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She hardly recognized the hesitant voice as her husband’s.
“Aye,” she called out, jumping from the bed.
Graeme shut the door behind him, none too gently, before crossing his arms and glaring at her as if she’d lied to him. Which, in a way, she had. So he knew . . .
“I take it the meeting with my father went well?”
Her husband wasn’t amused. “I believe you failed to mention something to me.”
There was no use denying it. “I’d have told you earlier if it were not for what happened at the Day of Truce. But after my father—”
“You are my wife.”
She wasn’t sure she liked his tone.
“And you are my husband.”
Graeme took a deep, dramatic breath before speaking. “You put me at a disadvantage with your father. When he told me of your sister’s betrothal—”
“That’s why you are upset? That my father had more information than you?” Of course, he was a man, after all. A chief. Power mattered to him, and what greater power than knowledge?
“No, Gillian. I am upset I had to learn of something so important from a man who betrayed me.”
“What would you have done had I mentioned it before we left?”
He started speaking, too soon. “I’d have asked what you intended to do.”
She waited. “And what would you have done after I told you I planned to talk my father out of it? Appeal to my mother to intervene? And, when both inevitably failed, that I intended to take Allie back to Scotland with us?”
“Take Allie?” His eyes widened. “Are you mad, woman? Take Covington’s betrothed to Clan Scott land? And what do you suppose would have happened next?”
She’d thought of that as well, but it hadn’t persuaded her from her plan. Her sister shouldn’t have to bear the burden of maintaining their family’s standing.
“Well, I suppose my father, and Covington, would be a mite upset. And my father might even lose Lyndwood.”
He cocked his head to the side, though his expression stayed neutral.
“So my father told you about that?” She’d not have expected him to be so open about his troubles. “My parents would be forced to live at one of their other more modest holdings. And Covington—”
She hadn’t thought much about his reaction, preferring instead not to consider the man at all.
“Let me finish for you, my queen.” He uncrossed his arms and took a step toward her.
“Covington would challenge me, as chief, forcing my clan to choose between giving back his betrothed or going to war with a powerful border lord, one who would prefer to end the peace that your friends at Kenshire and I are trying to bolster. The March Law would be in more danger than ever.”
“I don’t think—”
“Exactly. You didn’t think.”
She blinked back tears. This was why she hadn’t told him. She’d fooled herself into thinking Graeme would take her side, but a part of her had feared he would leave her home if she told him the truth. And then her sister would have had no chance at all.
She’d been wrong about him. He didn’t love her. Their situation was as he’d described it from the start. They were only open with each other in the bedroom.
Very well.
She sailed past her husband, shoving off his hand when he tried to touch her. Nothing but her sister’s safety and happiness mattered. And while she was here, there was still a chance.
* * *
