn!”
“Lady Gunn!” the soldiers said, raisingtheir cups.
“The fearsome lady warrior from the bowelsof hell!” another called out.
“I’ll drink to that!”
“Aye, to the fearsome Lady Gunn!”
The soldiers were still cheering whenLachlan, Finn, and Victor strode inside. Catriona immediatelybounded into Victor’s arms as Lachlan looked Veronica up anddown.
“She was coming to get you, milord,” one mancalled out, defending her.
“Aye. And she meant to kill any mon whotried to stop her!” said another.
Veronica’s face turned red. “Well, it’strue,” she muttered, nervously glancing at her husband.
“Lady Gunn!” the soldiers chimed in unison,raising their cups and clanging them against the mugs of thosenearest to them.
“The fearsome Lady Gunn!”
Thankfully, Lachlan’s expression was that ofbemusement as the boisterous gathering sang her praises. Their eyeslocked from across the great hall. Hopefully now he knew that deepdown she did care. That was enough for the moment.
*****
Lachlan partook of the nooning meal in hisusual seat at table’s head as his wife, still in her future clotheswith her satchel o’er one shoulder, put every question under thesun to him. Why hadn’t he awakened her afore he’d taken his leave?How had he retrieved Victor so quickly? What was the situation atthe Campbells like?
He swallowed a chunk of stew afore answeringhis lady wife. “I wished for you to sleep, I ran into your brotheron the road as James was bringing him back, and you will have toask Victor aboot the last one.”
Veronica frowned as she glanced at herbrother. Catriona was making too much the fuss o’er Victor for himto speak to another. “Yeah. Like that’ll happen in thislifetime.”
Lachlan half-smiled. “Like as naught,nay.”
She snorted at that. “Well, I’m just happyboth of you are okay. I have to admit I’m glad you didn’t make itto Campbell land,” she admitted under her breath. “I was worriedsome of them might have turned.”
“Victor told me three different Campbellscame down with the icy fever. The thrice of them were burned intheir huts.”
Veronica nodded. “That’s good. That theywere put out of their misery, I mean.”
“Aye. And Victor is working on a…a…” Hestruggled to repeat the word. “A maxine.”
