the fact that her heart was filling with grief. It was likely that they would not see each other again for many years, if ever. She was wed and expected to return to her husband’s home to see to the duty of producing heirs. Raelin would face the same fate herself soon. Letters would become their only means of continuing their friendship.
Keir and his retainers were waiting for her outside the queen’s chambers. As strong and powerful as she had always thought him to be, today that strength represented the ability to keep her near him. Part of her rejoiced, but doubt teased her as well. She shook it off, refusing to behave like a child. He was certainly a better husband than Ronchford. It was best to show him how good a wife she might be.
“I am yours to command.”
“No man ever truly understands the way a woman’s mind works.” Farrell’s attempt to help gained him a hard look from his laird. The man tilted his head and returned his attention to the horse he was rubbing down. “Well, if ye figure it out, be a good lad and share the secret with me.” Farrell added a shake of his head to indicate his lack of understanding when it came to women.
If he figured it out? Now there was a question if ever one was asked.
For the life of him, Keir couldn’t understand why his bride had taken such exception to his insistence that she remain with his men. He was trying to protect her. Wasn’t that his duty as a husband?
But there was no missing the fact that she was angry with him. It wasn’t the temper that he had trouble dealing with; it was the resolution in her eyes that bothered him—that silent resolve to endure.
He did not want her to be unhappy.
He moved his hands along his stallion’s flank, rubbing the animal longer than normal. Keir stopped when he realized he was avoiding his wife. No matter what the trouble was between them, he was not going to tolerate distance between them.
Especially a distance caused by his own doing. He gave the horse a final pat and left the stable. Candlelight glowed from inside the house. It made for a cheerful scene, one that he slowed down long enough to enjoy before entering it. Anticipation was suddenly an enjoyable thing.
His wife was inside—the wife that he’d left McQuade land searching for. His clan name was restored to favor as well. He’d managed to do all the important things a laird was expected to do. All that remained was to go home and keep his lands running in good order. The town house itself was a symbol of his success. He scanned it from rooftop to front door. Satisfaction filled him.
A young face peeked through the front window. Two moments later the door opened wide for him. Keir felt one eyebrow rise. He was not accustomed to the staff waiting around on his pleasure and he was not planning on becoming so. The inhabitants of Red Stone had never scurried to please him and he would keep it that way. But as he walked through the open door, he was met by members of the house staff. They were lined up shoulder to shoulder to greet him, a few of them attempting to cover rapid breathing that betrayed the fact that they’d run to make sure they did not miss the master’s entrance. They kept their eyes lowered and their chins tucked down in deference. The young boy had clearly been posted at the window to cry the alarm when he approached.
What surprised him was Helena. She stood at the head of the line, lowering herself neatly in a polished display of meekness. His temper ignited. He knew what she was doing. He knew it because he’d witnessed his sister putting on such displays when his father was alive. There was no truth in it. It was only a carefully rehearsed action that she performed to maintain peace by stroking his ego.
But he was not his father and did not care for false demonstrations of respect that were insincere. He moved quickly. His new bride had made an error by looking at the floor. He was already in front of her before she raised her gaze.
Helena gasped. The sound flew past her startled lips when she realized that her husband was only a foot away from her. Somehow she had forgotten how much larger he was than