He had such a nice smile. Madelyne could feel herself getting emotional. She forced a smile and said, 'I would like to speak to you about my mother, Baron. Perhaps, when we return from our temporary exile, you would pay us a visit.'
'I would be honored,' Rhinehold said.
There wasn't any more time to talk with the baron. The other allies came to express their pleasure over the outcome. Madelyne stood by Duncan 's side, holding his hand, wishing he'd tell her what he thought about this encounter.
Duncan ignored her. He turned when Gerald joined them and stated that they would ride in one hour's time.
' Duncan? Is there time for me to gather my things from my room?' Madelyne asked.
'You wear the clothes on your back, wife.'
Madelyne sighed. 'You're angry then?' she asked.
Duncan looked down at his wife. Her eyes were misty and she chewed on her lower lip. He slowly shook his head. 'Seduce me? My God, you told the king you seduced me. When you decide to tell a falsehood, you aren't the least timid.' He grinned at her while he rebuked her.
'It wasn't a falsehood,' Madelyne said. 'I did want you to kiss me and I never liked it when you stopped. That is a bit of a seduction, isn't it, Duncan? And I kissed you that first night. You only responded in kind, husband. Aye, it was the truth. I did seduce you.'
'If you'd told the full truth, I would have been able to challenge Louddon now,' Duncan pointed out.
'Oh, I know how that works,' Madelyne said. 'You both contradicted each other. The king would have put you in a lake, with your hands and feet tied to stones. And if you sank to the bottom, then he'd know you spoke the truth. Of course you'd be dead, but your honor would be intact. Well, I don't want to go to bed at night with your honor for company. I want you alive and well. What say you to that, husband?'
Though she tried, she couldn't help the tears that escaped.
Duncan was staring at her with the most astonished expression on his face.
'Madelyne,' he said, drawing her name out in an exaggerated sigh, 'warriors are not put to such trials. The church uses that method, not the king.'
'Oh.'
Duncan felt like laughing. He took Madelyne into his arms, smiled when he heard her mutter, 'I have been through an ordeal.'
'You have a heart of gold,' he said. 'Come, wife. I have the urge to let you seduce me.'
Madelyne was in complete agreement with his plan.
They made camp almost four hours later. Madelyne was weary. Clarissa had intercepted her just as she was leaving with Duncan. The vile, angry words she'd yelled at Madelyne still echoed in her mind.
Duncan left her by a stream he'd found while he saw to protecting his camp. Madelyne was in his sight at all times however. As long as Louddon was alive, Duncan wasn't going to leave Madelyne's side.
Madelyne washed as best she could under the circumstances and then returned to the campsite. Duncan had just finished building a tent for the two of them. It was a short distance away from the contingent of men traveling with them.
'Will Father Berton be safe enough? Or do you think you should increase the number of men guarding him?' she asked Duncan.
'He will be fine,' Duncan said. 'I left the fittest men in charge. Don't worry, love.'
Madelyne nodded. 'Do you remember the first night we slept together?'
'I remember it well.'
'I thought the fire was too close and worried our tent would catch flame,' she said.
'You worried about everything,' Duncan told her. He untied the roped belt resting against her hips. 'You slept with your clothes on that night.'
'I protected my virtue,' Madelyne said. 'I hadn't known then that I really wanted to seduce you.' She laughed over the disgruntled look on her husband's face.
'I protected your virtue,' Duncan countered.
Madelyne settled herself on top of the animal skins. It was a cool, accommodating evening. The breeze refreshed and the bright moon gave them a soft light.
'Take your clothes off, Madelyne,' Duncan told her. He'd already stripped out of his tunic and his boots.
Madelyne wanted to do just that, but she worried about the men. She tugged Duncan 's hand. When he was leaning over her, she whispered to him, 'We can't make love this night. Your soldiers would see us.'
Duncan shook his head. 'No one can see us, wife. I want you. Now.' He showed her he meant what he said by kissing her soundly. Madelyne sighed into his mouth as she wound her arms around his neck. She opened her mouth, rubbed her tongue against his, instinctively arching against him.
'You make too much noise,' Madelyne whispered when Duncan ended the kiss and began to nibble on her earlobe.
She shivered in reaction to the pleasure he gave her. Duncan chuckled. 'You are the one who screams for fulfillment, love,' Duncan told her. 'I'm too disciplined to make a sound.'
'Is that the truth?' Madelyne asked. Her hand slowly caressed a line to his throbbing arousal.
Duncan forgot what they were talking about. He caught her mouth again while he roughly pulled on the hem of her gown. He wanted her heat, and when his fingers probed the satin folds shielding the very core of her femininity, he knew she wanted him. She was moist with heat, and arched against him when he thrust his fingers inside.
Their clothes were discarded in wild abandon. Duncan didn't want to calm his ardor. He needed Madelyne now, and he could tell from her uninhibited response that she didn't want tenderness. Aye, she needed him to forget all restraint.
Duncan silenced her moans by covering her mouth with his. He settled himself between her thighs, penetrated her. She drove him to the brink of fulfillment with her erotic whimpers of pleasure, goaded him toward spilling his seed into her with her pleas and her nails digging into his shoulders. When Duncan couldn't hold back any longer, he slid his hand between their bodies and stroked her into climax.
Duncan wanted to shout with his release. He couldn't, of course, and claimed Madelyne's mouth again, trapping her own scream.
'I love you, wife,' he whispered later, when she was cuddled up against his side.
'I love you too, Duncan,' Madelyne said. She was content to rest against her husband for several more minutes. Then she asked, 'Did I embarrass you in court when I said I seduced you?'
Duncan smiled against the top of her head. Madelyne turned, bumping him.
'I do not get embarrassed,' he announced. His voice was laced with arrogance. 'Women become embarrassed.'
Madelyne smiled. 'What do warriors become?'
'Tired,' he said. 'They become exhausted after making love to their wives.'
'Are you suggesting I go to sleep now?'
'I am.'
'Then I will, of course obey your suggestion after just one more question.' She heard him sigh but ignored it. 'Who were those men who lied for my brother? Were they barons?'
'They were not barons, only men who have joined your brother against me,' Duncan said.
'Then they have no following? No armies of their own?'
Duncan hesitated a long minute. 'They have no armies, Madelyne. Yet there are many unscrupulous men who would join them if given enough incentive. Louddon doesn't have enough gold at his disposal now to cause much of a threat.'
Madelyne was content with his answer. She put the worry of Louddon aside. ' Duncan? You'll be able to meet my cousin, Edwythe, when we go to Scotland. I was going to live with her. That was the plan I'd formed before I met you.'
'You'll be able to meet my sister, Catherine,' Duncan said. His voice sounded sleepy.
'Your sister is married to a Scot?' she asked. Her voice sounded incredulous.
'She is.'
