“I heard the same, but no one can tell me what took the chieftain away from his clan,” Arran said.
“I have heard only speculation. Some believe he went to find a healer who could help him. Some thought he went to search for his daughter himself. Others feared he went to strike a bargain with the leader of the mercenaries.”
“Wolf,” Arran said.
Quiver nodded. “They thought that for sure when the troop arrived this morning and camped on the outskirts of the village. Your presence and words have calmed them.”
“And what have they to say about my wife, since none would dare say a word about her to me?” Arran asked.
“Mostly it was respect for her that she did her duty and wed a good man for the clan,” Quiver said.
“That slight quiver in your voice tells me that you’re not telling me everything,” Arran said, watching King pounce on something only to come up empty handed and not looking at all pleased. He had a similar feeling. He had arrived here unexpectedly and pounced on these people, and he had failed to capture something, something important.
“I don’t believe any such nonsense, mind you,” Quiver prefaced, “but many think you are an unselfish soul for marrying a woman touched by the devil.”
“So you don’t believe me an unselfish soul?” Arran asked, a spark of teasing obvious in his voice and in his dark eyes.
Quiver stopped abruptly and stared at him dumbfounded. “You jest with me?”
Arran stopped as well, surprised with his response. “I do.”
Quiver smiled. “I appreciate the jest, sir. More jests would produce more smiles which would do people good. As for Mistress Purity, everyone will soon learn it was no devil who touched her but an angel.”
Arran entered the keep after making sure Quiver found a dwelling suitable for himself. The place was small but Quiver was more than pleased, never having had a place of his own. He was surprised to hear his wife’s voice raised with authority.
“It is your father’s way.”
“My father isn’t here and if you’ve failed to realize, let me make it clear—I am mistress of the keep now and you will follow my orders without question, Orvin,” Purity said with confident firmness.
Purity didn’t have to see who Orvin focused on behind her. From the smug look on his full face, it had to be her husband who Orvin felt had authority over her.
“Sir,” Orvin said with a respectful bow of his head to Arran. “Your wife thinks to tell me what I must do in my kitchen. I follow the chieftain’s rule and with him absent, you are in charge. I ask that you order Mistress Purity to leave me be.”
Arran stepped next to his wife, a scowl settling over his handsome face. “My wife is mistress of this keep, Orvin, and whatever she orders you to do, you will obey her without question.”
The man’s thick cheeks glowed red and spread to stain his face and head that had few hairs left on it. Orvin unwisely raised his voice and waved a dismissive hand at Purity. “I will not take orders from the likes of her.”
Purity took a quick step forward, moving in front of her husband to prevent him from doing more than taking a step toward the man. “Then you no longer work in the kitchen. You may take your leave and you will send Iona to me before you leave the keep.”
“You can’t mean to replace me with Iona. Your father will never permit it, just like he won’t permit those dirty animals from being in the keep,” Orvin said, pointing to King and Princess settled by the fireplace and scrunching his nose as if being struck by an offensive odor.
“Fetch me, Iona, then leave the keep, Orvin, NOW!” Purity ordered with a force that had Orvin moving quickly.
Arran stepped around Purity to stand in front of her. “That was impressive, wife.”
She looked away a moment and when she turned back to him, her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I’m not who I once was and it took returning home to realize just how much I’ve changed.”
His arm went around her waist, something that had become a habit when he was close to her, something that felt natural, comfortable, right. “I like who you’ve become.”
She smiled. “I do too.”
Her lips were on his before he could capture hers in a kiss. He was glad she kissed him whenever it pleased her and he was more than glad it pleased her to do so more often than not. This kiss was one that let him know she missed him and he realized he felt the same. They had only been parted for a couple of hours and yet it seemed so much longer. He had grown so used to being with her that it seemed strange not to have her by his side.