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these things, Keifer. Before you know it, you’re betrothed and married and having babes. I want that; I’m just not in a hurry for it.”
    Keifer had never considered that a woman might want anything other than a husband and babes. The idea intrigued him. “Do you ever wonder who you’ll marry?”
    She hesitated.
    He smiled. “What?”
    Again she started to shake her finger at him and he made a grab for it. She was too quick, though and he missed. She wasn’t smiling when she said, “Don’t laugh or I swear I’ll, I’ll—”
    â€œI won’t laugh, Nola. What poor fellow have you set your cap for?”
    She jumped to her feet. “Don’t make fun of me!” She began to pull on her dry clothes over the wet.
    Keifer followed her and when he drew close, he suspected some of the water on her face was tears. He reached for her and she pulled away.
    â€œNola. What did I say wrong?”
    When she faced him, her heart was in her eyes and it startled him. She was just a child, though he would never call her such to her face.
    â€œIf ever I change my mind about marriage, I hope I find a companion as agreeable as you, Nola.” He pulled her to him. “Ah, lass, I’m sorry. A man would be honored to have you care for him.”
    â€œBut not you, Keifer?”
    He grinned. “I’m not a man, yet.”
    Innishewan
    MORRIGAN COOKSON left the newly refurbished kitchen of Innishewan Castle in search of her husband, Fergus. She smiled. Marriage to Fergus had proved to be everything she had hoped for and more.
    It had taken longer than anticipated to make the castle livable after her uncle left it in shambles. She hadn’t seen Angus Macnab— hadn’t visited him in prison—in the four years since he’d been taken to face King Robert. She shook her head. Why ever was she thinking of her uncle today?
    She walked through the main hall, noting with approval that the servants had cleared and taken down the trestles. Others were spreading fresh lavender in the rushes on the floor. Morrigan found, to her surprise, that she enjoyed many aspects of running a household. A few years ago she wouldn’t have believed such a thing. The thought made her smile.
    Because of her training as a warrior and Fergus’s as a steward, they truly complemented each other, even if their roles sometimes overlapped. In many ways theirs was a marriage of true equals, and she and Fergus worked together as a team.
    She placed a hand on her barely expanded stomach. No doubt when the child was born they would need to revise their roles, but even then she knew that Fergus would not use a heavy hand to force her to his will. How she loved him!
    She found him poring over the ledgers in the solar. His dark hair gleamed in the light from a small window. The scar over his eye was plainly visible, yet she thought him the most handsome of men. “Am I interrupting?”
    Looking up, Fergus smiled. “Come in. I’m just reconciling some figures.”
    She walked to him and when she stood close, he pulled her into his lap. His blue eyes shone with concern. “How are you feeling?”
    She put her arms around his neck and kissed his forehead. “Fit as can be.”
    â€œGood. Then ye won’t mind this.” He kissed her lips and she quite lost track of time and place. Sometime later, she heard the familiar sound of her mother clearing her throat. Morrigan reluctantly pulled away—how many times had Eveleen found them thus?
    But today Eveleen didn’t smile as she usually did. White-faced and edgy, she stood at the open door and wasted no time with pleasantries.
    â€œWe have a visitor. Yer Uncle Angus.”
    Morrigan jumped to her feet, romance forgotten. “But Uncle Angus is in prison.”
    â€œHe’s been released.”
    Four years ago Uncle Angus had tried to kidnap Keifer. For that offense and for supporting the English