“I need to leave for a bit,” he said and wasn’t surprised that Willow seemed to expect it.

“You’re going to see if the culprit still lingers about. I had the same thought.” The worry grew in her eyes. “You will take care.”

“Is that an order, wife?’ he asked with a teasing grin.

“Aye, it is and you’ll obey if you know what’s good for you,” she said with a twinkle in her eyes that seemed relieved to share a light moment with him.

He folded his arms across his chest. “And what’s my reward for this obedience?”

The twinkle left her eyes replaced by a loving softness he feared he could drown in.

“Welcome arms, a warm hug, and a kiss,” she said, a reward she would favor herself.

He was speechless for a moment, then he leaned down to bring his face close to hers and said, “For such a fine reward I would battle the devil himself.” He brushed his lips over hers, then grabbed his cloak off the chair, and turned when he reached the door and returned to her, pulling his dagger from its sheath at his waist as he did. “If it’s the devil who walks through that door and not me, use this on him.”

Willow took it, nodded, and sent a silent prayer to the heavens as he closed the door behind him that she wouldn’t have to battle the devil today.

She returned her attention to Sara and wondered about the woman. Why did she live so isolated from family? Why didn’t she make her home with her grandson? Could she be hiding from something or someone? If she was, Slatter certainly wouldn’t have had knowledge of it, since he would have seen to the matter post haste.

Willow shook her head. Sometimes she cursed the way her mind worked, always looking for reason, always trying to make sense of things. She wished she could let some things be, not question or probe to find a reason behind it, not be practical.

A smile hurried to spread across her face. She certainly hadn’t been practical when she chose to stay with Slatter rather than go with Tarass’s warriors, though she tried to convince herself otherwise. She questioned it at times, but hadn’t regretted it.

The problem now was that the more time she spent with her husband, the more time she wanted to spend with him. A dread filled her when she thought of them parting, of never seeing him again, and yet, what other recourse was there for them? And what of how easily he lied? How could she spend her life with a man whose tongue she constantly questioned?

So many hurdles for them to cross, perhaps too many.

With her smile gone, she returned to working on Sara, applying more snow as it began to melt. She was relieved when the snow chased the fever. But how long it would keep it at bay, she didn’t know.