Leila smiled. 'I asked her the very same question, and she told me his growl is a little stronger today. That was how she knew he had improved.'
'Where is she?' Gabriel demanded.
'She went riding,' Leila answered. 'She declared it was too fine a day to stay inside.'
'My wife went riding alone?'
Gabriel didn't wait for an answer. He muttered a dark blasphemy as he left the hall. Keith and Calum started after him.
'I take full responsibility should anything happen to our mistress,' Keith announced. 'I should have gotten here sooner. Today's my day to protect her,' he added as explanation. 'Damn but I wish she'd stay where she's put.'
'But she was wearing the MacBain plaid,' Leila called out.
'She shouldn't be,' Keith said.
'But she is, sir.'
Calum scratched his jaw. 'She's gotten her days mixed up,' he decided aloud. He winked at Leila when he passed her, then increased his stride to catch up with Keith.
Gabriel controlled his worry by getting angry. He'd been most specific with his wife during the past several weeks. She was to rest, damn it. Riding out alone in the hills infested with wolves wasn't his idea of a rest. Did he have to keep her under lock and key? By God, he'd ask her that question just as soon as he found her.
Sean, the stable master, spotted his laird coming his way and immediately prepared his stallion for the day's hunt. He was just leading the black beauty out when Gabriel reached him. He snapped the reins out of Sean's hands, grunted a response to the stable master's greeting, and gained his stallion's back in one fluid motion. The horse was in a full gallop by the time he'd crossed the meadow. Auggie heard the pounding of hooves and lifted his head. He was down on his knees measuring the distance from one hole he'd just dug to the next. He hurried to stand up and bowed when his laird stopped his mount a scant foot away.
'Good day to you, Laird MacBain.'
'Good day to you, Auggie,' Gabriel responded. He scanned the meadow, then turned his gaze back to the old warrior. 'Have you seen my wife?'
'I'm seeing her now, MacBain.' Auggie motioned with his hand. Gabriel turned in his saddle and looked up. He spotted Johanna immediately. She was on the north ridge, seated atop her mount. 'What the hell is she doing?' he muttered to himself. 'Contemplating her circumstances,' Auggie answered. 'What in God's name does that mean?'
'I wouldn't be knowing, MacBain. I'm just repeating her words to me. She's been up there over an hour. I'd wager she's worked it all out in her mind by now.'
Gabriel nodded. He goaded his mount into a full run. 'It's a fine day to ride,' Auggie shouted.
'It's a finer day to stay inside,' Gabriel muttered in reply.
Johanna was just about to ride back down to the meadow when she noticed her husband coming up the ridge. She waved in greeting, then folded her hands together on top of the reins and waited for him to come to her.
She was more than ready to take him on, she decided. She took a deep breath in anticipation. It was time for her to put her new plan into action. She was a little nervous, but that was to be expected. She wasn't used to taking charge. That wasn't going to stop her though. By God, she was responsible for her destiny, she thought to herself. She needed to explain that fact to her husband.
Johanna had awakened a full hour before dawn and had spent the time thinking about all the changes she wanted to make. Most involved her own behavior, but there were also a few changes she planned to help her husband make.
Gabriel's pet had actually started her thinking. Johanna had learned something very revealing when she'd taken care of the dog's injury. First came the observation that his growl was all bluster, a sign of affection really. Second came the realization she didn't need to fear the beast. A firm pat and a kind word had won her Dumfries's loyalty. This morning, when she'd fed the wolfhound, he'd growled with affection while he licked her hand.
Not unlike his master.
Her husband's scowls no longer worried her. Johanna had to remind herself of that fact when he reached her side.
'You were ordered to rest,' he snapped, his voice hard with anger.
She ignored his hostile greeting. 'Good morning, husband. Did you sleep well?'
Gabriel was so close to her, his right leg pressed against her left thigh. Johanna couldn't suffer his frown long and turned her gaze to her lap. She didn't want his glare to bother her concentration. She had quite a bit to say to her husband, and it was important she remembered every one of her thoughts.
He noticed his wife had her bow and arrows in a leather carrier strapped to her back. Bringing the weapon along showed good sense, he decided, providing she was accurate in the event of an attack. Practicing with a target pinned to a tree was one thing, but the real proof in her ability would be shown on a moving target… such as a hungry wolf or an angered, charging boar. Those thoughts led to the reminder of the dangers lurking in the hills beyond. His scowl immediately intensified.
'You blatantly disregarded my instructions, Johanna. You are not allowed…'
She leaned to the side of her saddle, reached up, and gently stroked the side of his neck with her fingertips. The caress had been butterfly light, and over before he even had time to react, but it still managed to break his concentration.
Her touch stunned him. Johanna sat back, folded her hands together, and smiled up at him.
He had to shake his head to clear his thoughts. Then he started over again.
'You have no idea of the dangers…'
She did it again. Damned if she didn't deliberately break his concentration by stroking the side of his neck. He grabbed hold of her hand before she could pull away.
'What the hell are you doing?'
'Patting you.'
He started to say something, then changed his mind. He stared at her a long minute, trying to understand what had come over her.
'Why?' he finally demanded, his expression wary.
'I wanted to show you affection, m'lord. Does my touch displease you?'
'No,' he growled.
He grabbed hold of her chin with his hand and leaned down. His mouth covered hers in a long, hard kiss.
She melted against his side, put her arms around his neck, and clung to him as the kiss deepened.
Johanna didn't know how it happened; but when her husband finally pulled back, she was seated on his lap.
He held her close. She collapsed against his chest, let out a little sigh, and smiled with satisfaction.
She wanted to laugh. Dear God, it really worked. She had just proven a most important theory. Gabriel and his hound were actually very much alike. Her husband liked to bluster as much as his pet did.
'It is permitted for a wife to show her husband affection.'
He was giving her his approval, she supposed. And Lord, did he sound arrogant. She leaned away from him so she could look up at him.
'Is it permitted for a husband to take his wife riding?'
'Of course. A husband can do anything he wishes to do.'
So can a wife, she thought to herself. 'Why are you always so serious, m'lord? 'Tis the truth you don't smile enough to suit me.'
'I'm a warrior, Johanna.'
From the look on his face she assumed he believed he'd given her a full and logical explanation.
He lifted her back on her mount. 'You rarely smile,' he remarked. 'Why is that?'
'I'm a warrior's wife, m'lord.'
She smiled after giving him her tart answer. He couldn't help but grin.
'You're very handsome when you smile, m'lord.'
'But you dislike handsome men, remember?'
