An unseemly time for a woman to be wed, thus he sought to give her more of it to mourn as well as him having some to help her fall in love with her new home.

Not to mention her future husband.

It was regrettably also an unseemly time for a gentleman to advance his affections.

When she woke him last night, and he again had to witness her in her scant, clinging nightgown—in bed, beside him, when he was vulnerable after having one of his dreams—he’d been unable even to move for fear of what he’d move to do if he did.

But he’d managed to find a moment to offer her a chaste kiss.

It was all he could have.

For some time.

And it had been him who had decreed they’d sleep side by side every night.

He wished to make certain she was safe. Her mother had died abed.

But it was killing him.

Fuck.

Instead of kissing her in that moment, he wrapped his arm around her neck and pulled her to his side.

She put her arm around his waist.

This was much better.

He pivoted them again and resumed their walk to the tent.

“Will you at least allow a servant to pack your bags?” he requested.

“Yes, True.”

“We’ll take a pack horse so bring what you wish,” he told her.

“I will.”

“We’ll take two horses if they’re needed.”

“All right, True.”

“And we’ll get another, if you see things you wish to purchase on our journey.”

“True?”

He looked down at her. “Yes, my sweet?”

She grinned up at him and put her hand to his stomach. “Stop being so marvelous.”

And all of a sudden, he was no longer angry.

He bent to kiss the top of her fragrant hair, pulled away, and replied, “Never.”

Her eyes grew brilliant as yellow diamonds.

They weren’t exactly happy.

But they were not unhappy.

He’d take it.

For now.

He led them into their tent.

50

The Formidables

Queen Silence

Fifty Miles Inside the Southern Border

WODELL

One could say—after last night and his continued highhandedness at breakfast—I was not happy with my husband.

However, I was unhappier as he stalked (yes, stalked) me to our tent after breakfast.

It was entirely undignified, but he was so tall, his legs so long, in the end I was practically running to get to the tent before he did.

However, once I arrived, I realized I had not thought matters through for he was stalking me, which meant when I was inside, he was inside right behind me.

And I needed to get away from him.

Or I’d scream.