Like lie beside her all night because he worried he’d frighten her more if he bedded her.

He almost snorted. Of all the stupid things, that was probably the most. If his men knew of his sudden patience, they’d laugh him out of the keep.

Which was why he had to pretend he’d already seen the feast of feminine flesh that his wife now had on display.

He scowled at the ogling men and then stepped forward to assist his wife into her seat. He was still scowling when he greeted her, which was likely why tight lines appeared around her eyes and mouth.

He meant to tell her that she looked nice and he wholeheartedly approved of the change. What came out, however, was not what he planned.

“Why don’t you cover yourself properly? ’Tis indecent.”

She yanked her arm from his hand, fixed him with a glare that would shrivel a man’s cods, and then elegantly seated herself, leaving him to feel like the worst sort of tyrant.

He glared again at his men when they continued to stare with their tongues wagging about like they’d never set eyes on a lass.

“You look beautiful, Rionna,” Mairin said from across the table.

Guilt crept up Caelen’s neck. It should have been him who acknowledged how regal and, yes, beautiful, his wife looked. It shouldn’t be left to others to comment in order to remove his insensitive remarks.

And yet he couldn’t open his mouth to remedy his error.

“I’ve never seen a finer bride,” the king said with a broad smile.

Caelen scowled at the king and ignored Ewan’s look of reprimand.

David merely laughed and dug into his food.

“ ’Tis a good thing we’ve done, Ewan,” David said heartily as he wiped his mouth with the back of his arm.

Caelen wished he could be so sure this alliance was necessary. Still, his brother looked more at ease than he had in many months spent worrying over Mairin and Isabel and Duncan Cameron. And Alaric looked … content. For too long Alaric had been tormented by an impossible choice. The woman he loved or his loyalty to his clan. Having chosen wrong before, Caelen didn’t feel qualified to decide on such matters.

With everyone so bloody happy around him, it was hard to make the argument that the right thing hadn’t been done. The only problem was that he and Rionna seemed to be the only ones not happy.

Ewan cast a glance in Caelen’s direction before turning back to the king. “Aye, we’ve done a good thing.”

“As soon as the babe is well enough to sustain the journey, you must make haste to claim Neamh Álainn. ’Tis important to secure the last link in our stronghold.”