truly astonished.
'He doesn't kiss like Mor-' The color immediately drained from her face over her near blunder, and she looked at Madelyne for help.
'He'll have to know, Adela.'
Gerald and Duncan shared a frown. Neither knew what Madelyne was talking about. 'I cannot tell him,' Adela whispered. 'Would you do this one terrible duty for me? Please, Madelyne. I beg of you.'
'If you'll let me tell Duncan as well,' Madelyne said.
Adela looked at her brother. He could see the worry in her gaze.
Adela finally nodded. She turned back to Gerald then and said, 'You'll not ever want to kiss me again when you know the full truth of what happened to me. I'm sorry, Gerald. I should have…'
Adela started to cry. Gerald reached out to take her into his arms but she shook her head, 'I think I do love you Gerald. And I am so sorry.' With those parting words, Adela rushed out of the room.
Madelyne had little liking for the promise she'd made. She knew she was about to cause her husband and Gerald pain. Both men loved Adela.
'Gerald, please sit down and listen to me,' Madelyne asked. Her voice sounded strained. ' Duncan, promise you won't be angry with me for keeping this from you. Adela made me promise to share her secret.'
'I'll not be angry,' Duncan announced.
Madelyne nodded. She couldn't bear to look at Gerald while she told the full truth about Adela, so she stared at the floor through the recitation. She stressed the fact that Adela was so disappointed that Gerald hadn't joined her in court and for that reason was easy prey for Louddon's deceptions. 'She was really trying to punish you, I think,' Madelyne told Gerald. 'Though I doubt she realizes that.'
Madelyne dared a look over at Gerald, caught his nod, and then looked at Duncan. She told the rest then, leaving nothing out, and when she told of Morcar's treachery, she fully expected one or both men to shout in anger.
Neither baron said a word.
When the telling was finished, Gerald got up and slowly walked out of the hall.
'What will he do?' Madelyne asked Duncan. She realized she was crying, brushed the tears away from her face, wincing when she knocked her bruises.
'I don't know,' Duncan answered. His voice was soft, angry too.
'Are you upset with me for not telling you sooner?'
Duncan shook his head. A sudden thought occurred to him then. 'Morcar is the man you wanted to kill, isn't he?'
Madelyne frowned. 'You told me you were going to kill a man. Remember? It was Morcar you meant, wasn't it?'
She nodded. 'I couldn't let him get away with his treachery, yet I was honor bound to keep Adela's secret,' she whispered. ' Duncan, I didn't know what to do. It is God's duty to see to sinners. I know that well enough. And I shouldn't want to kill him. I do, though, God help me, I do.'
Duncan pulled her into his lap. He held her tenderly. He understood his gentle wife's torment.
Each lapsed into silence for several minutes. Madelyne was worrying about Gerald. Would he leave now or would he continue to pursue Adela?
Duncan used the time to gain control of his emotions. He didn't blame Adela for her infatuation with Louddon. His sister was such an innocent, she couldn't be faulted. But Louddon had deliberately preyed on that innocence.
'I'll take care of Morcar,' Duncan said to Madelyne.
'You will not.'
It was Gerald who bellowed the denial. Both Madelyne and Duncan watched Gerald rush over to stand in front of them. His anger was most evident. He was shaking with it. 'Ill kill him, and you as well, Duncan, if you dare deny me this right.'
Madelyne gasped. She looked up at Duncan. His expression didn't tell her if he was insulted or angry.
Duncan stared at Gerald a long moment. Then he slowly nodded. 'Aye, Gerald, it is your right. I'll stand behind you when you challenge him.'
'As I'll stand behind you when you challenge Louddon,' Gerald answered.
The fight went out of Gerald then. He sat down in the chair facing Duncan.
'Madelyne? Would you please tell Adela I'd like to speak to her?'
Madelyne nodded. She hurried to comply but had worried herself sick before she reached Adela's bedroom. She still didn't know what Gerald was going to do.
Adela had already made up her mind Gerald was going to leave her. 'It's all for the best,' she told Madelyne between sobs. 'Kissing is one thing, but that is all I could ever allow. I could never let him come to my bed.'
'You don't know if you could or couldn't,' Madelyne returned. 'Adela, it won't be easy but Gerald is a patient man.'
'It doesn't matter,' Adela said. 'He's going to leave me.'
Adela was wrong. Gerald was waiting for her at the bottom of the steps. Without saying a word, he took hold of her arm and led her down the next staircase.
Duncan walked over to Madelyne and lifted her up into his arms. 'You look exhausted, wife. 'Tis time for bed.'
'I'd better wait until Adela comes back. She might need me,' Madelyne protested when Duncan started up the steps.
'I need you now, Madelyne. Gerald will take care of Adela.'
She nodded. 'Madelyne, I have to leave you tomorrow. It will be for a short time only,' he added before she could interrupt.
'Where are you going?' she asked. 'Do you have important matters to attend to?' she asked then, trying her best to sound interested and not disappointed. She couldn't expect him to spend every minute with her. Duncan was an important man, after ail.
'I do have a matter that calls for attention,' Duncan answered, deliberately keeping his explanation to a minimum. Madelyne had been through enough torment today. Duncan didn't want to add another worry, and he knew if he told her about the king's petition tonight, she wouldn't get any rest
Maude was just coming down the steps when Duncan turned the corner. She said she'd see to the baroness's bath right away, but Duncan shook his head. He told Maude he'd take care of the task.
Maude made a curtsy. 'Maude, your son has done a courageous thing today.'
The woman beamed. She'd already heard all about her son's brave act. The lad had made his parents proud. Why, he saved the baroness's life.
'I'll have to think of a suitable reward for such bravery,' Duncan said.
Maude looked too overwhelmed to speak. She made another curtsy, then stammered out her gratitude. 'I do thank you, milord. My Willie took a fancy to the baroness. He's a bit of a nuisance, running after her all the time, but she don't seem to mind it and always has a kind word for my boy.'
'He's an intelligent lad,' Duncan said in praise.
His flattery, an unusual event to be sure, added to the fact that he was actually speaking to her, made Maude feel giddy. She thanked her lord again, picked up her skirts, and went flying down the steps. Gerty would be wanting to hear this tale to be sure. Maude was bent on being the first to tell
Madelyne brushed her hand against her husband's cheek. 'You're a good man, Duncan,' she whispered to him. ' 'Tis yet another reason I love you so much.'
Duncan shrugged, forcing Madelyne to grab hold of his shoulders to keep her balance. 'I do only my duty,' he commented. Madelyne smiled. She thought her husband was as awkward with praise as Maude appeared to be.
'I've been denied my bath,' she said, teasing him. 'Perhaps I'll swim in your lake. What say you to that?' she added.
'I say it's a good plan, wife. I will swim with you.'
'I was only teasing you,' Madelyne rushed out. 'I don't want to swim in your lake.'
She shivered. 'When I was little, I jumped into the pond. It wasn't deep, and I did know how to swim, you
