CHAPTER 28

Mary was long asleep when Edward came to their chamber that night. He stood by the bed and watched as she slept, so burrowed under the furs that only her nose peeked out.

Talks with McDonald had rapidly deteriorated as more ale had been consumed. Instead of talking marriage and alliances, the men had sat around the table in the hall drinking and engaging in bawdy tellings of tavern wenches and old battle scars.

Edward had excused himself, more interested in slipping into a warm bed with his wife than engaging in ribald boasting. It should bother him that even asleep the lass had such a hold over him that all he had to do was imagine her above stairs in his bed and he grew restless and ready to depart the men. But he found that it didn’t bother him at all.

While the rest were in the hall fondly recounting nights spent in the arms of a woman, he’d be above stairs holding his in his arms.

He undressed and carefully pulled back the bed covers. She immediately stirred, frowned, and then ya