“No, I won’t tell you that. You’re clearly a woman who has a mind of her own.” He reached out and touched her cheek. “But may I suggest that we don’t discuss this anymore right now? We’ve been going since dawn, and I can tell you’re exhausted. Then Bohdan pulled the rug out from under us in more ways than one. Why don’t we try to get some sleep and let it sink in? We’ll have decisions enough to make tomorrow.”

“Are you being soothing and trying to take care of me again?” She nodded. “I think you are. I’m not insulted. I don’t care. I’ll take care of you, too. It’s not such a bad idea. I don’t want Bohdan to occupy any more of our minds tonight.” She lifted her hand to cover a yawn. “You’re right, I’m very tired and everything seems to be a blur. Besides, I just want to think about my baby now. I haven’t let myself do that since the night I came back from Kilgoray. There seemed to be too many things getting in my way.”

“Then by all means.” He was laying out the sleeping bags and blankets. “You don’t want to let Bohdan cheat you of anything. We’ll work out how to take him down together. But right now, just let everything else go away.”

“Together,” she murmured as she crawled into the sleeping bag. “That’s what you said before. I was hoping that you meant it.”

“I meant it. Though I’ve been known to try to manipulate situations to suit myself, that’s all in the past.” He lay down beside her. “I didn’t even cross my fingers when I said it.”

“What a relief,” she mocked. “But then I told MacDuff that you never lied to me.”

“I would have been tempted this time. I could feel you edging away from me. I was afraid I was losing you.” He put his arm over her body. “You’re still shaking. Come closer to me.”

She didn’t move. “I’m fine. You can’t solve everything that’s wrong with me.”

“I won’t try. Perhaps I’m hoping that you’ll try your hand at solving everything that’s wrong with me. Heaven knows that would be a monumental task. It would make me feel less insecure if I could feel you close to me.”

“Insecure?” She lifted her head to look at him. “You?” Then she nestled nearer to him. “On the chance that you’re not joking, I wouldn’t want to deny you. I’ve always wanted you to have whatever you wanted or needed.”

“I know you have.” He cradled her head to rest on his shoulder. “And there’s something that I need to know.” He hesitated. “How soon, Jane?”