Page 33 of The Scot

“He is very focused on this mission,” Idalia said, furrowing her brow. “It would surprise me greatly if he took a wife.”

Roysa waited, her lips pursed together.

“Though you are wonderful, of course. Any man should be as lucky to have a wife such as you.”

She attempted to keep her expression serious.

“Especially when you are being kind. Not that you are not always kind, but at times I wish you would be easier on yourself. That you would not expect such perfection . . . Roysa? Are you laughing at me?”

“Nay,” she said, doing just that. “I would never do so.” She shook her head. “Not at all. Never.”

Except that she was.

And finally, her little sister understood.

“You don’t want Terric for a husband.”

The very word terrified her. Though maybe slightly less than before the previous evening. “Nay. I have had one and would not care to repeat such an arrangement again.”

“But you said . . .”

“You are married, Idalia. To a man who loves you. Surely you can understand a woman might want something else from a man?”

“You don’t want to marry him. You want to have sex with him?”

Or at least be introduced to the pleasures he’d promised. Roysa was about to respond when a voice interrupted them from behind.

“Have sex with whom?”

“You could not be more outrageous,”Terric declared, watching the men from the sidelines with his arms folded over his chest. He always trained alongside his men. But not today. This was no longer training but preparing for battle. Or perhaps a siege. He alternated between encouraging the men, speaking to his marshal, and sneering at his friend. Lance had seen his wife atop the parapets and left them for the sole purpose of stealing a kiss.

He’d have gladly followed and done the same, the mere sight of Roysa stirring him quite easily.

“I was not gone long,” Lance objected.

“That hardly matters. I dare you to repeat those words to Guy or Conrad. ‘I will be back soon. I need to kiss my wife.’ Who says such a thing?”

Terric’s eyes tracked Gilbert as the marshal walked between the men, shouting orders though never berating anyone. He was a capable marshal, and he was lucky to have such a man.

“I’m not ashamed of wanting to kiss my wife. Besides, Guy would understand well enough. Though I’d never have believed it, the man’s heart actually beats inside his chest.”

Terric laughed at that. None of them had ever believed Guy, a mercenary, would marry. But the rest of them had agreed that he seemed happier with Sabine than he’d ever been before.

“Even Conrad understands the notion of being in love.”

“I understand it. I just do not wish to partake in it.” He turned toward Lance. “Besides, when has Conrad ever been in love?”

Lance just gave him a private smile, a look that said he knew something but did not wish to share. Could it be a secret about Conrad?

“Out with it, Lance.”

His friend just shrugged. “You chastised me for kissing my wife, but it seems you’ve taken the time out of our preparation for battle to do the same. Though not with my wife, of course,” he rushed to add.

Terric groaned. He’d assumed Lance would find out eventually—it stood to reason Roysa would tell her sister, who would in turn tell Lance—but he’d hoped it might not be so soon.

“There’s naught to tell. It was one kiss. That should not have happened. And will not happen again.”

If Lance had looked pleased before, he now appeared as if he had just been crowned tournament champion. He knew something else, something he wasn’t saying.