almost violently. 'Geoffrey!' His name was a cry of pleasure and fear.
Geoffrey heard the confusion, recognized the fright, and hushed Elizabeth with soothing words. He moved up to cup the sides of her face, willing her to look at him. Tears streamed down Elizabeth 's face and he gently wiped them away before placing a tender kiss on each eyelid. 'Do not be afraid of what happens to you when you are with me.'
'I lose all control when you touch me,' Elizabeth whispered. She saw the look of male satisfaction in Geoffrey's eyes and knew her words pleased him. 'In that brief time, my body is no longer mine, and it is so easily done and so forceful that it frightens me.' Her fingers traced the outline of her husband's mouth as she spoke, her honesty and vulnerability there in her eyes, unguarded.
'It is the same with me,' Geoffrey told her. He moved restlessly against her, letting her feel his need. 'Your softness beckons me. I will lose myself in your warmth but will not give up my strength. You have become my fountain of power, Elizabeth. Your love replenishes. When we are together, like this, I feel invincible. Let me come to you now, love. Give me your fire.' His mouth covered hers, his tongue plunging inside in a tender invasion that excited her. His hands spoke of male hunger as they stroked and caressed. Embers ignited, and when he at last entered her fully, thrusting to the core of her soul, the fire of desire and love raged unchecked between them. They gave to each other the fire purified and renewed, and each felt the victory of release at the same instant. Elizabeth opened her eyes and saw the transformation overtake Geoffrey. There was profound joy between the two, shared and coveted. There was love.
Geoffrey buried his head in Elizabeth 's shoulder and sighed with contentment. She echoed the sound, holding him close to her, embracing his weight.
Geoffrey shifted his weight, holding her in his arms. He kissed her cheeks, nuzzled against her ear, and whispered outrageous compliments and promises that brought a blush to his wife's face.
'When did you realize that you loved me?' Elizabeth asked, stroking the line of his jaw with one fingertip. 'Was it when you thought me drowned?'
Geoffrey chuckled and shook his head. 'I was too angry to think of love then,' he admitted. He rolled onto his back, letting Elizabeth prop her head with elbows braced against his massive chest, and then continued, 'Warriors do not record such facts in their heads. When I decided I loved you is not significant,' he teased.
Elizabeth smiled. The golden chips in his dark gaze fascinated her. How had she ever thought him cold and unbending? she found herself asking.
'When did you realize that you loved me?' he countered. His hands began to gently knead the curves of her bottom as he waited for her answer.
'I do not remember,' Elizabeth said. The sparkle was back in her eyes, and Geoffrey found himself grinning, knowing that she was about to tease him yet again. 'Wives of warriors do not record such facts in their heads,' she giggled. 'Besides, when is not significant.'
Geoffrey gave her a playful squeeze. 'Ever you would tease, wife. I will put up with your silliness for the rest of our days together, for I love you with my heart.'
'I thought I would never hear you say the words,' Elizabeth whispered. The smile left her and she leaned down and kissed him.
'I had some foolish ideas of love,' Geoffrey replied when the kiss ended. 'I thought it would weaken me and now know how wrong I was. You give me new strength of purpose, Elizabeth. A part of me longs to lock you away in our bedroom and share you with no one else.'
'I will always belong to you, Geoffrey,' Elizabeth answered.
'I know that is true,' Geoffrey said. 'And I will have faith and confidence in your loyalty to me. Would you believe that I find it difficult to share you even with your grandfather and your brother? I used to scoff at men who let jealousy take control of their lives, and now find that if I am not careful, I too will be ruled by it.'
Elizabeth 's eyes showed her surprise and Geoffrey grinned again. 'I have not had the closeness of family like you have,' he explained, 'and I would know that I come before all others.'
'There are all kinds of love,' Elizabeth answered, her voice soft. Her husband was letting her see his vulnerability, and she knew in her heart that she would cherish this moment for the rest of her life. 'What I feel for my grandfather and for little Thomas is a different sort of love than what I feel for you. In time I think you will love them as much as I do, and in just the same way. What I feel for them does not take away what I feel for you.'
Geoffrey pulled her down and kissed her for a long, breathless moment. Elizabeth clung to him, matching his passion and hunger.
With regret, Geoffrey finally pulled away. 'It grows dark,' he said. 'Hurry and dress so that I can take you back to our tent and undress you once again.' He gave her a sound slap on her backside and chuckled at her pretended outrage.
Neither spoke a word until they were headed back toward the camp. And then Elizabeth spoke, her voice as soft as the rustle of the leaves underfoot. 'You are truly jealous of my family?' she asked.
'I will get over it,' Geoffrey answered, squeezing her hand. 'A knight is loyal and vows fealty to only one overlord, as I have, with William, my king,' he began. 'You have committed yourself to me,' he continued, 'and I do not expect you to stop loving your family because you love me. Yet I would know that I am first in your heart and that you would choose me above all others, as I would choose you.'
Elizabeth covered her smile. She understood that falling in love was new to her husband and that he was trying to deal with it as he would everything else in his life. He was trying to give it order and a proper place. His mistake was in using logic as his tool to deal with his emotions.
'There would never be a time that I would have to choose between you or my… ' Elizabeth was going to say
'You are right, Elizabeth. You will never have to make a choice,' Geoffrey said. 'I would not allow it. Nor would I ever demand such a test of your loyalty, for I begin to understand your reasoning. I love you, and that is all that matters.'
'Were you still so unsure of my loyalty to you that you left Elslow with Thomas at Montwright?'
'I wanted to have you all to myself for a time,' Geoffrey admitted.
Elizabeth leaned against her husband's side and thought about his words. He had shared his inner feelings with her this evening, and there was joy and love in her heart. He had come a long way, learning to show affection and voicing his thoughts to her, and Elizabeth was content. There was still a small distance to go, she realized, for Geoffrey remained unsure and (though she would never say the word) insecure. Soon this too would change, and talk of tests and making choices would cease. No one would ever ask such a terrible thing. No one.
Elizabeth dreamed that night, and it began in a most pleasant way. She was dressed all in white, in a gown that seemed to float around her ankles. She was walking through the bailey of a great palace and a fine mist covered the ground. She was smiling as she opened the doors and walked into a great hall. And then the dream changed to a nightmare. Someone was calling her, but she did not know who. Her pulse quickened with the horrible sound of agony and despair in the voice calling to her. She hurried, searching for the voice, pushing through a crowd of laughing men who seemed not to know that she was even there. When she reached the very center of the room, she stopped. A scream filled her lungs. Standing before her was her husband, his hands and feet chained with heavy steel links. He did not see her and was looking toward the other side of the room. Elizabeth turned and saw her grandfather, also chained.
The voice began again, but the sound had turned from agony to triumph. It was Belwain. The mist at her feet turned red, and in the nightmare Elizabeth knew it was a symbol of the blood that would soon be shed.
Belwain lifted his hand and pointed at her. 'You will choose and one will die. And if you will not choose, then both will be killed.' He laughed then, an evil devil's laughter that clawed at Elizabeth 's soul.
She shook her head, denying what was asked, and Belwain pulled Geoffrey's sword and lifted it high into the air.
Her screams woke Geoffrey. He reached for his sword and then realized that Elizabeth was right beside him. His hands shook as he pulled his wife into his arms and gently rocked her against him. 'Open your eyes,
Elizabeth. It is only a nightmare,' he whispered, again and again. 'I am here.'
Elizabeth awoke with a start. She clutched at Geoffrey's shoulders and took great gulps of air, trying to calm her heart. 'It was terrible,' she whispered.
