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She looked into his eyes.

He loved her too. Enough so that he’d invited her to join the circle that was more precious to him than life.

Sabine’s eyes flew to his arm.

“You can choose to put it anywhere.”

So that was what had shocked the smith. Indeed, Sabine had never seen such a marking on a woman. Though it seemed . . . fitting.

“Anywhere?”

When Guy dropped his gaze to her bosom, his smile fled. “Perhaps not anywhere. I would prefer neither Conrad nor his smith see more of my wife than I shall see this night.”

He emboldened her.

“Do not concern yourself overly, husband. I plan for you to see quite a bit before the evening is through.”

Chapter 35

Guy could not have been more pleased.

Nay, that was not exactly true. He’d be more pleased if this blasted meal would end so that he might finally take Sabine to bed. She and Conrad could continue their talk later.

“If you continue to look at your wife as if you would devour her, you’re more apt to scare than seduce her,” Conrad quipped.

Sabine’s laugh almost made him forget they were in the midst of a very dangerous game.

“What do you know of seducing women?”

They sat on a raised dais at the back of Licheford’s great hall, the angle encouraging far too many of Conrad’s men to glance up at Sabine. He couldn’t very well challenge each one of them and supposed he must become accustomed to such glances. She was a beautiful woman.

But she was also his.

Irrevocably, undeniably his.

“I know less than you, my friend.”

Conrad was in a more jovial mood than expected, given the circumstances.

“You seem—” Guy struggled to find the right word.

“Relaxed,” Sabine provided.

Apparently she’d gotten to know Conrad some. “Aye. Unusually so.”

The earl was normally much more . . . rigid. He was also their leader, and Guy would follow him into battle without question. And likely would before this was done.

“I was thinking of how John will react to news of de Chabannes’s defection.”

They all grinned at that.

“He will be furious,” Guy said.

“Incensed,” Sabine agreed. “What do you think he will do?”

He’d hoped to wait at least a day to have this discussion. When Guy reached for a piece of meat on their shared trencher, their fingers touched.

Tonight.