Embarrassed now, Iliana shook her head and closed her eyes, clutching him for a minute before pushing herself away. “Nothing,” she mumbled, peering at the ground before her feet. “I just thought to see you off. Wish you godspeed, and luck, and—”

She paused when he placed a finger beneath her chin and raised her face to meet his gaze, unable to hide the expression in her eyes.

“Do you mean to tell me that me wee prissy wife is worried fer her great, smelly oaf o’ a husband.”

Iliana flushed at that, wondering when he had heard her refer to him as that, but nodded honestly. “You do not smell now, my lord. Mayhap if you did I would feel differently, but—”

This time he silenced her with his lips, drawing her into a kiss that took her breath away. She was quite dazed by the time he released her. Leaning her head against his chest, she closed her eyes. “I love you.”

It was the way he stilled against her that made Iliana realize what she had said. Good God! Where had that come from? she wondered in horror, then tugged free of him and fled the stables, too confused and embarrassed to look him in the eye. Iliana heard him shout after her but did not slow her step. Unfortunately, she had much shorter legs and was hampered somewhat by her skirts. She nearly groaned aloud when she felt his hand clasp her arm before she had taken more than a dozen steps from the stables. When he tugged her around, she jerked into him with a gasp, and it was the last sound she made.

Duncan kissed her. He kissed her right there for all to see and with a passion that made her toes curl. When he finally set her away, her lips were swollen and red, her cheeks flushed, and she was swaying on her feet.

Duncan took in her condition with satisfaction, then turned her toward the keep before bending to whisper: “We’ll discuss this further when I return. Now get ye back.” He released her then with a light slap on the derriere, and Iliana stumbled toward the keep, embarrassment painting her cheeks as she noticed all the grinning people about her. The courtyard seemed filled with men preparing to leave for battle, and every one of them had witnessed the shameless display.

Shriveling inside, she forced her head up and continued on to the castle.