“Are ye sure about this?” asked Coira from across the room as she finished dressing. Lance felt vibrant and full of energy this morning and as if he could tackle anything. Last night, they’d consummated the marriage, and he came to the realization that he now had a wife. And a very beautiful one at that.

“Aye, Coira, I think it is for the best.” Lance lured the hound over to him and scooped it up, dropping it into yesterday’s bathwater. The hound splashed and paddled and tried to climb out of the tub. “Not yet you dirty mutt. I am going to give you a bath, no matter if you agree with it or not.” He struggled with the animal, using some of the soft soap to wash its fur, rinsing her as well.

“Lance, she doesna like that.” Coira pushed her shoes onto her feet and came running over, taking hold of the dog protectively over the edge of the tub. “It’s all right, my little Sweetcakes.” She kissed the dog on the head.

“Sweetcakes? What kind of a name is that?” Lance grumbled, grabbing the dog and putting her on the floor. She shook, getting both of them wet.

“I only meant it as an endearment, but I think I like the name. Aye, she’ll be called Sweetcakes from now on.” Coira grabbed a towel and dried the dog.

“How about sweetmeats instead?” Lance suggested with a chuckle. “At least meat is something dogs like.”

“But sweetmeats are no’ even meat, they’re dried fruit,” she reminded him.

“You’ve got a point there,” he said, knowing that whatever she named the dog he wasn’t going to like it. “What if we call her –”

“Nay, Lance. Ye gave me the dog as a weddin’ gift. I want to call her Sweetcakes.”

Lance found himself being drawn in by Coira’s childlike innocence. He thought back to last night, and the intimate time they’d shared together. She had been so frightened, but he managed to make her feel safe and secure. He liked the fact he could do that. It was his responsibility to watch over and protect his new wife.

“All right,” he said with a sigh, bringing her to a standing position and pulling her into his arms. He kissed her passionately, immediately feeling a response within him. “I wouldn’t mind going back to bed and starting this day all over.”

“Me, neither,” said Coira, running her hands down his chest.

Lance was about to take her back to bed when there came a knock at the door. The wet dog shook again, splashing both of them and ran to the door barking.

“Who is it?” Lance called out.

“It’s Jack,” came a muffled voice from out in the corridor.

Lance sighed, and walked over and opened the door. When he did, the dog sped past Jack and ran away.

“What was that?” asked Jack, peering down the corridor after the hound.

“Just Sweetcakes – and don’t ask.”

“Lord Lance, I came to tell you Sir Philip of Sussex and some of his men have arrived. He is requesting your presence in the great hall.”

“Uncle Philip is here?” asked Lance. “I wonder what he wants. Coira, I will meet you later to show you the castle.”

“I dinna need to see it,” she said, suddenly becoming very closed off.

“But there is a special place I’d like you to see,” he explained. “I have a feeling you’re going to like it.” Without waiting for her to answer, he took off down the corridor at a good clip with Jack right on his heels.

“Slow down, my lord. I can barely keep up.”

“He wants the castle. I know that’s what it is,” mumbled Lance.

“But you have a missive that says Lord Ralston left it to you, don’t you, my lord?”

Lance stopped in his tracks and turned around. “Why do you ask? Have you heard otherwise?”

“Nay, my lord,” Jack answered. “Why do you seem so nervous?”

“I’m not nervous.” He ran a weary hand through his hair. “All right, I am. Jack, there is something I need to tell you, but you have to promise not to say a word to anyone.”

“Of course, my lord. What is it?”

“My uncle didn’t will me this castle. His estranged wife owned it after his death. I heard that she died recently. That’s why I hurried here right away and was even late to my own wedding.”

“You stole the castle?”

“Shhhh,” said Lance, covering his squire’s mouth and looking around. “I have everyone thinking Lord Ralston left it to me but that I couldn’t claim it until the death of his wife. In reality, the castle should go to Ralston’s brother, Philip. I am sure he is here to challenge me.”

“What are you going to do?” asked Jack.

“What can I do? I’ve already claimed Liddel Castle. If Philip wants it, he is going to have to fight me for it.”

“Do you think it’ll come to that?” asked Jack.

