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“Aye, brother, I ken ye did. I hopeyer wife will understand.”

Iain hoped so, as well. He glancedtoward Marion through the crowd. Fiona was saying something to her, andwhatever it was, the color had drained from Marion’s face. Iain’s gut tightenedas she stood, waved Bridgette off, and moved toward the door.

Iain stood, but Lachlan caught hisarm. “Brother—”

“What?” Iain demanded. “There isnothing wrong with me speaking to my wife.”

“Of course nae,” Lachlan said.“It’s just a surprise to see ye show emotion. It’s been so long.”

“My wife does strange things tome,” Iain admitted, baffled by his own reactions to Marion.

Iain caught Marion by the waistjust as she stepped outside the great hall. The corridor was empty, so heturned her into his arms and slid his hands around her back. When she did notlook up but stared at his chest, he sighed. “Look at me, Marion.”

Slowly, she lifted her gaze to his.

“Why are ye leaving supper?”

“I’m tired,” she immediatelyreplied, her gaze skittering away.

He hooked a finger under her chinand turned her face back to his. “Dunnae lie to me.”

“I am tired,” she said stubbornly,tilting her chin upward.

He brought a hand to the curve ofher back and pressed her closer. “Are ye distraught over what I said regardingthe Fairy Flag?”

“No! It’s not that. I knew how youwould answer. You don’t love me.”

Something in the way she said thewords, as if there were more to say but she feared doing so, made him gocompletely still. “Do ye love me?”

Her eyes went wide. “Of coursenot!” A rosy flush covered her cheeks, her neck, the top of her chest. “Thatwould be foolish, not to mention too soon.” She bent her head and shuffled herfeet. “It’s not as if I really know you.” Fascinated, he watched as she broughther hand to her hair and began to spin the golden strands around her finger. “Idoknow you are kind and honorable.”

He grinned at the top of her head.

“And you are fiercely faithful andtrue, and I think you may be the most courageous man I know.”

“Ye only think?” he teased, hischest tightening with every word she spoke.

Her head came sharply up, and shesmirked at him. “I have known many courageous men.”

He frowned at her. “Ye haveknownnary a man but me.”

Her blush deepened. “There isknowing, and then there isknowing. And aye,” she said in the loveliestattempt at a Scottish burr, “ye’re the only man I’ve everknown, and I’mglad of it.”

“Ye did nae answer my question,” hesaid in a low tone. The need to hear her answer roared like a tempest inside ofhim.

“I’ve forgotten it,” she replied,looking utterly innocent except for the blush still on her cheeks.

“Do ye love me?”

She scrunched her nose in the mostadorable way. “I’ve no coin left,” she grumbled.

“Coin? I dunnae ken…”

“I’ve no coin to buy an indulgence,so I cannot sin.”

He frowned. “How would ye besinning?”

“It would be sin to lie to you!”she burst out.