She considered attacking her husband, then scrapped the idea to go for a run instead. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to make love; she did. But if they made love now, her run would be out of the question. She’d be useless, at least for the morning.

Yep, run first, sex later.

She carefully untangled herself from Greylen’s embrace, then changed before slipping out of the chamber. She’d just put her hand on the latch of the front door when Greylen’s voice startled her.

“Where do you sneak to, wife?”

Gwen turned, surprised by his tone. “I’m not sneaking anywhere, Greylen. I’m going for a run.”

“Explain, then, leaving without telling me your intentions?”

“Greylen, I thought you were sleeping, and I didn’t want to disturb you.”

He looked at her like she were crazy. “Gwen, I can hear a pin—”

“Don’t tell me,” she cut him off, holding up her hand. “As far as Edinburgh, right?”

“That’s correct. And you’ll go nowhere.” He crossed his arms over his chest to emphasize his point.

“Greylen, I didn’t exercise yesterday,” she explained. “And I really need to now. I’ll only be gone an hour. Please be reasonable.”

“Reasonable,” he shouted. “’Tis still dark, and you go alone.”

Really? He had the nerve to try that one? With a straight face no less. “Greylen, when I open this door will there be guards on either side?”

“Your point?” he asked, as if realizing his mistake too late.

“I won’t be alone then, will I?” She said the words softly, aware from his expression that he’d drawn the same conclusion.

“Nay,” he said quietly. “I will.” He shook his head, as if disbelieving he’d said it aloud.

Gwen just stood there, shocked. My God, he didn’t want to be alone. This beast of a man, her husband, didn’t want to be alone. She smiled sympathetically, good Lord, how could she not. She knew how it felt to be alone. It seemed she’d spent the entirety of her life, until recently, feeling just that. Wasn’t that what she’d just realized earlier? She’d either been alone, or alone in a crowd.

As she walked to him, her heart melted even more. “I’m sorry,” she conceded, placing her hands on his chest. “I’ll go later.” After all, it wasn’t like she didn’t have time on her hands. Being stuck in the sixteenth century had its advantages. Of course, she belonged to a well-educated and wealthy family, which happened, she’d bet her life on, to help immensely. She wouldn’t fool herself because, she knew without a doubt, it would really suck otherwise.

“Nay, I’m acting foolish. I’ll go with you.”