She glanced down at her attire as shame tightened her cheeks and swelled in her chest. Caelen McCabe had managed to do what no other person had ever managed. He’d made her ashamed of who she was, and it infuriated her.

She rubbed her hands together and then tucked them under the hem of her tunic. She hadn’t donned gloves—an oversight. She’d been in too big a hurry to leave the keep and the walls closing in around her.

But even the brisk wind and the biting chill couldn’t drive her back toward the warmth of indoors. Back to her future with a man as cold as the mist blowing off the loch.

“Rionna, you shouldn’t be out in the cold.”

She stiffened but didn’t turn around as her husband’s terse reprimand reached her.

“You’ll take ill.”

He came to stand beside her and stared over the loch in the direction of her gaze.

“Have you come to make your apology?” she asked as she glanced sideways at him.

He jerked in surprise and turned to stare at her, eyebrow raised. “Apologize for what?”

“If you have to ask, ’tis not a sincere apology you’ll issue.”

He snorted. “I’ll not apologize for kissing you.”

She flushed. “It wasn’t the kissing I was referring to, but you had no right to do something so intimate in front of others.”

“You’re my wife. I’ll do as I like,” he said lazily.

“You humiliated me,” she said in a tight voice. “Not once but twice this morn.”

“You humiliated yourself, Rionna. You have no discipline. No restraint.”

She whirled on him, her fist balled. Oh, she’d love to hit him. But she’d only bounce off and probably break her hand in the process.

She opened her mouth to let him have it, when his expression stopped her.

It was positively murderous.

His eyes went flat, and his jaw twitched.

His roar nearly flattened her. “Who struck you?”

Her hand flew to her cheek, and she took a step back. But he was having none of that. He pushed forward and reached up to pull her hand down. With his other hand he touched a finger to the still sore spot.

“Who dared raise their hand to you?”

She swallowed and dropped her gaze. “ ’Tis not of import.”

“The hell it’s not. Tell me and I’ll kill the bastard.”

When she finally dared to lift her gaze back to his, the terrible rage in his eyes puzzled her. He was furious.

“Did your father do this?”

Her lips parted in surprise and his lips tightened.

“I’ll kill him this time,” Caelen muttered.

“Nay! He isn’t worth your anger. He won’t touch me again.”

“Damn right he won’t.”

“I took care of the matter. I don’t need your protection.”