In fact, the servants’ caravan with tents and accoutrements left hours before the rest of us did as we finished up breakfast under the late-rising sun and dallied to our horses so they could be at our destination prior to us arriving in order that we could immediately refresh and rest in luxury.

This was not the Dellish way. In a caravan, we all rode together. And when the party stopped, the gentry sat atop blankets and had a wine or some cool tea to refresh while the servants saw to diner and accommodations, which were not nearly this elaborate.

It was the Firenz way, where sumptuousness and extravagance and indulgence were priority and servants existed to see to that priority without fail.

“Ah,” Mars spoke. “This heartens me. You remember who I am.”

“Of course I do,” I said softly.

“Mm,” was his only reply as he stood, unmoving, his arms crossed over the sand-colored leathers on his wide chest, his black gaze locked on me irritably.

Even if he did look every bit what he was known as, a barbarian king, I gathered my courage.

For I knew he was also Mars.

I just had to settle into how he was both and neither belonged to me.

“Did Basil not tell you?” I asked. “I was with Mother and Father, enjoying a drink.”

“Basil shared your whereabouts,” he confirmed.

“Well, I, erm…”

I knew not what else to say.

I also knew I couldn’t get to bed because, first, he was barring my path, and second, he was in the tent so Tril couldn’t attend me to help me change clothes in order to sleep.

That gave me something to say.

“Has Tril been ’round?”

“Indeed,” Mars answered. “I sent her to her pallet.”

I blinked at my husband. “But I need her assistance with preparing for bed.”

“If you need your laces loosened, Silence, my fingers work.”

Oh balls.

“We…you and I usually—” I stammered.

“I have given you that, yes,” he interrupted me to say. “I felt you needed time to get used to your husband and the closeness we will share throughout our lives together. Thus, I have absented myself while your maid helps you prepare for bed. However, as I’ll be seeing you out of your clothes, as well as in them, and doing this with great frequency during our years of marriage, there’s no reason when you’re late to bed that your maid must remain awake when I can help you out of them.”

I swallowed.

“Are you ready for bed, Silence?” Mars asked with faux courtesy.

“I feel like I need more time, Mars,” I told him carefully.

He took but a second to think on this before he jerked up his bearded chin in assent.