Vida had been on edge all day. It had started the moment she left the warmth of Tomas’s arms to return to her own chamber. Not that she had a single regret about handfasting with him. She was certain she’d made the right choice. Still, sneaking around in the dark of night didn’t sit well. It left her feeling worried and tense. Then, too, she didn’t want to be right about her beloved father. Sadly, when he returned from Perth that evening, she knew she had been.

The news was good, his men-at-arms were jubilant, but her father was morose and Tomas didn’t appear overly pleased either.

Vida adopted a joyous demeanor, hoping it would lighten her father’s bad mood. “Papa, I’m so glad you’re home. I trust after Tomas arrived with Will and Father Owen everything was resolved?”

“Aye,” he practically grunted.

Then she noticed that Will was climbing down off the wagon that Tomas had driven, but Father Owen didn’t seem to be with them. “Where is Father Owen?”

By this time Tomas had reached her side. He gave her a kiss on the cheek before answering. “The sheriff ruled that Lindsay had to pay the Red Friars the full amount required to ransom the crew of the Mermaid and return them home. He stayed in Perth to see to those arrangements. Then he’ll return to the abbey in Scotlandwell.”

Vida smiled at Will, who stood slightly behind Tomas.

As if reading the unasked question, Tomas said, “Will is an orphan. Father Owen was going to take the lad back to the abbey until the friars could find a home for him, but given what Clan Ruthven owes him, I said we’d take responsibility for him.”

Just as Tomas had read her expression, Vida knew exactly what he was suggesting. After all, his life had changed forever when the MacIans adopted him. “Of course, we will.” She opened her arms to the boy. “Welcome home, Will.”

The worry which had been written on the lad’s face transformed to shocked surprise. Then, with a shy smile, he stepped into her arms and she hugged him.

Her father scowled but said nothing.

She gave him the smile that nearly always melted his bad temper. His frown softened, but she hadn’t completely calmed his mood. Unfortunately, she suspected her next announcement wouldn’t help things either. “Papa, did Tomas tell you his parents have arrived from the Highlands?”

Again, a disgruntled, “Aye,” was his only response.

She cast a questioning look at Tomas.

He nodded. “I told him who they were and that they’d brought enough gold to help cover his debt. Although I’m sure we’re all thankful that wasn’t necessary.”

Ambrose snorted and strode past her into the keep.

She turned and hurried to follow in his wake. Tomas and Will following after her.

She caught up to her father and slipped her arm through his elbow, feeling some of the tension leave him at her touch.

He patted her hand absently.

Niall and Katherine sat near the hearth with their children and Vida walked towards them. A slight hesitation in her father’s step told her that wasn’t precisely where he had planned to go, but he let her lead him.

Niall stood as they approached. His sons followed suit.

Vida smiled broadly at them. “Papa, I suspect you remember Laird Niall MacIan.”

“Aye, of course I do.” His tone was gruff, but he extended a hand to Niall. “You’re looking well. Thank you for coming.”

Niall took his hand but there was very little warmth in his tone when he said, “Certainly, Laird Ruthven. I’m glad everything has worked out.”

Katherine stood and opened her arms, stepping towards her uncle. “Uncle Ambrose, it’s good to see ye.”

He allowed the embrace, patting Katherine’s back a bit awkwardly.

“Clearly, ye’ve met Tomas. These are our other children, Beitris, James, and Alex. My dears, this is yer Uncle Ambrose.”

Beitris curtsied and both boys gave a small bow.

Her father seemed momentarily confused. “You have sons.”

Katherine smiled. “Yes, Uncle, I do.”

He frowned. “I don’t have sons. That makes your sons my heirs.”

She shook her head. “Nay, Uncle, it doesn’t. Vida is yer heir. Niall relinquished my claims to Clan Ruthven when we married.”

“He relinquished your claim, but if I have no heirs they are still my nephews.”

Katherine’s voice grew a bit stern. “You do have an heir, Uncle Ambrose. I am not here to claim an inheritance that isn’t mine. Vida is yer heir and I will never contest that.”

