understand. But my toes squished in the mud and my gown weighed ten stone, at least, before I could drag myself out. Why, I needed another bath then and there. Mud was even caked in my hair.'
Duncan laughed. 'First of all, my lake has a rock bottom in most places,' he said. 'And you aren't supposed to swim with your clothes on, Madelyne. I'm surprised you didn't drown.'
She didn't look too convinced of the merits of his lake. 'The water is clear. You can almost see to the bottom,' Duncan told her.
They reached their bedroom. Madelyne was undressed and waiting for Duncan in their bed before her husband had removed his tunic.
'You don't want to swim with me?' he asked her with a grin.
'No,' Madelyne said. 'There are soldiers outside. Good Lord, Gerald and Adela are outside too. It wouldn't be decent to parade in front of them without my clothes on. Whatever could you be thinking of, Duncan, to suggest such-'
'Madelyne, no one goes to the lake at night. Besides, the moon isn't bright enough to-'
She interrupted him with a startled gasp. ' Duncan, what are you doing?'
It was obvious even to her, Duncan was standing next to the bed, holding her cloak up. 'Wrap yourself in this. I'll carry you to the lake,' he suggested.
Madelyne nibbled on her lip in indecision. She really did want to swim. It was hot and sticky tonight. Yet the thought of being seen by anyone was a worry to be considered.
Duncan patiently waited for Madelyne to make her choice. He thought she looked terribly appealing right now. Only a thin blanket covered her, and the tips of her breasts were nicely revealed.
'You said I looked exhausted,' Madelyne stalled. 'Perhaps…'
'I lied.'
''Tis a sin to lie to me,' Madelyne commented. She pulled the blanket up, holding it like a shield against him. 'My soap is in your chest,' she told him.
Madelyne thought to send him on an errand so she could wrap the cloak around her in privacy. She still wasn't used to parading around him naked.
Duncan grinned. He walked over to the chest to get the soap. Madelyne tried to grab her cloak before he turned, but she wasn't quick enough.
Her husband returned to the side of the bed. Her cloak was draped over his arm. The packet of soap was in one hand and a small circular mirror in the other.
He handed the mirror to Madelyne. 'You've a black eye to match the one you gave Edmond,' he remarked.
'I never gave Edmond a black eye,' Madelyne protested. 'You're teasing me.'
She turned the mirror over and looked at her face.
Madelyne screamed.
Duncan laughed.
'I do look like a Cyclops,' she shouted. She dropped the mirror and began to pull her hair forward over the injured side of her face. 'How can you stand to kiss me?' she asked. 'I've a black circle around my eye and…'
She sounded like she was wailing. Duncan 's smile faded when he leaned forward. With the palm of his hand he forced her chin up to make her look at him. His expression was most serious now. 'Because I love you, Madelyne. You're everything I've ever wanted, and much, much more. Do you think a bruise or two could sway my heart? Do you believe my love could be so shallow?'
Madelyne shook her head. She slowly edged the blanket away and then stood up next to her husband.
She wasn't shy with him anymore. Duncan loved her. That was all that mattered.
'I would like to go to your lake now, Duncan. But we better hurry, before I begin to beg you to make love to me.'
Duncan cupped her chin with his hands and kissed her. 'Oh, I am going to love you, Madelyne.'
She was warmed by the promise and the dark look in his eyes. She heard herself sigh, felt a warm knot in her stomach begin to spread inside of her.
Duncan wrapped the cloak around her, lifted her into his arms, and carried her out of their room.
They didn't encounter anyone on their route to the lake. Duncan was right, too, for the moon wasn't bright tonight
Duncan took her to the far side of the lake. Madelyne tested the water with her toes, declared it was too cold.
He told her to suffer through it She stood next to Duncan, her cloak held around her in a firm grip while she watched him casually strip out of his clothes.
Duncan made a clean dive into the water. Madelyne sat down on the bank, then edged into the water. She would have taken her cloak with her had Duncan allowed it. Her husband surfaced next to her, jerked the cloak out of her hands, and tossed it onto the grass.
The water took a few minutes to get used to. It was such an erotic feeling to swim without a stitch of clothing. Madelyne felt quite wanton, told Duncan so, admitting shyly that it was a pleasant sensation.
Madelyne hurried through her bath. She washed her hair and rinsed it by dunking herself under the water. When she surfaced a third time, Duncan was standing in front of her.
He was only going to talk to her, but Madelyne was smiling up at him with such a bewitching look in her eyes. The water lapped against her breasts. The nipples were hard, beckoning him. His hands covered them.
She leaned into him, tilted her head back for his kiss. It was a temptation he didn't want to resist. Duncan took her mouth hungrily. His tongue thrust into her mouth. Wet. Wild. So predictably undisciplined.
Duncan would have allowed only the one kiss, then carried her back to their chambers to make love to her, but Madelyne's stomach rubbed against him then and her hands boldly moved into the water to capture his arousal.
Duncan wrapped his arms around her, roughly pulling her up against him. The kiss deepened, became consuming.
She was as rough as he was. Her hands moved to his shoulders, stroking him wild. Duncan lifted her higher, until her breasts were rubbing against his chest. Her legs moved restlessly against him. Her sweet whimper of longing drove him wild.
He whispered instructions to her, his voice gruff with need. When Madelyne wrapped her legs around his thighs, he entered her slowly, cautiously, thoroughly.
She pushed against him, demanded with her fingernails. ' Duncan,' she begged.
He kissed her temple. 'I'm trying to be gentle with you, Madelyne,' he whispered, sounding hoarse.
'Later, Duncan,' Madelyne moaned. 'Be gentle later.'
Duncan gave in to his need. He was forceful, giving her as much pleasure as she gave him. When he felt Madelyne arch against him in fulfillment, he covered her mouth to catch her moans. His seed filled her and he clung to her as the tremor of bliss exploded.
Madelyne sagged against him, weak with satisfaction. Her breath warmed his neck. Duncan smiled with arrogant pleasure. 'You are a wild woman, Madelyne.'
She laughed, delighted with his compliment, until she remembered where they were. 'Good Lord, Duncan. Do you think anyone saw us?'
She sounded so appalled. She buried her face into the crook of his neck. Duncan chuckled. 'Love, no one saw us,' he whispered.
'You're certain?'
'Of course, the light isn't sufficient.'
'Thank God for that,' Madelyne answered.
She was thoroughly relieved, until Duncan spoke again. 'You did make enough noise to wake the dead though. You're a moaner, my love. The hotter you get, the louder your moans.'
'Oh, God.' Madelyne tried to sink under the water. Duncan wouldn't let her. He laughed a husky deep sensual sound, and then continued to tease. 'I'm not complaining, sweetheart. As long as your fire is for me, I'll let you moan all you want.'
Just when she was about to tell him how sinfully arrogant he sounded, Duncan deliberately fell backward. She had time only to hold her breath.
