Duncan glared at her for the suggestion. “Things have worked well enough the way they have been for years, wife. There is no need fer—”

“Who is the coward afraid of change now?” Iliana interrupted dryly. Then she rolled to the side of the bed, gained her feet and headed for the door, only to be caught up by Duncan as she moved past him.

“I am not finished with ye yet.”

“But I am finished with you!” Iliana said coldly. Tugging her arm out of his hold when it slackened in surprise, she hurried to the door. She had it open and was rushing down the hall before he regained himself.

“Wife!” he roared, starting after her.

Muttering under her breath, Iliana grabbed up her skirt and raced down the stairs to the great hall, nearly colliding with her father-in-law in the process. Iliana paused long enough to give him a nervous smile and quick curtsy, then skirted around the man and hurried to the kitchen.

“Duncan!”

“Not now, Da!” Duncan snapped, maneuvering around the older man and sparing barely a moment to spear his sister with an accusatory glare before chasing after his wife.

Iliana cast Elgin a nervous smile as she charged through the kitchen, intent on escaping to the gardens. Her steps didn’t slow until she pushed through the door and came upon the women, chattering away in the garden as they worked. It seemed her absence had loosened their tongues. While they had been silent and grim all morning, now they were chattering away like magpies.

“And then the smelly fool just stood there naked, bellowing like a sick cow.”

“What did ye do?” Janna gasped, seeming totally enthralled by the older woman’s story.

“I yelled right back. ‘Ye’ll not be touchin’ me, Willie Dunbar!’ I says to ’im. ‘Not til ye take a bath!’”

“What did he say?”

“‘Yer me wife, Mavis Dunbar, and ye’ll be seeing to me needs or else. ’Tis yer duty.’”

“Nay!” Janna clucked with disgust. “Sean said the very same thing to me! I’d like to have brained ’im.”

“I did brain Willie.”

Janna gaped at the older woman in disbelief. “Nay! Ye dinna! What did he do then?”

“Slept the night through with nary another peep out o’ him.”

Her jaw dropped at that. “What did he do when he woke this morn?”

“Naught. I told him he’d too much to drink last night and passed out drunk on the floor.”

“Ye didna! Oh, Mavis, yer awful.” She shook with laughter. “I could never brain Sean.”

“Aye, well, yer Sean’s a different kettle o’ fish than me Willie. He’d never raise a fist to ye.”

“Nay, he wouldn’t,” Janna agreed solemnly, sadness on her face as she peered at the older woman. “Why do ye not tell Duncan about Willie, Mavis? He’d tend to him fer ye.”