They had been traveling for almost two weeks when finally the hill fort of Dunmar came into view. Cam looked at his wife, riding beside him, and as always when he looked at her, a surge of mingled pride, disbelief and fierce protectiveness consumed him.

They had wed five weeks ago, the day after she had accepted him. It had been hasty by any standards, but MacAlpin had been only too happy to ensure the occasion was infused with as much regal ceremony as possible.

Afterwards MacAlpin had drawn him aside. “You’ve done well, Cam. Such great service to your country deserves a mighty boon. Name it and if it’s within my power you shall have it.”

For once diplomacy had curbed Cam’s tongue and he’d refrained from telling the older man he hadn’t taken Elise as his bride for either his king or his country. He’d done it not only to protect his princess but because she was the only woman he could imagine wanting for his wife.

And as for a boon. He wanted nothing from MacAlpin. But mellow with the knowledge that his wife awaited him, he’d simply thanked his king and returned to her.

And now he was taking her home. A familiar knot of dread gripped his gut as they approached Dunmar. Three weeks ago, he’d sent on a messenger, so his servants had time to clean the hill fort and make it as welcoming as possible for his bride.

But it was still the place where Isla had died. Where, in the darkest hours of the night, he feared her restless spirit haunted the dreary halls.

MacAlpin had invited him to remain at Forteviot for the winter, doubtless because he knew of the lack that awaited Elise at Dunmar. But much as Cam didn’t want to return to the home of his forefathers, he wanted to remain under the same roof as MacAlpin even less.

Elise requested an audience with his king every day. He was running out of excuses as to why MacAlpin refused to see her. But the truth was Cam didn’t want her to see him. He had a fear that if she did she would somehow learn the sordid truth that had led to their marriage.

In his heart, he knew he was being irrational. MacAlpin wanted this alliance to succeed. He would surely not jeopardize it by poisoning Elise’s mind against Cam.

But the fear remained. And with it the determination to put as much distance as possible between Elise and all those who knew of his involvement with mac Uurguist’s death and that conversation in MacAlpin’s inner sanctum.

Even so, the king had assigned a dozen warriors to him and with the men who had come with them from Ce, their detachment was impressive.

“Dunmar occupies a magnificent position, Cam.” Elise turned to him, her face flushed from the chilled Highland wind. A thick shawl protected her from the unpredictable autumn weather. He tore his gaze from her and looked up at his inheritance, trying to see it from her eyes.

But all he saw was an ancient, sprawling stone hill fort that lacked every luxury Elise was used to.

“Aye.” His agreement was reluctant but it was the truth. Dunmar did possess a magnificent position, although it was nothing compared to Ce-eviot.

“From what you have said—or rather, what you haven’t said—I imagined Dunmar to be little more than a roundhouse.” Elise laughed at him but he couldn’t bring himself to laugh back. She sighed and reached for his hand as he gripped the reins. “Truly, Cam. I would be happy to live in a roundhouse if you were there with me.”

“It’s no Pictish palace.”

She squeezed his fingers. “Circinn is not as wealthy as the kingdom of Ce. I’m not nearly as pampered as you imagine.”

He looked at her and as always, her mischievous smile lightened his heart. “You deserve to be pampered.” For Elise he would overcome his loathing of all that Dunmar represented to him. He’d ensure his estates prospered now that he had a wife worth providing for.

His steward met them outside the entrance. Thank God for Dugald and his skilled management of the estate for the last nine years. If not for this man’s dedication, Cam would have even less to offer Elise in her future home.

“My lord.” Dugald bowed and after greeting him, Cam helped Elise from her horse and introduced her. He would never tire of introducing her as his wife.

“My lady.” Dugald displayed all the respect due to her status and, as the warriors who had accompanied them made their way to the stables, Cam took her arm and led her inside.

His servants had lined up, clearly eager to meet their new mistress, and Elise greeted them with a fine balance of regal dignity and reserved friendliness. But as he led her through the great hall and pointed out the various chambers, he couldn’t help seeing the drab conditions.

Finally he took her up the curved staircase to the bedchambers. He had instructed his mother’s old chamber be readied for Elise but as he led her into the small antechamber, a suffocating sensation wrapped around his chest.

He ignored it, smiled grimly at Elise’s polite exclamations of pleasure, and opened the door to the bedchamber where a fire burned brightly in the fireplace.

No fine tapestries adorned the stone walls, but it was clean and the fragrant scent of heather dispelled any lingering sense of disuse. The chamber, after all, had not been occupied for twenty years.

“It is beautiful.” Elise turned to him and grasped his hands. He shook his head at her exuberance. How easy she was to please.

