Saving Grace

He found his son at the foot of the bed and carried him over to his mat. Alex must have put in an exhausting day, for he didn't even open his eyes while he was being carried from one bed to another.

Gabriel barely made a sound as he got ready for bed. He stripped out of his clothes, washed, and then started discarding covers in his attempt to find his wife.

Joha

He needed her tonight. Hell, he always needed her, he thought to himself. Not an hour had passed during their separation that he hadn't thought about her. It was a shameful habit he was getting into, for he was behaving like a lovesick husband who only wanted to stay at home with

The comforts of family life had actually taken the pleasure out of warring.

Joha

She took her time waking up. He wasn't deterred, however, and when she finally realized where she was and what her husband was doing, she was very enthusiastic in her responses.

It proved to be a difficult challenge to keep her from making any of those arousing sounds he liked so much, but he didn't want Alex to wake up, and so he sealed her cries of ecstasy with long hot kisses. When she found fulfillment, she tightened all around him and let out a soft whimper.

When he found his own pleasure, however, he let out a loud shout.

"Papa?"

Joha

"It's all right, Alex. Go back to sleep."

"Good night, Papa."

"Good night, son."

Gabriel's head dropped to the crook of Joha

His grunt in reply made her smile. She fell asleep hugging him tight. He fell asleep wishing he had enough strength to make love to her again.

It was a thoroughly satisfying homecoming.

Nicholas arrived late the following afternoon. Gabriel stood on the steps outside, waiting for his brother-in-law to dismount. Calum stood by his laird's side. He spotted the look of displeasure on Gabriel's face.

"You going to kill him this time?" he asked.

Gabriel shook his head. "I can't," he replied in a voice that sounded a bit forlorn. "My wife would be unhappy, but by God, that is the only reason her brother's still breathing."

Calum hid his grin. He knew his laird's anger was all pretense. He turned to watch their guest.

"Something's wrong, MacBain. The baron isn't wearing his usual daft smile."

Joha

Something was wrong, all right. Nicholas wasn't the sort of man to abuse his mount.

"Take care of his horse," Gabriel ordered Calum. He went down the steps and walked forward to meet his brother-in-law.

Neither warrior was much on proper greetings. Nicholas was the first to speak. "It's bad, MacBain."

Gabriel didn't question Nicholas. He simply waited for him to explain.

"Where's Joha

"She's upstairs, getting Alex ready for bed."

"I could use a drink."

Gabriel tried to contain his impatience. He followed Nicholas inside, dismissed Megan from finishing her task of preparing the tables for supper so that he and Nicholas would have privacy, and then waited by the buttery while his brother-in-law poured himself a drink.

"You'd better sit down to hear this news," Nicholas suggested. "It's a hell of a mess, and Joha

Joha

She knew it wasn't polite to eavesdrop, but concern and curiosity overrode ma

"Just get it said, Nicholas," Gabriel commanded.

Joha

"Baron Raulf has returned from the dead. He wants his wife back."

Joha

Demons stayed in hell, didn't they?

And then she ran. She didn't have any clear destination in mind. She simply wanted to find a place where she could be all alone until she gained control over her panic and her fear.

She went down the back corridor, but by the time she reached the door leading outside, she realized what she was doing and why. The fear had been immediate and instinctive. It was a black remnant from her past, she thought to herself, and in the past her fear had always controlled her. She wouldn't allow it to control her now.

Joha

She was a different woman now, she reminded herself. She'd found courage and strength, and no one, not even a demon, could take those things away from her.

Her hand moved to her stomach in a protective action. Tears came into her eyes, but they were tears of joy, not apprehension, as she thought about the miracle growing inside her.

She said a prayer in thanksgiving for all the blessings God had given her. She thanked Him for giving her Gabriel and Alex and the baby sleeping inside her and thanked Him, too, for giving her a safe haven where she could be free of pain and where she could learn how to love, and last of all she thanked Him because He'd made her strong and clever. And then she set about using her cleverness to find a way out of the mess.

Joha

Yes, she had come a long way. She smiled over the compliment she'd just given herself, then had to shake her head because she was acting daft. She wasn't crazed. She believed she would be all right. If it came to a battle of wits, Raulf wouldn't stand a chance against her. In her estimation, men who beat women were ignorant. They were also weak-minded and filled with insecurities. Raulf had all of those sorry traits. Yes, she would be victorious if the battle was waged in London's court with threats and accusations. She would use her knowledge of his sins to condemn him.

But if Raulf decided to use his fists and his sword to get his way, Joha