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Valley.”
    He stirred. “I’d welcome a chance to stretch my muscles.”
    It was a start, she thought as he drifted off to sleep. There was no need to sit with him, for he was on the mend. Still she lingered, her eyes caressing his handsome face and strong chest as her hands longed to. How wonderful it had felt to be held by him. If only he would hold her again, in peace, not anger. If he stayed, it might happen.
    Inexperienced though she was, Kara was not ignorant about what happened between men and women. She’d felt desire stir in him despite his anger. Passion was a powerful weapon, so Brighde had told her. One she might wield to keep him in Edin.

Chapter Four
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    T he sun was just peeping up over the mountains the next morning when Duncan and Kara rode out of Edin Tower.
    â€œImpressive, is it not?” Kara asked.
    Looking back, Duncan eyed the tower. Situated in the center of a large loch, it rose from the shimmering water in a dark, smooth column of seemingly solid stone. The only way to reach it was across the narrow causeway they’d just traversed. When the drawbridge was raised, an attacking army would be forced to fashion boats or swim the loch to get at the keep. ’Twould be suicide to try, for there was not a spit of soil next to the tower on which to land, and no openings on the ground floor through which to crawl. “Most impressive,” he agreed. “To take it, a commander would need to build a bridge and—”
    â€œNot the tower, the valley.”
    Duncan followed the sweep of her hand, eyes widening as he beheld the majestic land around them. ’Twas lush and green, rolling hills bounded on all sides by the jagged mountain peaks he’d glimpsed from the outside. A strip of water meandered down the keel of the valley, reflecting back the brilliant blue of the sky. In the distance, smoke drifted upward from a cluster of tiny whitewashed huts. “It’s so...peaceful,” he whispered.
    â€œEdin,” Kara said proudly.
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    Duncan wondered if it was blasphemy, then decided it could not be, for surely God’s hand had fashioned this place. “I’ve never beheld a place so beautiful and unspoiled.”
    â€œCome,” Kara said, grinning. “I’ll show you some of my favorite places.”
    â€œWe should not stray far from the keep without an escort.”
    Kara laughed, the sound as dazzling as the day. “I have wandered these hills alone from the time I could walk. We’ll come to no harm as long as we stay in the valley. Though I think you’d be more comfortable without all that metal.”
    â€œI’m used to wearing it,” Duncan muttered. Despite her objections, he’d donned his padded gambeson and over it a full suit of chain mail, shirt and breeches. His helmet and shield were strapped behind the saddle within easy reach. “While on Crusade, we often slept in our mail.”
    â€œThat sounds most uncomfortable.” She giggled. “Especially for your bedmates.”
    Duncan scowled. “’Tis not seemly to speak of such things.”
    â€œI was only teasing. Are you always so serious?”
    â€œLife is a serious business, mistress.”
    â€œAye.” She sobered, eyes focused on some distant pain. Her parents’ deaths, mayhap, or Fergus’s maiming. Then she blinked the sadness away and grinned. “Which is why a laugh from time to time is needed to keep the spirits up.”
    Duncan grunted. “Are you going to show me the river that I may search for my treasure?”
    â€œYou’re a hard case, Duncan MacLellan, but aye, I’ll show you what you want, providing you can beat me to yon clump of trees.” She raced off, leaving him to follow.
    Duncan tried to keep his borrowed horse to a sedate canter, but the challenging glance Kara threw over her shoulder made him reckless enough to give chase. She rode with careless abandon, and