"But Cormac, she is very bonnie and her father is a powerful laird.It makes sense that ye should be together."
Cormac sat on the bed.He lifted her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her.
"Hush, love.Ye are the bonniest woman I have ever met.'Tis only ye I want as my wife.No one else."
"But what if the king agrees?I'll have to return to my village.Perhaps ye should send a missive to Boyd MacKinnon.Ask him to escort me home."
"Over my dead body!Yer home is with me.Una Stewart, are ye trying to get rid of me?Do ye not want me as yer husband?"
"Of course I do.'Tis just...do ye love her?This Annag lass?"
"Devil take it, ye are the most infuriating wench I have ever married!No, I never loved her.I hardly know her.We met once and it was not to my liking.She is not someone I would want to spend my life with, and 'tis not worth thinking on because we are married and that is the end of it."
"But the king—"
"The king still needs to hear the petition.But it will not succeed."
"How do ye know this?"
"Because he told me so.The Ruthvens were not even supposed to be in attendance tonight."
"What if he is pressured to allow it?No, we cannot do this.It would be adultery and the church would frown upon it.I would frown upon it.Ye are a married man."
"Aye, to ye!In front of a priest, if ye recall."
"I do recall.I was there against my will."She paused."Besides, there is more to it."
"What do ye mean?"
"Ye are not only heir to a powerful lairdship, ye are the Shadow, the king's man, of noble blood, wealthy beyond reason.Ye deserve a wife of good breeding, from a strong clan, one who can make ye even more powerful.I think if the king does not grant the petition, I shall seek an annulment."
Una felt the temperature in the room drop before she looked at Cormac.When she did, she saw he was furious.
"So let me understand this," he said."When ye thought I was just a poor raider with little to offer ye beyond sewing thread and a cottage in the woods, it was all right to be married to me."
"Aye."
"But now that ye discover I have wealth and power and the ability to lavish ye with anything ye need, ye want the marriage annulled."
"Aye.Because ye tricked me!Ye made me believe ye needed me.That I could be of some use to ye.But I have nothing to offer ye now that ye are so wealthy."
He studied her for a long moment.Then his expression softened and his face split into a wide grin.
"Una Stewart, ye are the most contrary woman I have ever met.Trust me,mo leannan, I have great need of ye, and I am not letting ye go, no matter how daft yer reasoning."
He kissed her then.Long, hard, and deep.
For a moment Una forgot herself and kissed him back.Then she slapped him."Stop it!We cannot, not until the petition is finalized.We must sleep apart."
"Like hell we are sleeping apart.Not only are we sharing this bed, but I will be demanding my husbandly rights as well."
She rolled her eyes."Then I refuse.'Tis a risk.I could get with bairn and then..."
A panicked look crossed her face."What if I am already expecting?"
They both looked down.Cormac placed his large hand across her belly and rubbed it gently.
Una looked up, pale.If she were carrying his child and then was discarded.
