“Of that I have no doubt, husband, though it does my heart good to hear you say it.” She kissed him this time and her heart thudded when he smiled his wickedly handsome smile.

“I would take you straight to our bedchamber if Snow was not so worried about you or that we didn’t need to inform James of what happened.”

“Later,” she whispered.

“Sooner rather than later,” he whispered as if it were a secret and Willow laughed softly and kissed him again.

Chapter 20

“Why are you alone? Where is Devin and the others?” Slatter asked surprised to see Walcott when he entered James’s solar. “And why has it taken a week for you to get here if you’ve traveled alone?”

“Devin wanted to be sure of your request and that he brought the group to a safe place. Also, a few in the group need to rest after their last journey before taking on another one. And Devin refuses to leave until all are well enough to travel, though he is appreciative of the herbs Willow sent along for Erna and the others.”

“There is shelter, food, and safety here for your people,” James offered.

“Is it a permanent home?” Walcott asked.

“My sister Willow believes so, but it is up to Slatter to decide that,” James said, glancing at the man.

“Let the group know they come to a permanent home,” Slatter said. “Now let’s get you some food and drink and a place to rest before you must leave again.”

Slatter walked with Walcott to the door.

“A moment, Slatter,” James called out.

“I’ll meet you in the Great Hall,” he said to Walcott, then turned to James.

“Is this a permanent home for you?” James asked.

“Wherever Willow is… so is my home,” Slatter said and walked off.

When he reached the Great Hall it was to find his wife talking with Walcott. He stopped and watched his wife. She was genuinely happy to see Walcott and talked with him as if he were an old friend. He could hear her ask about Erna, the young lass that broke her arm and Corliss the old woman whose grandson Crofton worried endlessly about, and about Pell, the old warrior missing one leg and endless others whose names she recalled better than he did.

His wife grew more beautiful to him each and every day. More so today watching her with Walcott.

Then there were the fresh memories of having woken early this morning and how he and Willow had made love slowly, exploring, teasing, laughing, and falling more deeply in love. It had been afterwards when she had settled comfortably against him that it had struck him.

He didn’t want to live without this woman, not ever. He wanted her by his side every waking day until he woke no more. Fate had blessed him, first time she ever did, and he wanted to make sure he didn’t do anything that would have fate take her from him.