Mari looked mutely up at Cam with sad eyes.
“Don’t worry. Kenna always gets what she wants in the end. Lach likes to play the one in charge, but he’s happily wrapped around his wife’s little finger.”
“He’s not wrong. I could be bringing great danger to the clan.”
Of course Cam knew this, but he wouldn’t allow the thought to take root. Mari was his wife now, which meant he had a duty to keep her safe and give her a happy life. He didn’t know the unpleasant details of her former marriage, but he knew she deserved better than whatever she’d been through.
No duchess would up and decide to kill her husband and run off to the wilds of Scotland alone unless she had no other choice.
“Shh. Don’t even think it,” he soothed. “If the worst were to happen, I would keep ye safe. You’re my wife now, and I protect what’s mine.”
When she frowned and looked away, he thought maybe she didn’t want to be his. She hadn’t chosen to be his. He hadn’t asked her thoughts on the matter. Neither of them had a choice, so it seemed like a waste of time to discuss it.
He let it go and escorted her down for the morning meal. Kenna and Lach were still unhappy and silent when they got to the head table.
Mari slipped her hand from Cam’s. “Please excuse me. I need a moment,” she whispered, and left before he had the chance to stop her.
Chapter Seven
Cam hesitated, unsure if he should go after Mari or not. She’d asked for a moment and it seemed rude not to give it to her.
He wasn’t the most knowledgeable of men when it came to a woman’s feelings. He knew how to please them in bed, and how to make them laugh. But the serious things… He’d never had much occasion to know such things. But now he had reason. He had a wife, and she was upset over what his clod-headed cousin had said in her hearing.
That being the case, it should be his cousin who should fix things.
“What’s wrong with Marian?” Kenna asked before Cam reached the table.
He pointed at Lach. “He’s what’s wrong with Mari. She heard the two of you arguing on the steps and she knows he wants to send her away. Could ye not have such discussions in your chamber so she’d not hear your stupid plans? Not that you’d get very far with such a strategy. If Kenna hadn’t already ended the notion, I surely would have.”
“I’m the laird. Why doesn’t anyone listen to me?” Lach complained. When Kenna tilted her head expectantly, he let out a sigh and tossed his bannock on the plate. “Fine. I’ll see to her and make sure she knows she’s welcome.” He continued to grumble under his breath as he passed by Cam to leave the hall.
“Know this, laird. If you make my wife cry, I’ll hurt ye during drills today.” It was no empty threat. He enjoyed making his cousin work for it. The man had been a soldier for years, fighting for the French in Spain. Lach certainly knew how to evade and attack, but Cam gave him a good show.
When Lach was out the door, Cam took his seat. A serving maid brought him his food, smiling attentively. A day or so ago he might have winked and stirred up a conversation. But instead, he offered a brittle smile and turned his attention to the woman sitting next to him.
“Thank you,” Kenna said.
“For what?”
“For protecting my sister.”
“Your sister is my wife. Had ye expected I’d not keep her safe?”
Kenna smiled. “Nay. I ken you have a good heart. It’s just nice to see there’s a chance for more.”
Cam wished he hadn’t just taken a sip of ale, because his surprise had him spitting it out across the table. “More?” he choked. “What do you mean by more? Surely you don’t mean love, Kenna MacKinlay.”
“You’d be surprised how love can sneak up on people.”
“It can’t sneak up on me. I’m watchful and have a large sword.”
Kenna only laughed louder. “We’ll see.”
“No, we won’t see. I don’t want it. I can’t do it. You know why it’s not for men such as me. I’ve spoken to you about these things in the past.”
“You mean the part about how war chiefs don’t deserve love?”
“I dinna say they didn’t deserve it. I said it was too risky. Both parties could be hurt.”
“We all carry scars from our upbringing. I still worry I’ll never be good enough.” When Cam snorted his disbelief, she shrugged. “It’s hard to convince someone of something they’ve been told for a long time. For you, it’s clear you don’t want to leave a family behind as your da left you and your mother, but are ye willing to give up on happiness on merely the chance it could happen to you the same way?”
“A chance? I’d say it’s more than a chance, given my duty. And I’d rather not have to think about the people I could leave behind when I draw my sword in battle.”
“That’s ridiculous. You think of all of us when you go to battle. Otherwise, why would you bother? The people you love in this castle are the reason you are able to fight. Knowing we need you makes you fight harder. It makes you stronger.”
“Mayhap. But it’s different, I think, with a family. I fear I’d be distracted with making sure I didn’t get hurt so not to leave them.”
“Cameron Michael Callum MacKinlay, you’d best always make sure you don’t get hurt, no matter if ye have a family of your own or not. There are many people here who would miss ye if you didn’t come back.”
“Aye. I do make sure.” It wasn’t something he could explain to Kenna. She wasn’t a husband. She didn’t know the