He looked confused again. “Then why did you come back?”

“Because my son, Tomas, said ye needed our help.”

“Why would you want to help me if not to take back your inheritance?”

Vida was shocked. “Papa! Stop this.”

Both Tomas and Laird MacIan looked ready to do battle.

Katherine put up a hand. “Uncle Ambrose, whether ye believe it or not, I care about this clan. I care about my cousin. And I care about ye. I don’t need anything from ye and I don’t want anything from ye.”

Her father stared at Katherine, for a moment then seemed to relax a little. “I’m sorry. Thank you for coming. You’ll excuse me now, it’s been a long day.” He pulled away from Vida and strode towards the exit to the stairs.

“But, Papa, supper is ready to be served.” Vida called after him.

“Send a tray up.”

Vida turned back to her guests. “I’m so very sorry. I’ve never seen him behave like this.”

Katherine patted her arm. “Don’t let it upset ye. I’m sure the last few days have been exceedingly stressful and finding me here when he returned didn’t help.”

Tomas scowled. “Mam, ye and Da only came to help. There was no call for what he just did.”

“Tomas, he expects others to be as grasping and greedy as he is,” said his father.

Upset, Vida looked away to gather her composure. Laird MacIan’s words were harsh, but she couldn’t deny the truth in them. “I fear, ye’re right, Laird MacIan, but I expect, after he’s had a chance to calm down and rest a bit, he’ll realize he’s made a mistake. Please, join me at the table now for supper.”

During the meal, Tomas filled them all in on everything that had transpired in Perth.

After the trial, Tomas had sought out Laird Lindsay to suggest he remove his men from the Ruthven border. “The news that the Ruthven garrison had been reinforced by a hoard of Highlanders convinced him that any attempt to wrest Cotharach from the Ruthvens would end in crushing defeat. So that threat has been removed as well.”

As it turned out, Will had paid particular attention to the court proceedings. He had noticed Lindsay’s allies had physically distanced themselves from the Lindsays when the tide turned against them. “Captain Lowther always says rats leave a sinking ship. Now I understand what he meant.”

Will had also apparently been in awe of the fact that the sheriff held the Lindsays responsible for the funds the Trinitarians paid to gain the crew’s freedom. He told them stories of the wonderful work the Red Friars did. “My lady, the thought of being sold as a slave—well, I can’t tell ye how scared I was. I’m glad they’ll be able to save others.”

Vida decided to speak to her father about making a substantial donation as well.

Later that evening after she had retired, to her absolute delight, Tomas came to her chamber. As soon as he was through the door, she flew into his arms.

He captured her lips in a hungry kiss. She gave herself over to the wonderful sensations it awoke in her and was left a little dazed when the kiss ended.

He chuckled, “I’m glad to see ye missed me.”

She felt her cheeks redden, but she grinned and said, “It seems you missed me too.”

He nuzzled her neck. “Oh, I did. I missed ye dreadfully.”

She giggled and reached for the belt holding on his plaid. “Then we must waste no more time.”

Tomas shook his head and took hold of her hand. “Nay, lass. I fear we have things to discuss first.”

She frowned. “Nay. I’m fairly certain I won’t like the things ye have to tell me. I think it would be much better to enjoy ourselves a bit first. Then we can talk about serious matters.”

“Ah, lass,” Tomas kissed her. “How can I argue with that? Ye’re a brilliant strategist.”

“I’m glad you agree. Now, where was I?”

He took a step back, holding out his arms. “I believe ye were divesting me of my clothing.”

She smiled broadly. “Yes, of course, how could I have forgotten?” She unbuckled his belt, removing his plaid. Then she began to unlace his tunic, planting kisses on his chest.

“Ye’re torturing me lass.” He scooped her, laughing, into his arms. He kicked off his shoes before laying her on the bed and taking a moment to remove the rest of his clothing.

As he undressed, she rose onto her knees and removed her dressing gown. She was left wearing nothing but her silk shift.

