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“Ye can speak freely in front of Davina. It will save me the trouble of recalling all the details of this conversation later.”

Though he said it with a grin, Davina could feel the tension grip James’s shoulders as they leaned in to listen.

“We took shelter with the MacPhearsons on our journey here. The laird was in a fit of temper, as he had just discovered his daughter had given birth to a bastard son. He claims that Malcolm McKenna fathered the babe and has vowed vengeance upon Malcolm for daring to dishonor his kin.”

“’Tis a lie,” James said vehemently.

“Malcolm would never treat a lass so cruelly,” Davina interjected, her voice rising with indignity. “And he most certainly wouldn’t abandon his child.”

“There’s more.” Compassion filled Sir Gideon’s eyes. “Laird MacPhearson has put a price upon Malcolm’s head, promising a tidy sum to any man who captures him and brings him before the MacPhearson council to face justice.”

“God’s teeth, every scoundrel in the Highlands who hears of this will be hunting my brother,” James said.

“True.” Sir Gideon nodded. “You need to warn Malcolm to be on guard.”

“Malcolm needs to do more than that,” James declared. “He needs to confront the MacPhearsons and clear his name. I’ll write a missive with this news tonight. Will ye deliver it fer me, Gideon?”

“Nay, James,” Davina said, her mouth forming a tight line. “This news is too important to trust to a letter. Ye must ride to McKenna Castle yerself and tell Malcolm what ye’ve learned.”

James shook his head, lowering his hand protectively over her burgeoning belly. “I cannae leave ye, Davina.”

In spite of the tension swirling in the air, Davina managed a soft laugh. “Fie, James, our babe is not due fer several months. The journey there and back from McKenna Castle will take less than a month’s time.”

A slight frown formed between his brows. “Are ye trying to get rid of me?”

“Aye. I need some peace from having ye pestering me day and night to rest and eat well. Last week I sneezed three times and ye insisted that I stay in bed all afternoon.”

Sir Gideon laughed. “I always believed that when James gave his love to a woman, it would be with his whole being.”

“He’s done that and more. I am truly blessed. But a lass needs to breathe every now and again.”

James trailed his callused fingertips lightly over her face. “I dinnae wish to leave ye.”

She rested her forehead against his and sighed. “If I promise to miss ye every minute of every day, will ye go?”

“Reluctantly,” he agreed.

The heat of his body touched her skin and she sighed, savoring the joy of having him near. Her heart felt full, overflowing with both the love she felt for him and the love he gave so completely to her. Though teasing him, she knew that she would miss him dreadfully while he was gone. But thanks to him, she possessed the strength to endure it.

A smile twitched at her lips. She leaned close and whispered in his ear. “I love ye, James McKenna, and if ye behave yerself fer the rest of the day, I’ll be more than willing to show ye how much when we’re in our bed tonight.”

“Ye think to sweeten our separation with the promise of a wild bed romp?”

“I do.”

“Och, love, ye know me too well.”

Aye, she did, and she was more than glad of it.