good intentions, and then grabbed hold of his shirt and began to pull on it.
Duncan must have become bored with her struggles. She heard him sigh just seconds before he trapped her hands and slid them under his shirt, flattening her palms against his chest. The thick mat of hair covering his warm skin made her fingertips tingle.
How could she feel so warm when it was so cold outside? His nearness was an erotic, sensual pull to her senses, flooding her with feelings she hadn't known she possessed. Aye, it was erotic, which certainly made it sinful, obscene, too, because his pelvis was smashed up against the junction of her legs. She could feel his hardness there, nestled so intimately against her. Her gown proved inadequate protection against his manhood, and her inexperience gave her no protection at all against the strange, bewildering feelings he provoked. Why didn't she feel sickened by his touch? In truth, Madelyne didn't feel sick at all, only breathless.
A horrid thought entered her mind and she gasped out loud. Wasn't this the hold a man used when he coupled with a woman? Madelyne fretted over that thought a long moment and then discarded the fear. She remembered the woman had to be flat on her back, and though she wasn't certain of the exact way of it, she didn't believe she was in real danger. She'd overheard Marta visiting with the other servants and remembered that the coarse woman had always begun every lusty adventure with the remark that she had been flat on her back. Aye, Madelyne recalled with acute relief, Marta had been most specific. 'Flat on me back I was,' she always began. Madelyne regretted now that she hadn't stayed to hear the rest of the woman's bold tales.
Lord, she was lacking in that area of her education too. She got angry then, for a decent lady shouldn't have had such a worry anyway.
It was all Duncan 's fault, of course. Did he hold her so intimately just to mock her? Madelyne was close enough to feel the strength in his powerful thighs trying to flatten her own. He could crush her if he had a mind for it. Madelyne shivered over that picture and immediately quit her struggles. She didn't want to provoke the barbarian. At least her hands protected her breasts. She was thankful for that much. Her gratitude was short-lived, however, for as soon as she thought to be appreciative, Duncan shifted his weight, and then her breasts were plastered up against him as well. Her nipples hardened, shaming her all the more.
Duncan suddenly moved again. 'What the devil…' He roared the unfinished question against Madelyne's ear. She didn't know what caused his outburst, only that she was going to be deaf for the rest of her life.
When Duncan jumped, muttering an expletive she couldn't help but catch, Madelyne moved away. She watched Duncan out of the corner of her eye. Her captor had lifted himself up on one elbow and was searching for something underneath him.
Madelyne remembered the squire's dagger she'd hidden in the lining of her cloak just as Duncan lifted the weapon.
She couldn't help but frown.
Duncan couldn't help but grin.
Madelyne was so surprised by his spontaneous smile, she almost smiled back. Then she happened to notice his smile didn't quite reach his eyes. She decided she'd best not smile after all.
'For a timid creature, you're proving to be resourceful, Madelyne.'
His voice was so mild. Had he just given her praise or was he mocking her? Madelyne couldn't make up her mind. She decided not to tell him she'd forgotten about the weapon. He'd certainly think her foolish if she admitted that truth.
'You're the one who captured me,' she reminded him. 'If I've proven to be resourceful, it is only because I am honor bound to escape. 'Tis the duty of a captive.'
Duncan frowned.
'Does my honesty offend you, milord?' Madelyne asked. 'Then perhaps it would be best if I didn't speak to you at all. I would like to go to sleep now,' she added. 'And I'm going to try to forget you're even here.'
To prove she meant what she said, Madelyne closed her eyes.
'Come here, Madelyne.'
The softly issued command sent a tremor of dread down her spine, and a knot settled in the pit of her stomach. He was doing it again, she decided, scaring the breath right out of her. And she was getting sick of it. Madelyne didn't believe there was much fear left inside her. She opened her eyes to look at him, and when she saw the dagger was now pointed in her direction, she realized she still had quite a store of fear left after all.
What a coward I am, Madelyne thought as she slowly moved closer to Duncan. She rested on her side, facing him, just a few inches away. 'There, does that please you?' she said. She guessed it hadn't pleased him much at all, when she suddenly found herself flat on her back, with Duncan looming over her. Why, he was so close, she could actually see the silver flecks in his gray eyes.
Eyes were supposed to echo the thoughts of the mind, Madelyne had heard, yet she couldn't tell what Duncan was thinking. That worried her.
Duncan watched Madelyne. He was both amused and irritated by the confusion of emotions she unwillingly showed him. He knew she was afraid of him. Yet she didn't weep or plead with him. And Lord, she was beautiful. There was a sprinkle of freckles on the bridge of her nose. Duncan thought the flaw most appealing. Her mouth was appealing too. He wondered how she'd taste to him and could feel himself becoming aroused just by the thought. 'Are you going to stare at me all night?' Madelyne asked.
'Perhaps I will,' Duncan answered. 'If I wish to,' he added, smiling at the way she tried not to frown at him.
'Then I'll have to look at you all night,' Madelyne answered.
'And why is that, Madelyne?' His voice was soft and husky.
'If you think to take advantage of me while I sleep, you're mistaken, Baron.'
She looked so indignant. 'And how will I take advantage of you, Madelyne?'
He was smiling at her now, a true grin it was, reflected in the depths of his eyes.
Madelyne wished she'd kept silent. Lord, she was putting obscene ideas into his head.
'I'd rather not discuss this issue,' she stammered out. 'Aye, forget I said anything, if you please.'
'But I don't please,' Duncan answered. 'Do you think I'll satisfy my lust this night and take you while you rest?'
Duncan lowered his head until he was just a scant breath away from Madelyne's face. He was pleased to see her blush, even grunted his approval.
Madelyne was as still as a doe, trapped by her own worries.
'You wouldn't touch me,' she suddenly blurted out. 'Surely you're too tired to think of such… and we are camped out in the open… nay, you wouldn't touch me,' she ended.
'Perhaps.'
And just what did that mean? She saw the mysterious gleam in his eye. Was he gaining true pleasure over her obvious distress.
She decided she wasn't going to be taken advantage of without giving him a good fight. With that thought in mind, she struck him, aiming her fist just below his right eye. Her mark was true, but she thought she received more pain than he did. She was the one who cried out in pain. Duncan didn't even flinch. Lord, she'd probably broken her hand and all for nothing.
'You are made of stone,' Madelyne muttered.
'Why did you do that?' Duncan asked, his tone curious.
'To let you know I'll fight you to the death if you try to have your way with me,' Madelyne stammered. She thought it was a brave speech, but the force of it was ruined by her shaky voice. She sighed, discouraged.
Duncan smiled again. 'To the death, Madelyne?'
From the horrible look on his face, Madelyne decided he found the idea pleasing.
'You jump to conclusions,' Duncan commented. ' 'Tis a flaw, that.'
'You threatened,' Madelyne countered. ' 'Tis a bigger flaw, that.'
'Nay,' he argued. 'You suggested.'
'I'm sister of your enemy,' Madelyne reminded him, pleased by the frown her reminder provoked. 'You can't change that fact,' she added for good measure.
The tension went right out of her shoulders. She should have thought of that argument sooner.
'But with my eyes closed, I'll not know if you're Louddon's sister or not,' Duncan said. 'It's rumored that you lived with a defrocked priest and that you played the whore for him. Yet in the dark, that wouldn't bother me. All
