“Ye dunnae need my consent tooversee the kitchen. Ye are the mistress of Dunvegan now, nae Fiona. I willspeak to her, and ye should do as ye wish.”
Marion looked imploringly at him.“Please don’t speak with her. You’ll make things worse. I’ll handle Fionamyself, as I’ve said.”
“Fine,” he agreed, glad Marionseemed less upset now. “Then I’ll be training for the rest of the afternoon ifye need me.”
Her eyes widened. “Do you alwaystrain for so long?”
“Nae. Unless I’m expectingtrouble.”
“Froste and my father,” she said,nibbling her lip.
“Aye, but ye dunnae have to worry.I’ll defend ye with my life, and so will my clan.” He thought his words wouldremove the concern from her face, but all the color leeched from her skin,leaving it looking nearly translucent.
“That’s exactly what I fear,” shesaid. “I’d never want you to give your life for me.”
“That is what a husband does,Marion—keeps his wife from harm.”
She slowly pulled her hand out ofhis. “You sound like my father, cold and uncaring. What of love? What of ahappy life shared between a man and a wife?”
He hesitated, warring with himself.It was as if his thoughts were cleaved in two. Part of him liked her idea ofhow they should be and part of him feared it.
She waved a hand in his face. “Paymy question no mind!”
“Marion—”
“Please dismiss it from yourthoughts,” she replied evenly.
“If that is what ye wish,” he said,feeling as if he had taken the cowardly way out.
She sighed, then spoke again. “IfFroste and my father come here, could they defeat you?”
“Nay,” he said with force toassuage her fears. He had confidence in his men.
“But they’d have more fightingmen.” Her voice shook with her worry.
“My clan is fierce, Marion, andDunvegan would be difficult to breach. And I have allies I could call upon.”
“Oh yes!” Relief washed over herface. “King Edward.”
His mouth dropped open at herwords. “Nay. He’s using me to draw your father and Froste’s attention, but I’msureyer kingwill call on me if and when they turn their sights on thethrone.”
She scowled. “I suppose he’s nolongermy king.”
Iain smiled even as creasesappeared on her forehead. “Why would King Edward expect you to help him if hewill not help you?” she asked.
“Because he has David.”
“But I thought part of the reasonyou married me was to get King Edward to discuss David’s release. I was acondition.”
He didn’t like how she referred toherself, though it was true. “I think of it like this,” Iain said. “Getting KingEdward to talk of David’s release has several parts to it, like gates that mustbe opened. I married and opened the first gate, which brings me closer to thenext gate. Now Edward must tell me what more he requires, moving me closer totalks with him.”
She quirked her mouth in obviousthought. “What do you think will open the next gate?”
“Well, if yer father and Frosteattempt to take the throne, I’ll refuse to go to King Edward’s aid until hedraws up terms for David’s release, but if they do nae attempt the throne andall settles, I imagine Edward will want money. Either way, I expect to besummoned back to England or invaded by yer father and Froste in the nearfuture.”
Her hand fluttered to her neck.“What do we do until then?”
He drew his wife against him oncemore, wanting to feel her and wanting her to feel safe. “We account for allpossibilities, and then we ready for each so we are always victorious.”
