"Jamie, you've forgotten something," he said when she tried to take the reins back in her hands.

"Oh…" She immediately started to blush, then motioned him closer and leaned down to kiss his brow.

He couldn't hide his exasperation. "I meant you forgot your saddle," he told her.

"I don't like it, Jamie argued. "It's too new. It makes me stiff, Alec."

"Marcus, get my wife one of my old saddles. Why didn't you tell me you could ride bareback? I thought you unskilled. You did fall off your mount today."

"I didn't tell you because you would have thought me unladylike," she answered.

He had to smile over that foolish statement. "I could never think you were unladylike."

She smiled. "You're forever reminding me," he added. "I should have realized you were skilled," he admitted then. "Beak told me you were the only one who could seat the mare. Still, he added that you didn't ride often."

"He was protecting me," Jamie explained. "He thought you'd be more considerate if you thought I wasn't properly trained."

Alec grinned. "Jamie? Don't ever kiss me the way you just did."

She thought he meant not to show any affection in front of his men. He motioned her toward him with the crook of his finger again and when they were almost nose to nose, he whispered, "Kiss me like this."

He didn't even give her time to smile. His mouth settled on hers in hard, hungry demand. She didn't open her mouth quickly enough to please him, but his low growl gained her full cooperation. His tongue drove inside just in time to taste her sigh.

She didn't hear the men yelling their pleasure at being witnesses to such a blatant display of passion. Alec heard them, however, and reluctantly eased his mouth away.

Jamie looked totally confused. He was arrogantly pleased that he could so easily rob her of all her thoughts, then realized he was holding her in his arms. He didn't recall taking her off Wildfire's back.

They both smiled. "You've wasted enough of my valuable time," he told her.

Jamie laughed. The sound of soldiers riding down the hill turned her attention then. "Why must I have so many soldiers accompanying me?"

"They also like to hunt," Alec replied. He let her slide to the ground when a soldier tossed him the saddle he'd requested. Jamie held the reins while Alec adjusted the straps around the mare's belly. He lifted her onto Wildfire's back.

"Have a good ride, Jamie," he told her.

"I won't be coming back empty-handed," she announced.

"I know you won't," Alec told her.

She really didn't like skirting the truth this way, but she deliberately let Alec believe she was hunting food. Besides, she thought to herself, he'd settle in once he'd gotten over his initial bluster. He'd make a proper father, too.

Jamie turned back to Marcus when they'd reached the drawbridge. "Which way, Marcus?" she called out.

"The west, milady."

Wildfire was in a full gallop when Marcus gained her side. He motioned her to follow his lead, then made a half-circle, backtracking from the way they'd started.

Marcus was polite enough not to mention her poor sense of direction. Gavin, however, took great delight in reminding her.

Jamie was too pleased with both men to take exception. They hadn't told Alec what her true destination was, after all, and she was most thankful for their silence. She didn't care if it had been deliberate or not.

Alec kept telling himself he wasn't worried, but he found himself pacing in front of the hearth after dinner was finished and his wife still wasn't home.

No, he wasn't worried. Marcus and Gavin would keep her safe. She'd be home any minute now. When the sun was completely gone, then he'd worry, he told himself for the tenth time.

He had used the time of separation well. As soon as Jamie left, he had called for his mount and gone directly to Helena's clan. He'd spent several hours talking with the cousins who remembered Helena, and had learned some rather interesting facts about the woman who'd found marriage to him so foul she'd ended her life in desperation.

He found Father Murdock as soon as he returned and spent a good long while listening to his opinions. The priest was clearly amazed that his laird was now speaking of his dead wife. He hadn't even mentioned Helena's name since the day of the burial. The laird's questions were perplexing to him, but he knew better than to try to find out exactly what Alec was looking for. It wasn't his place to question.

Now Alec paced a path in the great hall while he sorted through the information.

Jamie, having just returned to the castle, stood at the top of the steps, waiting for Alec to notice her. She was just about to call out to him when he suddenly turned around.

He was so relieved to see her that he gave her a good frown.

She retaliated by smiling.

He noticed her skirt was swaying back and forth, then saw the dusty little face peeking out at him.

Gavin and Marcus flanked Jamie. They were both staring down at the child.

Jamie took a deep breath and reached for Mary Kathleen's hand. "Come and meet your father," she whispered to the little girl.

Mary Kathleen didn't want to cooperate. Alec's size obviously intimidated her.

Her golden brown eyes were as wide as round trenchers. "He's going to love you with all his heart," she promised.

Before the little girl could shake her head, Jamie clasped her hand and led her down the steps.

Alec didn't have any idea what was going on. The barefoot cherub was wearing his plaid, though, indicating she belonged to a Kincaid. The ill-fitted piece of blanket was wrapped around her and tied in a knot below her chin. Alec couldn't remember ever having seen her before.

She was an appealing little girl with a mop of honey-colored curls that hung lower on one side of her face than on the other.

"Who is this?" Alec asked.

"Your daughter."

"My what?"

Jamie ignored her husband's astonishment. "Well, actually she's our daughter now," she explained. "Say hello to your papa, Mary Kathleen."

The little girl was still frightened. She continued to stare up at Alec while she twisted a lock of her hair into a knot on top of her head.

Jamie leaned down and whispered to the child. She was trying to soothe the little girl and also trying to give Alec a little more time to get used to the idea.

When Jamie straightened up again, she could tell from her husband's expression that he was going to need a lot more time.

"She's Helena's daughter," Gavin called out just to break the staring contest.

"She's my daughter now," Jamie countered. She let Mary Kathleen hide behind her back again. "It's really quite simple to understand, Alec. When you married Helena, you became Mary's papa. You were going to bring her here to live with you, weren't you? And when I wed you," she continued before Alec could answer her, "well, I then became Mary's new mother. We have both been errant in our duties to this child, husband."

"The Kincaid provided well for Helena's child," Marcus interjected.

"Her grandmother died three months past. Did you know Mary was given over to a distant relation who wanted only your grain? It pains me to admit the woman was English, Alec. And do you know there are bruises up and down your daughter's back and on her legs, too? She would have been dead in another month's time if I'd left her in such care."

He hadn't known. He looked furious, too. Jamie nodded. Then everyone started talking at once. Alec just stood there, his hands clasped behind his back, staring down at the little innocent peeking out at him from behind Jamie's skirts.

"Come here, Mary," he ordered the child.

She shook her head at him while she tried to put a good portion of Jamie's gown into her mouth.

Alec started laughing. "God help me, she's been with you less than a day and she's already taking on your stubbornness," he told Jamie.