“I’m glad you like it.” He felt a familiar scowl threaten and battled to keep it from his brow. He rarely frowned when with Elise. Now that he thought about it, he rarely scowled even when they were apart. Somehow, her magical touch and the knowledge she truly belonged to him had eased the hollow ache in his heart in a way he had never dreamed could be possible.

But he couldn’t quite succeed in keeping his feelings from his face this time. “My chamber is next door.” His father’s chamber. His gut clenched at the notion of sleeping in it, but he could hardly keep his old chamber. It was at the other end of the passageway, too far away from his tempting bride.

Elise tilted her head to one side, clearly considering the matter. “Perhaps there is no need to be too hasty about our sleeping arrangements, my love. Until we have worked out a suitable compromise, perhaps you should use this chamber as your own. Share with me, I mean.”

He laughed. Could not help himself. “A princess share her bedchamber with her husband?” The nobility did no such thing, so he was sure royalty didn’t. Not that he found the idea distasteful. Far from it.

It wasn’t as if he intended to let Elise sleep alone in any case. But there was a difference between sharing a bed and sharing a bedchamber.

“Why not?” She laughed up at him, and then a shiver chased through her and she glanced over her shoulder toward the fire. A small frown fluttered across her brow, as though something had disturbed her.

He had heard nothing. But he would ensure a few cats were installed in order to chase out any errant rodent.

Elise shook her head and looked back at him. “As I was saying, why shouldn’t I share my bedchamber with my husband? My ladies can take the chamber next door, and you can continue to use your old chamber for your personal business.”

He lifted her in his arms and swung her around. “I had no idea you were so fond of issuing orders. This is a revelation to me.”

She wound her arms around his neck. “I’m very conversant with giving orders, as you shall soon discover.”

He dropped her onto the bed, still holding her, and the sweet scent of heather cocooned them. He gazed into her blue eyes and the sound of her giggles sent glimmers of sunlight into his soul.

“I look forward to it,” he growled and tugged at the ties of her bodice.

“It’s the middle of the day,” she gasped. “What will your servants think?”

“They will think how fortunate their master is.” He pulled her gown over her breasts and dragged his thumb over her erect nipples.

She sighed and stirred restlessly. “You delight in torturing me.”

“Aye.” He grinned down at her. Lovemaking had never been so pleasurable or leisurely a pastime before Elise. “It is my right as your husband.”

She laughed and pulled at his shirt. “And it’s my right as your wife to see your naked body whenever I command it.”

He rolled back onto his knees. “How easy your commands are to obey.” He stripped off his shirt and discarded his plaid. He would give Elise anything she asked for if it was within his power. But she asked for so little.

He vowed that one day he would give her the world.

Feverishly she wriggled out of her gown and tossed it onto the floor. She lay back on the furs and gave him a provocative glance from beneath her lashes.

She was beautiful. Perfect. She no longer tried to hide her injured leg from him, and a strange pain drove through his chest at the knowledge of how much she trusted him.

He bent his head and sucked her ripe nipple into his mouth. She threaded her fingers through his hair, pressing him close, and his cock ached for release.

Slowly he kissed his way down her body, his fingers sculpting the curve of her breasts and hips. Her musky scent ensnared him, drawing him between her thighs.

She opened her legs to accommodate him, her fingers tangling in his hair as her breath became erratic. He caressed her pussy with the pads of his thumbs. She was already wet. For him.

He spread her swollen folds. Mesmerized he gazed at the silken flesh that promised him a taste of paradise. Her clitoris peeked from beneath its hood and he stroked her slit with his fingers, using her juices to coat her sensitive bud.

She clutched his hair, and her gasps of pleasure stoked his lust. He cupped her sex and fingered her mound, teasing her clitoris with her own pussy lips. She arched into his hand and he pressed a finger against her pearl. She cried, a hoarse, inarticulate sound of passion, and as her liquid heat flooded over him, his control unraveled.

He moved over her and pushed his cock inside her slick crease. She contracted around him, the aftermath of her orgasm driving him to the edge. He tipped his hips forward, so his lower body pressed against her sensitized spot, and felt another wave of ecstasy roll through her.

His wife. For an eternal second, he gazed at her enraptured face. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips parted. He had never seen anything so captivating in his life.

A primal groan scorched his throat as he made her his once again.

***

It was late the following afternoon before Cam returned to the hill fort. He’d gone round his estate with Dugald and was satisfied with the progress they had made. He had a list of repairs and renovations he wanted finished before winter set in and intended to make long-term plans in the coming days.

