His father turned and strode away, leaving Duncan staring after him in amazement. All his life he had heard about the cheating, lying, sneaky Sherwells. Now his father seemed to be saying the exact opposite. Damn! Everything in his life seemed to have turned topsy-turvy just now. Since Iliana’s arrival.

“There ye be.”

“Aye. Here I be,” Duncan said dryly as Gilley approached. “And what problem would ye be havin’ fer me?”

Gilley raised his eyebrows slightly at Duncan’s irritation but merely waved toward the stables. “’Tis not my problem exactly,” he murmured as Duncan followed his gesture to Gavin, one of his youngest guards, chatting up the stablemaster’s daughter. The young man had the pretty young lass trapped between his arms and the stable wall as he murmured to her.

“Ye’d best be havin’ a talk with the lad ere her father catches them.”

“Aye.” Duncan sighed as the girl giggled and turned her head away when Gavin tried to kiss her. “He’s been workin’ pretty hard at talkin’ his way under her skirts.”

“He’s been doing a lot more than talkin’,” Gilley said dryly. “And if her father catches him at his tricks, he’ll be havin’ his head.”

“Hmm,” Duncan murmured as Gavin ducked in for another try and this time, softened by his wooing, the girl allowed the kiss. Given the chance, Duncan had no doubt that young Gavin would woo his way under her skirt. While that meant he should have a chat with the lad and remind him of responsibilities, bairns, and not seducing nice young girls, it also started him to thinking about his wife, and the fact that there was more than one way to filet a fish.

Mayhap he could seduce her out of her belt, he thought. Recalling her heated response to him the morning after their wedding gave him hope, and Duncan was just beginning to grin over the prospect when Gilley suddenly shifted beside him.

“And there be her da now.”

Putting his thoughts briefly aside, Duncan glanced up as Rabbie came charging around the side of the stable, toward the young couple. Sighing, Duncan pushed his plans aside and moved toward the stables. He had things to attend to now. He would consider how to seduce his wife later.

Iliana stared blearily down at the food before her and tried to open her eyes fully. They were not following instructions. All they seemed to want to do was close and stay that way. But she knew she really should eat. She had missed breaking fast that day as well as lunch, then had worked the day through. She really should have taken the time to eat lunch, she thought now. Mayhap she would not be so weary now if she had.