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He was gone a long while By the ti for food and she was so sleepy, she could barely hold her head up

Her husband's h he'd had no difficulty whatsoever lingering during his reunion with his stepmother, he couldn't show his wife half as much consideration

"There are four chambers upstairs, Brenna The kitchens are in a separate building behind the hall, should you ever feel the need to go there"

He clasped hold of her hand and led her up the staircase She was thankful the steps weren't nearly as steep as the ones leading up from the soldiers' quarters

"Why is there a banister here and not below? Was there a reason for not building one?"

"Yes," he answered "Are you really hungry?"

"I could eat a little so for you to tell "

"It's easier to push soldiers down, that's why"

She thought he was jesting When he didn't sed her mind "That's rather impolite, isn't it?"

He didn't understand she was teasing him and apparently didn't feel her question , he motioned to the dark hallway behind her "There are three cha, straight ahead of you"

She didn'tand stopped only after they'd entered the cha thud It was completely dark inside

Connor crossed the cha over theto let the light coh of relief because the rooht it would be There was a nice-sized hearth at one end of the chamber and a bed at the opposite end T chests flanked the sides, with several candles on top of each Other than a few hooks placed high up on the wall beside the door, there wasn't anything more to be noticed

She hurried over to theto see the view and iht ahead was the courtyard and then the ruins, a gloomy picture to be sure, and since she didn't want to dwell on the past now, she went to the bed to find out if it was lumpy or soft

"It's a very nice bed," she remarked "And so is the room You live like a peasant, don't you, Connor, without any unnecessary luxuries?"

"Does that bother you?"

"No," she answered "May I have a bath?"

"Toht, if you please?"

He relented "I'll have a bath prepared You'll have to hile the water is heated in the kitchens and carried up"

She shook her head "I would not put your staff to such trouble I could bathe in the kitchens, couldn't I?"

He wasn't surprised by her thoughtfulness because he'd already noticed she put the concerns of others before her own, no ht to add, for she had put Grace's safety above her own

"Yes, you may bathe in the kitchens"

"May I also eat there?"

"If you wish"

He opened the door to leave, but hesitated at the threshold, frowning as he noticed once again the dark shadows under her eyes In the soft light they seemed more pronounced He felt responsible for her exhaustion because he'd pushed her too hard, and while he regretted putting her through such a difficult ordeal, there really hadn't been any other choice MacNare and his soldiers had been gaining on thehed her need for sleep

"I want you to rest"

"Will you rest beside me?"

"Yes"

"Now that Euphe tomorrow?"

"Yes"

"Do you think she liked me?"

"Of course she liked you You shouldn't needwhile?"

"I hope so," he answered on his way out the door "I haven't asked"

"Connor?"

"Yes?"

"Please don't forget to send one of your et Any other questions?"

Neither his gruff attitude nor his frown deterred her She hurried over to the doorway, leaned up on her tiptoes, and kissed hih Connor put his arainst him, and kissed her a second time, faras he wanted She ended the kiss by pulling away from him She saw the bewilderment in his eyes, turned around so he wouldn't see her sht to tell him he could now take his leave

He was halfway down the stairs before he realized he'd been dis The soldier wanted to knohy his laird was happy, leaving Connor no choice but to adh it wasn't possible, the ruins of Connor's father's home seemed to have moved closer, and no matter where Brenna stood in the room, whenever she looked outside, the destruction was all she could see

She couldn't stop staring at the depressing sight She knew his father had died there, but had Connor witnessed his death? She hoped he hadn't because she couldn't even begin to iine how painful it would be to watch her own dear father die

A knock on her door was a welcohts A soldier carried in her baggage, and the e of clothing, her brush and two ribbons, and hurried downstairs