Tomas, in his naked glory, leaned forward, planting kisses over her face and down her neck as he pulled at her shift, tugging it up, over her hips. He stopped kissing her. “Raise yer arms for me, lass.” She did and he pulled the shift up and off. He stopped and stared at her. “I have never seen anything more beautiful than ye are at this moment, Vida.”

She felt a hot blush rise under his perusal, as a wave of shyness passed through her, her hands fluttered up, covering her breasts.

“Nay, my bonny lass, let me savor yer beauty for a moment.” She dropped her hands to her thighs and looked into his eyes. The look of desire she saw there was indescribable. She felt adored.

Tomas climbed on the bed beside her. Capturing her lips again, he kissed her passionately. When he released her lips, she panted, breathless. He kissed her neck, then nuzzled behind her ear, causing her to giggle. He gave a low, throaty chuckle and, sliding her hair out of the way, planted kisses around to the back of her neck and then down her back. She shivered and gave a throaty moan. When he reached the base of her spine, he planted kisses around and over the curve of her hip. “Lay back, sweetling.”

Vida shifted off of her knees and rested back onto the bed. He kissed his way across her belly and up to her breasts.

His hands roamed freely over her body before cupping her breasts and brushing his thumbs gently over the peaks. She too explored his body with her hands. When she trailed her hands down to his hips and over his buttocks, he groaned.

“Ah, lass, I can’t bear it.”

He touched her between her legs, stroking her. Just as it had the previous evening, his touch sent her to another world. She was aware of nothing around her, only the incredible sensation growing at her core. She wanted more—she needed more. She raised her hips toward him.

“Hungry, are ye?”

Unable to form words, she could only moan her response.

He teased and stroked, bringing her ever higher.

“Please…Tomas…please.”

“My beautiful lass, I can deny ye nothing.” She was vaguely aware that he had moved to kneel between her legs. His hands slid under her hips, lifting her. Then, he entered her with one firm stroke, and she was lost. The building heat exploded and waves of bliss washed over her as the muscles at her core contracted repeatedly around him. With a low groan, he too found his release.

Vida wasn’t sure how long they laid there, but she realized it hadn’t been long enough when he lifted his weight off her and moved to lay at her side. She snuggled close, not ready to be parted yet.

His hand cupped one breast and he nuzzled her ear.

“Mmm. I could stay like this forever,” she crooned.

He kissed the top of her head. “Ye’ll get no complaint from me.”

She closed her eyes, content to doze in his arms.

He kissed her again. “My beautiful, brilliant, strategist, I fear ye may have miscalculated this.”

She chuckled and twisted in his arms to face him. “Nay. I may be guilty of procrastination, but I’m still sure it will be easier to hear what ye have to tell me now.”

He smiled and kissed her lips. “I don’t doubt it. I’m not sure it will make it any easier for me to tell ye, but here we go. As ye thought he might, once yer da realized there was no longer an urgent need for ye to marry, he suggested that we didn’t have to rush into anything.”

Tomas told her everything he and her father had discussed. “In the end, he didn’t say he’d call off the marriage.”

She frowned. “But he didn’t agree that we could still be married.”

“Nay, he didn’t.”

Vida sighed heavily. “Then there is only one thing to do.”

Tomas arched a brow at her. “Carry ye off to the Highlands with me?”

She chuckled. “Nay. But he needs to think ye would and that I’d go. Tomas, I love him, but every day I see more and more, which forces me to admit he’s not a good leader. We can’t risk him doing something equally as stupid in the future.”

“How do ye suggest we prevent that? What do we do?”

She gave him a sad smile. “We don’t do anything. I have to do it. He loves me. If he’ll listen to anyone, it will be me.”

“And if he doesn’t?” Tomas’s expression was guarded, worried.

She pulled him down to her lips and gave him a kiss meant to convey everything that filled her heart. “If he doesn’t, I’ll let ye carry me off to the Highlands. If I cannot get him to put the clan first after all of this, he never will.”