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the tavern maid he had intended to make use of. After the man called Old George had assured him that Annie would soon join him, he had sat drinking his ale and convincing himself, yet again, that this was what he wanted and needed. A quick sighting of the fair-haired, fulsome maid had encouraged Cormac. He felt sure he would have no trouble bedding her. When the woman disappeared and did not return, Cormac’s patience had waned. He could not leave Elspeth waiting for hours. Ignoring Old George’s sputtered protests, Cormac had decided to look for the maid. Never had he thought he would find her visiting with the very woman who tormented him so. It was enough to make a grown man want to scream and bang his head against a hard wall until the confusion passed.
    For a brief moment, Cormac contemplated marching over there, grabbing the buxom Annie by the hand, and dragging her off. He even imagined himself haughtily telling Elspeth to wait. If he found an hour or two was not enough, she could get herself a room and he would see her in the morning. It would serve the woman right for daring to interfere in a man’s business, and he felt sure that she had interfered. She might even feel it was such a slap in the face that she would no longer look at him in that longing way that set his blood afire and scattered his wits.
    Then he sighed and slumped against the wall. He could not do it. It had felt awkward enough to leave her waiting outside of the tavern with weak, muttered excuses about needing some ale and the tavern being no place for a woman. Cormac had been able to see in her expression that Elspeth had not believed a word he had said. Discretion had not eased his odd sense of guilt and hesitation. He doubted bluntness would, either. And despite the sharp ache in his loins, he really did not want to argue over his right to bed a tavern maid.
    Resigning himself to aching with a constantly inspired but never satisfied lust, he straightened up and walked over to Elspeth. There would be other tavern maids between here and the king’s court. But now that he had dragged his wits out of his breeches long enough to think clearly, he recognized that it had been careless to leave Elspeth alone. There had been no sign of Sir Colin, but that did not mean that the man was not pursuing them. Two, possibly three, men had already died because of Sir Colin’s lust for Elspeth. Cormac sincerely doubted that the man had given up.
    “Shall we go?” he asked, glancing briefly at the rash on the maid that Elspeth was gently treating and wondering if he had actually been saved by Elspeth’s interference.
    “All done drinking your ale?” Elspeth asked sweetly as she placed the pot of salve in Annie’s hand and gathered up the rest of her things.
    “Aye.” Cormac did not believe her pose of sweet innocence at all.
    “Weel, I am ready to ride on if ye are,” she said, but Cormac was already walking away. “ Wheesht , he isnae going to be verra cheerful company for a while,” she muttered, then smiled crookedly when Annie laughed.
    “True,” agreed Annie, “but he will be easier to woo into your arms, m’lady. I dinnae think I have e’er seen a mon strung so taut or lusting so bad for a lass.”
    “He will have to get o’er his sulk first. I will tell my kinsmen about what a keen eye and ear ye have, Annie, and I think ye will see one soon.”
    “Send Sir Payton.”
    “Elspeth!” bellowed Cormac.
    Although she shook her head and muttered about domineering men, making Annie giggle again, Elspeth hurried to follow Cormac. She had accomplished what she had set out to do. Cormac had not given away what she considered hers. She just wished she could find an easy, painless way to make Cormac see what she did: They were mates. However, if she had to tie up and hide away every whore and less than virtuous woman between them and the court to ensure his fidelity to her until he saw that truth, she would. Isabel was enough of a force to