"Aye, I do," she assured him solemnly and reached up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to his chin. At least, he suspected that was her intent, but he lowered his head at the last minute, giving her his lips instead. Jetta hesitated when their mouths met, but then gave him a short sweet kiss before settling back flat on her feet.
Noting the smile now curving her lips, he tilted his head with curiosity. "What are ye grinning about, lass?"
"I was just recalling the last promise ye kept," she admitted.
Recalling it too, and how it had led to their consummating their wedding in the stables, he smiled back, but said, "And now I am recalling a promise I made and ha'e yet to keep."
Jetta looked thoughtful for a moment, but apparently couldn't recall the promise, because she shook her head and asked, "What promise is that?"
"Ye'll see," Aulay said with a grin, and scooped her up into his arms. Maneuvering his way around the large crowd in their room, he carried her to the door and paused. Realizing he couldn't open it, Jetta reached out and did it for him. Aulay started forward once it had swung open out of the way, but slowed when the four men in the hall immediately came to attention and moved forward to surround them.
"My wife no longer needs a guard, Cullen. You and your men are dismissed," he said firmly.
"Aye, m'laird," Cullen murmured, and nodded at the men. The moment they started away up the hall, Aulay began to move again, carrying Jetta toward the stairs.
"Where are we going?" Alick asked suddenly, on his heels.
Aulay glanced around with a start, a scowl claiming his face when he saw his entire family as well as Jo and Cam were following them.
Shaking his head, he started walking again. "We're going nowhere. I'm taking me wife to the loch fer a little rest and some relaxin'."
"Would that be fishin' relaxin' or relaxin' relaxin' . . . ?" Alick asked in a teasing voice.
"It'd be a man with the woman he loves relaxin'," Aulay said firmly. "And the rest o' ye are no' welcome."
Much to his relief, they stopped following him then, leaving him alone as he headed down the stairs.
"I just realized what promise you have not yet kept," Jetta admitted with a slow smile as they reached the Great Hall floor. "Ye promised to take me back to the loch alone the next time."
"And to love ye til ye scream so loud ye scare every bird in every tree for miles around into flyin' from their roosts," Aulay finished.
"And you always keep your promises," Jetta said with a grin, and then, her expression becoming serious, she said, "I believe that is one of the things I love best about you, husband."
"God, I love ye, wife," Aulay said fervently, his arms tightening around her.
"I love you too, husband," she assured him solemnly.
"Then I'm a lucky man."