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Crunching down on the crisp fruit, he lay the letters in her lap. “Ye open them.”

“But they’re addressed to ye.” It felt intrusive, even with his permission. She’d been taught to respect people’s privacy, and correspondences most certainly were private matters.

“I’ll have nae secrets between us, Bethea.” He pointed a big finger at the less than crisp rectangles. “Whatever they say, we’ll face together.”

How had she been blessed with such a wonderful man? Biting her lower lip, she spread them out atop her thighs. “Which one first?”

Head canted, Camden considered them for a second. “Keane’s.”

Bethea broke the seal with a nail. “Should I read it aloud?”

“Nae. I’ll read it when ye’re finished.” He shook his head and popped the rest of the apple into his mouth.

Bethea quickly scanned the page, then handed it to him.

He did the same. “Well, that’s no’ bad news. Branwen’s feet have healed. Society thinks our elopement verra romantic and nae gossipmongers are banterin’ our names about.”

“And they’ll return to Trentwick by the end of the month.” She refolded the letter and set it aside. “I canna help but think Branwen will be glad for it. We had thought for so long that we wanted to experience the whirl of Edinburgh’s social scene and quickly discovered it wasna as grand as we’d imagined.”

He laid the letter aside and pointed to Bryston. “Bryston’s next, I think.”

She dutifully broke the seal and began reading. Halfway down the page, she gasped and shot Camden an astonished glance. “Sir Walter has been arrested for conspiracy.”

“I suspected as much.” Camden pulled his mouth into a grimace. “When Montieth was tipped off, I kent somethin’ was fishy.” He scratched his forehead. “Sir Walter had insisted we use the mercenaries in our missions, and somethin’ never felt right about it.”

She bit her lip as she finished reading the letter. “Bryston says Montieth was captured a week after he fled Edinburgh, and to save his neck, blathered like a drunken tippler. He says yer letter about yer suspicions regarding Sir Walter helped him convince Montieth it would be in his best interest to talk.”

Camden took it from her and gave a satisfied grunt. “I admit, I’m disappointed in Sir Walter. It just goes to show, men will do any sort of thing for money and power. He had me fooled until The Boar and Brew.”

She leaned into him, nestling her head into the grove of his shoulder. “I’m sorry. I ken ye must be verra disappointed.”

His chest expanded as he drew in a breath. The rhythmic beating of his heart beneath Bethea’s ear brought her the oddest sense of peace.

“I canna say I’m no’, but I’d already decided no’ to continue as an agent, highwayman, or a marauder.” He brought his other arm around to pull her flush to him and kissed her forehead. “I’ve accepted a much more excitin’ and satisfyin’ mission. Playin’ husband to the most entrancin’ woman in Scotland.”

“Keep that up, and we’ll never get to the king’s missive,” she murmured, blinking back tears of joy.

“His Majesty would be most offended to hear ye say it.” He squeezed her waist. “Let’s see what his royal pomposity has to say to me. I confess he’s never deigned to write to me before.”

Bethea dutifully collected the letter. A finger at the royal seal, she hesitated. “Shall I?”

“I told ye. Nae secrets. Open it, Bethea.”

Undeniably curious, she cracked the seal and unfolded the expensive paper. “Och, Camden.” She dropped the paper and threw herself into his arms, crying and laughing at the same time. “He’s awarded ye and Bryston The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle. He has also bestowed estates on ye to thank ye for yer service in apprehending the leaders of the conspiracy against him.”

Joyous tears blurred her vision.

“What?” He straightened, such an expression of complete astonishment on his face, she laughed. “I never expected anything of the sort.”

Of course, he hadn’t. He’d done what he did because he was an honorable man.

Nodding eagerly, she thrust the letter at him. “See for yerself. Ye’re to appear at court as soon as ’tis convenient.”

He read the letter, then, to her astonishment, tossed it onto the floor. “I have a much better award awaitin’ me, right here in this bed. A lass who loves me. Nothin’ else will ever compare.”

Opening his arms, he invited her into his embrace, and she went without hesitation.

“On second thought,” he murmured, yanking the sheets down and positioning her legs to wrap around his waist, “I believe we’ll explore a few more positions with me on the top, wife.”

“Och, that’s a verra good idea, Husband.”