He swept into the great hall and beckoned a servant. “Where is the princess?” He imagined she was in their bedchamber. He would have to arrange for her to have a downstairs chamber for her use. Since they were now sharing, she needed a place for her and her ladies to do… whatever it was ladies did.

“The princess went to the village this morning, my lord.”

His serenity shattered. “The village?” Unformed fear gripped his heart. Without waiting for an answer he stormed back outside, hand clasped around the hilt of his sword.

What was she doing in the village? Why would she even leave the hill fort? For God’s sake, was she mad? It had never occurred to him she would take it into her head to wander. But he should have. Elise loved to wander.

Sick terror churned his gut. Had she gone alone?

Even as horrifying scenarios ripped through his mind, he saw a mounted party heading his way. Elise and her ladies and the warriors who had accompanied them from Ce. His heart slowed but the terror mutated into fury. How dare she put herself in danger?

Her bright smile of greeting did little to appease his receding shock. If she noticed his scowl—how could she not notice his fucking scowl?—she chose to ignore it. He helped her dismount.

“My lady. A word if you please.”

She walked with him, signaling her ladies to remain behind. Obviously she was not as blind to his mood as she pretended. Once they were out of earshot of his household, he turned to her and battled the urge to simply take her in his arms and hold her tight.

“Did your day not go well, Cam?” She frowned up at him and clasped his hand to her breast. Maybe she didn’t realize why he was so furious after all.

“I would rather talk about your day.” The swell of her breast cushioned his hand. He attempted to ignore the way his body responded. He would not be distracted. She had to learn that she could no longer just wander the countryside as she had when she was in Ce.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his countrymen. Except when it came to Elise and her safety he didn’t fucking trust anyone.

“Oh.” Her eyes widened and unless he was mistaken, excitement shone in her eyes. “I had a very productive day. I discovered several village women with admirable skills in both weaving and the needle. And although there is only one healer—one Cam, can you imagine?—her knowledge is breathtaking. Alas, she is also quite ancient but my ladies and I are certain we can find several acolytes among the children who will be willing to learn her secrets.”

He stared at her, speechless. Of anything he thought she might have said, none of this came close.

She appeared not to notice his incredulity. “It will take some time but I promise you I will have our household running efficiently in all aspects. Oh, and I have also arranged for two young girls to come help in the kitchen, although I believe we’ll need to expand our servant numbers significantly to cater for the additional workload.”

Silence hammered between them. Elise raised her eyebrows, clearly waiting for his response. He cleared his throat. His mind had gone strangely numb.

“I didn’t realize you intended to…” His words trailed off. Now he thought about it he realized he had never thought at all about what Elise might do with her time. Was this what royal wives did? He had somehow thought they would delegate all such mundane matters.

“I thought you knew.” She paused and then cradled his face with one hand. “You do not mind?”

“Of course not.” His voice was gruff. “But when I returned and you weren’t here, I was concerned.”

She flashed him one of her irresistible smiles. “Ah but I am learning, my dear husband. I took not only my ladies with me but also a contingent of warriors.”

“Aye.” He let out a ragged breath. Elise was safe. She wouldn’t put herself in jeopardy again by roaming the countryside alone. “Go inside. I will join you shortly.”

***

Elise kept the smile on her face until she and her ladies entered the antechamber. Then her smile faded and as her ladies fussed around her, removing her shawl and tidying her hair, she remembered the look on Cam’s face.

He had been more than concerned by her absence. He had feared something had happened to her.

She sighed. He would probably always worry about such things and she couldn’t blame him. All she could do was try to reassure him that she’d never willingly put herself at risk.

She glanced toward the bedchamber. There was something about the chamber but she couldn’t quite fathom what. As her ladies busied themselves in arranging for refreshments to be brought up to them, she slowly walked through the opened door.

For a moment, all was well. And then the eerie sensation that she had experienced the day before shivered over her arms.

Once again, she looked over to the fireplace. The fire had not yet been lit and the chamber was chilled. But that wasn’t the reason she shivered.

Unable to help herself she knelt before the hearth and leaned over the dead embers. She peered up. The stone was blackened. There was no foul stink to indicate some small creature had become stuck and died.

She reached out and pressed her palm against the stone. She had no idea why. Only that she was compelled to do so.

“Elise.” Cam’s harsh voice echoed around the chamber and she rolled back on her knees, feeling unaccountably guilty. He was staring at her from the door, a combination of shock and disbelief on his face. “What are you doing?”

She didn’t know what she was doing. She pushed herself to her feet and dusted the soot from her hands. The uncanny prickle that had haunted her mind a moment ago had faded.

She turned to her husband and opened her arms. “Waiting for you.”