“Leonardo and I will keep out of trouble and out of your way until tomorrow morning. Then we will return here.”
Leonardo immediately objected. “I’m not leaving Justin and Gilda on their own,” he replied.
As soon as the words had left Leonardo’s mouth, he realized what he was saying and guessed that Philip’s intention was to give the newlywed couple some privacy. A slight smile on his lips, Leonardo corrected himself, “I think Philip has the right idea. I’ll go with him.”
Neither Gilda nor Justin tried to dissuade them.
The two men were quick to take their leave, and Gilda and Justin were finally alone. The room was suddenly quiet, and Justin, who had followed the men to the door, turned to find that Gilda stood across the room from him. Justin saw that she avoided meeting his eyes.
“Philip has matured in the short time we’ve known him,” Gilda said, glancing out the window to where the men had disappeared.
“Yes, I guess he has,” Justin agreed, moving a few steps closer to her.
Still not looking directly at him, Gilda backed away. “Do you think there is a chance for him and Emma?”
“It doesn’t look good at the moment,” he said as he advanced a few more steps.
“No, it doesn’t. But there is still a chance, don’t you think? They are very much in love.” This time she backed up slowly, as though to disguise her retreat.
“Gilda, I don’t want to talk about Philip any longer. What I want to do is make love to my wife.”
Gilda’s eyes widened. “But it’s still light outside, Justin,” she replied, clearly believing this was a problem. Her move away from him was suddenly brought to an abrupt halt when her back thumped against the wall.
His next few steps brought him close enough to pin her against the wall with his body. “If the light bothers you, close your eyes,” he whispered, then grinned when he saw her squeeze her eyes shut. His hands pushed away her head covering, and his fingers slid into her silky hair.
The feel of Justin’s hands in her hair eased Gilda’s hesitancy. She kept her eyes closed, content to passively let him kiss her, while she enjoyed the feel of his lips on her mouth and his hips pressing against her body. She relaxed even more as the pleasure of his nearness spread through her limbs.
As Gilda became aroused, sleepily enjoying his attention wasn’t enough. Eager to see him, her eyes flew open. She pushed him just far enough away to be able to loosen his doublet and bare his chest so that she could run her hand through the dark hair she found there.
At her touch, Justin became impatient. “Help me here,” he whispered.
“What?” she replied, still absorbed in watching the way his dark chest hair curled around her pale fingers.
“How do I get this off?” Justin asked. Unfamiliar with a nun’s habit, he was pulling at the neck of her garment.
Gilda pushed him away again, and for a minute Justin thought she had remembered it was still light outside and wanted him to stop. As he was about to again suggest she close her eyes, he saw her performing some magic that caused her habit to fall away and pool around her feet. He had no trouble removing the light shift that remained, and she stood before him without a thread of clothing. The sight of her small, perfectly shaped body stopped him abruptly. He stared at her a long time, watching as her face turned a becoming shade of pink. When he regained his ability to move, he gathered her up in his arms and carried her to the bed in the next room.
Flat on her back on the narrow bed, Gilda watched as Justin quickly rid himself of his clothing. The sight of his aroused body startled her, and she wondered how they would ever fit together. But before she could be afraid, he covered her body with his own, being careful not to let her bear his full weight. He held her gently and loosely until she got used to the feel of him, then he caressed her, arousing them both.
Much later Gilda had her eyes closed again, and Justin saw that tears had wet her cheeks. “Did I hurt you very much?” Justin asked, wiping the moisture away with his fingers.
“Only at first. I can’t believe how well we fit together, Justin. It was lovely.”
“Yes, it was,” he whispered, kissing her damp eyes. “Now you are truly my wife.”
Gilda smiled. “We have to thank Philip for leaving us alone,” she suggested.
“I suppose you’re right,” he answered, but he didn’t want to think about Philip just yet. “It’s well past the supper hour. Would you like me to find you something to eat?”
“Not just now. I like lying with you like this.” She felt his arousal against her leg and nudged him a bit with her knee. “Does that mean we can do it again?” she asked.
Justin laughed. “It appears your appetite has grown to include more than food.”
All through the evening and the night, Gilda and Justin continued to enjoy being close, free to do what they pleased. They made love, they fed each other what food they could find, and they slept in each other’s arms. At first light, Justin watched Gilda sleep and marveled at how wonderful it had been making her his wife. He grinned as he remembered how quickly she had overcome her shyness.
When Justin finally pulled away to get up, Gilda opened her eyes. “Where are you going?” she asked. “It’s cold without you. Come back to bed.”
Justin was ready to do just that, but he heard a noise from the outer room. “Someone is here,” he said.
Expecting to find Leonardo or Philip, Justin pulled on his pants and opened the door. Instead he found a servant he recognized from the manor. The man seemed embarrassed at the sight of Justin’s