“I hope not. I only had a manor house before this and want more than anything to make my new wife happy. Coira deserves a castle, and I am the one who is going to give it to her.”

“But you just met her two days ago. How do you know she deserves anything, let alone a castle?”

“I can tell she is a good woman.” He nodded, thinking about her. “She deserves so much more than I could ever give her. Don’t you see, Jack? For once in my life, I have everything I ever wanted. I am lord of a castle and have a beautiful wife as well. With any luck, last night’s consummation will produce an heir. I want many children, and Coira is the one I want to give them to me. Aye, this is all going to make her very happy.”

“Excuse me, my lord, but it sounds to me like you want all these things for yourself, not for Coira. How do you even know these things will make her happy?”

“How could they not make her happy? After all, look around.” Lance stretched out his arms to make his point.

“There you are, Nephew,” said Sir Philip, sticking his head out of the doorway of the great hall. “I was starting to think you weren’t going to show.”

“Uncle,” said Lance, walking forward with his arm extended to clasp hands with the tall, burly man. “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. You must realize that I was just married and have been spending time with my new wife.”

“Married?” Philip raised a brow. “To whom?”

“He married a Scot,” Jack told him. “Her name is Coira MacDuff.”

“You married a MacDuff?” Philip’s brows angled downward. He pulled Lance to the side where no one else could hear them. “What is the matter with you?”

“Whatever do you mean, Uncle?”

“I know you were away campaigning in France for the last six years, but don’t you know what you’ve just done?”

“Of course, I know.” Lance grabbed two tankards of ale off a server’s tray, handing one of them to his uncle. “I married a Scot and have made an alliance. Thanks to me, we’ll be safe from future invasions. Highlanders or Lowlanders will not attack Liddel Castle, so we don’t need to worry.”

“We? There’s no we involved, you fool. We both know you stole this castle right from under my nose. Ralston’s wife just died, and now the castle is mine.”

Lance took a swig of ale. His eyes narrowed as he studied the brash man. He didn’t doubt the only battle held here would be between him and his uncle. “This is my castle, and you need to leave.”

“Once I tell King Edward you have married and are harboring a MacDuff, he’ll have your head.”

“Why would he care who I marry?”

“You fool! It was the MacDuffs who crowned Robert the Bruce, or did you forget? Plus, my brother had the Stone of Destiny in his hands, and because of a MacDuff it is no longer in possession of the English.”

“I’m sure Coira had nothing to do with it.”

“On the contrary, I think she did. You need to find out from your traitorous wife where the stone is and bring it back to England.”

“Why should I care about it?”

“Because, if you can find it and bring it to Edward, you will be his champion. If you don’t find it, or even look for it, I will fight you and take back what should be mine.”

“So, you’re saying if I find out where the Scots hid the Stone of Destiny, you’ll leave me alone?”

“If you do, you can have this broken-down castle.”

“I see. You want me to do all the work while you take the glory even though it isn’t yours.”

“No different than you taking Liddel Castle out from under me.” Philip gulped down the ale, keeping his eyes fixed on Lance. “Your precious, little bride thinks this castle is yours. I am sure you don’t want to disappoint her.”

Lance’s eyes snapped up. “You’ll not say a word of any of this to her.”

“Then you’ll find out from her where the Scots hid the stone?”

Lance didn’t want to be put in this position. He was happy here and didn’t care about the stone. He only wanted to live a normal life and raise children with Coira. But he also wanted Coira to be proud of him and to be happy. She seemed so frightened and frail. Last night, they had made progress. And this morning, she had seemed like a different woman once again. Aye, it was best not to upset things. If he could nonchalantly find out from her where the Scots hid the stone, all his problems would be solved. He didn’t care about the coronation stone at all. If one action would keep his uncle away and secure Liddel Castle as his own, he had no choice but to do it.

“All right,” he said, finishing off his ale and slamming the tankard down on the table. His uncle made him so furious that he was ready to strangle the man with his bare hands. “I’ll find out where the stone is, but then you will leave my castle and never threaten me again. Do you understand?”

“Done,” said Philip with a grin spreading across his face. “Now, where is this bride of yours? I would like to congratulate her on her marriage.”

“You’ll meet her when I say so, and not before. So, make yourself scarce,” spat Lance, storming off to meet up with Coira.