A slow grin spread across his face. “Ye’ve nay idea what that does to me,” he murmured.
Arianna felt a small smile tug at her lips in return. The tension that had once stretched between them was gone, replaced by something warmer, steadier. The soft sound of water and the crackle of the fire filled the silence as they regarded one another.
And for the first time since their marriage began, Arianna felt like this was a beginning rather than a bargain.
Half an hour later, Ian rose first from the bath, water cascading from his shoulders as he stepped onto the stone floor. He reached for a cloth and dried before turning back to Arianna.
“Come now,” he said softly, his voice steady as ever. Arianna placed her hands in his, allowing him to guide her as she stepped from the tub, her breath catching slightly at the cool air against her damp skin.
“I find me appetite has grown rather fierce,” Ian added, a teasing glint in his eye as he steadied her.
Arianna lifted a brow, catching the tone beneath his words, and a faint smile curved her lips. “Has it now?” she replied, her voice light despite the warmth rising in her cheeks.
Ian’s gaze lingered on her a moment too long before he smirked. “Aye,” he said, reaching for a thick wool blanket and wrapping it gently around her shoulders. “Though I confess, I was speaking of food… for the moment.”
She shook her head faintly, amused despite herself.
Ian stepped back then, pulling on fresh garments with swift, practiced movements.
“Stay here,” he said, fastening his tunic as he glanced toward her. “I’ll return shortly.”
Arianna nodded, watching as he moved toward the door. “Daenae disappear again,” he added, a trace of dry humor in his voice, before he slipped out into the corridor.
The chamber fell quiet once more. Arianna settled onto the edge of the bed, drawing the blanket more tightly around herself as the warmth from the bath lingered on her skin. Her thoughts turned inward, unwelcome and yet impossible to ignore.
I was a fool for doubting him.
She had questioned his intentions and fled from the very place that now felt like a sanctuary. A faint ache settled in her chest.He had come for her without hesitation, riding into danger with men who were willing to fight and die at his side. Not for duty alone, but for her. Arianna lowered her gaze, her fingers curling into the wool as realization settled deep within her.
I had been wrong.
The sound of the door opening drew her from her thoughts.
Ian entered once more, this time followed by a servant carrying a large wooden tray laden with food. Another servant followed behind, arms full of additional dishes, the rich scent of roasted meats and spices filling the room almost instantly.
Ian gestured toward the table near the fire. “Set it there,” he instructed.
The servants moved quickly, arranging the feast before bowing and departing. Arianna blinked as she took in the spread before her.
There was roasted fish glistening with herbs, thick slices of bread still warm from the oven, and a hearty stew rich with root vegetables and tender meat. A wheel of cheese sat beside fresh butter, along with oatcakes stacked neatly on a wooden board. Small dishes of honeyed fruits and sugared pastries completed the meal, while a steaming pot of tea and a bottle of whisky were set beside two cups.
“Saints preserve us,” Arianna murmured. “That is more food than I could ever eat.”
Ian chuckled as he poured tea into one of the cups, handing it to her before taking his own seat. “We’ve both been through an ordeal,” he said. “Ye must eat, lass.”
Arianna accepted the cup, the warmth seeping into her hands as she looked at him over the rim.
She took a small sip, the heat of the tea comforting, grounding. For a moment, they sat together in quiet, the fire crackling softly as the weight of the past days began to lift. Arianna reached for a piece of bread at last, breaking it slowly as she glanced toward him.
And this time, when she met his gaze, there was no doubt lingering in her heart.
He is me husband, a good man, better than I could have ever kent.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
The moment the meal had ended, Ian crossed the room and lifted Arianna into his arms once more.
“Ian. I can walk on me own,” she gave a soft protest that lacked any true resistance, her hand settling instinctively against his shoulder as he carried her to the bed.
