The Velvet Promise (Montgomery/Taggert 2)

When his lips and tongue touched her breasts, she nearly cried out. She thought perhaps she might die under such torture. She tried to pull his head back to her mouth but he gave a deep, guttural laugh that made her shiver. Maybe he did own her.

When she thought that she would lose her mind, he moved on top of her, his hand caressing the inside of her thighs until she was shaking with desire. When he entered her, she cried out; there was no relief to her torment. She clutched at him, her legs about his waist as she rose to meet each thrust. Finally, when she was sure she would explode, she felt the pulsing throbs that released her. Gavin collapsed on top of her, holding her so close that she could hardly breathe. But at the moment she didn’t really care if she ever did breathe again.

An hour later the maids came to dress Judith, waking the bridal couple. Suddenly she was very aware of her hair and her body wrapped around Gavin’s. Maud and Joan had several things to say about Judith’s abandonment. The sheets were stained, and there were more linens on the floor than on the bed. The squirrel coverlet was on the other side of the room by the fireplace.

The maids pulled Judith up and helped her to wash. Gavin lazily lolled on the bed and watched every movement.

Judith would not look at him; she could not. She was embarrassed to the very depths of her soul. She detested the man. He was everything she hated; dishonorable, a liar, greedy, yet she had acted with no pride when he touched her. She’d made a vow to him—and to God—that he would get nothing from her, but he took more from her than she’d wanted to give.

She hardly noticed as her maids slipped a thin linen chemise over her head, then a gown of deep green velvet. The dress had been embroidered with intricate gold designs. The front of the skirt was divided, revealing a wide stripe of the silk underskirt. The sleeves were full and gathered at the wrists. They were cut in places, and the lighter green silk underdress was pulled through the slashes.

“And now, my lady,” Maud said as she handed Judith a large, flat ivory box.

Judith stared at her maid in surprise as she held the box open. On a black velvet bed lay a wide collar of gold filagree, the tiny wire in places as thin as hair. Along the bottom of the necklace was a row of emeralds, many of them perfectly matched in size, none of them bigger than a raindrop. “It is…beautiful,” Judith whispered. “How did my mother—”

“It is your bride’s gift from your husband,” Maud said, her eyes sparkling.

Judith could feel Gavin’s eyes on her back. She whirled and faced him. The sight of him in bed, his skin so dark against the whiteness of the sheets, made her knees weak. It took great will, but she bent one knee and curtsied. “Thank you, my lord.”

Gavin’s jaw clenched at her coldness. He would have liked the gift to thaw her somewhat. How could she be so hot in bed, so cold and haughty out of it?

Judith turned back to her maids and Maud finished fastening the buttons of the gown. Joan plaited the top layer of her mistress’s hair, and intertwined the braids with gold ribbons. Before they finished, Gavin commanded them to leave the room. Judith did not look at him as he hurriedly shaved and dressed in a dark brown doublet and hose, a tawny wool jacket over it, the lining of golden lynx.

When he stepped toward her, she had to forcibly calm her hammering heart. He held his arm out for her and led her to the waiting guests below.

They attended mass together, but for this mass there was no hand kissing or staring at each other. They were solemn and sober throughout the service.

Chapter Seven

THE GROUNDS OUTSIDE THE REVEDOUNE MANOR RANG with noise, the air charged with excitement. Brilliantly colored pennants were everywhere, fluttering from the stands and from the tents that covered the field. The clothing flashed in the sunlight like jewels. Children dashed in and out of knots of people. Vendors, with large boxes hanging about their necks, hawked their wares, selling anything from fruit and pies to holy relics.

The lists itself was a sand-covered field a hundred yards long with two rows of wooden fences along both sides. The inner fence was short—only three feet high—but the outer one was eight feet. The space inside was for the squires and horses of the participating knights. Outside the tall fence, the merchant class and the serfs pressed for a view of the games and jousts.

The ladies and the knights who did not participate sat on terraced benches high enough above the lists to see everything. The benches were canopied and marked with sendal banners displaying the colors of each family. Several areas bore the Montgomery leopards.

Before the joust began, the knights walked about in their armor. Depending on the wealth of the knight, the quality and modernity of the armor varied greatly. There could be seen the old-fashioned chain mail or the newer plates sewn onto leather. The richest knights wore the new Maxmilian armor from Germany. It covered a man from head to foot in fine steel. There was not an inch that went unprotected. It was a heavy protection, weighing well over a hundred pounds. On top of the helmets were plumes showing the colors of the knight.

As Judith and Gavin walked toward the tourney grounds, Judith was bewildered by all the noise and smells surrounding them. It was new and exciting to her, but Gavin had his own contradictory thoughts. The night had been a revelation. Never had he come near enjoying a woman as much as he had Judith. Too often his couplings had been hurried or secret meetings with Alice. Gavin did not love the woman who was his wife—in fact, he found talking to her infuriating—but never had he known such uninhibited passion.

Judith saw Raine coming toward them. He was dressed in full armor for the joust. The steel was etched with tiny gold fleurs-de-lis. He carried his helmet under his arm, and he walked as if he were used to the enormous weight of the armor. And he was.

Judith did not realize she dropped her hand from Gavin’s arm when she recognized her brother-in-law. Raine came toward her quickly, a dimpled smile on his face, a smile that had turned many feminine knees to water.

“Hello, my little sister,” he grinned down at her. “This morning I thought I had dreamed such beauty, but I see you are more than I remembered.”

She was delighted. “And you make the day brighter. Will you enter the event

s?” She nodded toward the sand-covered field.

“Both Miles and I will take part in the joust.”

Neither of them seemed to be aware of Gavin as he scowled at them.

“And these ribbons I see the men wearing,” Judith said. “What do they mean?”

“A lady may choose a knight of her favor and give him a token.”

“Then I may give you a ribbon?” She smiled at him.