The maid hesitated, then moved cautiously forward, sorting through the clothes Aelfread had strewn on the floor until she came across the thick, warm gown in question. One that left everything to the imagination.
Lady Seonaid, of course, ignored her wishes in this as well. "Nay, ye'll wear the white gown," she announced, continuing to tug Iliana's clothes from her body. "Bring it here, Aelfread."
"I said I would wear the cream-colored one," Iliana snapped sharply as the shorter of her tormentors moved forward.
"The white one is nicer."
"I like the cream one better."
"My brother will like the white one."
"I do not care what your brother--" Iliana cut her own words off as Lady Seonaid went still. Had she offended her? Angering the Amazon who towered over her was something Iliana was not quite brave enough to do. Iliana was a little above average height at five-foot-six, but Lady Seonaid was a good five inches taller and quite a bit stronger. She also seemed the rough-and-tumble type. A barbarian--like the rest of these people--Iliana thought irritably, then frowned when Seonaid continued to simply stare at her.
"What is it?" she asked stiltedly when the silence became unbearable.
"You..." Seonaid gestured helplessly unable to say that 'twas the other woman's figure that had her attention. 'Twas the type of figure she herself had longed for as a teen, all soft curves and plains.
"Oh, give me the blasted gown," Iliana snapped in exasperation, reaching out to rip the sheer gown from Aelfread's hands. 'Twas a drafty old castle and she'd had enough of this ridiculousness.
She donned the gown as Seonaid watched, and then the woman turned to the door. "Get ye into bed. Aelfread and I'll go see what is takin' the men so long."
Iliana nibbled at her lip as she watched the women go, then whirled to face Ebba. "Fetch me that belt Francesco gave Papa. 'Tis in the chest this gown was in."
Ebba's eyes widened in horror. "Oh no, my lady. You can not wear that contraption."
Iliana's expression darkened. "I can and I will. Fetch it."
The maid hesitated briefly, then did as she was told. Finding the item, she grimaced with distaste as she held it out to her.
Iliana took the leather belt sadly. Lord Wildwood had always endeavored to bring back odd and exotic gifts from his travels. This was one of the oddest. He had gained two of the belts on his last trip to Italy. Her father had laughed heartily as he had produced one for both his wife and daughter, explaining it to them as he did. They were an invention of his friend, Francesco Carraro. He'd called them "belts to maintain chastity."
Iliana shook her head as she thought of the man. She had no idea what would make him create the silly thing. 'Twas a belt made of thick leather, but with a wide center strap that attached to it at the back, then slid between the thighs and was fastened to the belt in the front by a metal lock. It looked most uncomfortable.
Undoing the lock, Iliana let the center strap drop to hang and worried her lip as she examined the ridiculous thing. Then, stiffening her resolve, she grimaced and yanked her gown up to fasten it on. 'Twas an awkward trick to manage. She had to grab at the strap hanging behind her and draw it up between her legs. Locking it into place, she nodded her satisfaction, then peered at the key. What to do with that?
She peered around the room briefly, then glanced up at the bed drapes. Giving a shrug, she tossed it atop them, checked to be sure 'twas not obvious through the heavy cloth, then scampered into bed as the boisterous sound of approaching voices warned of her husband's imminent arrival.
Chapter Three
Blushing brightly, Iliana watched as her husband was carried into the room by a bunch of men, laughing loudly and jesting in Gaelic. She was momentarily glad she couldn't understand them. Angus Dunbar was at the head of the group. Winking at her, he ordered the men to set Duncan on the ground; then they all began removing his clothes.
Iliana's eyes became great, round holes in her head as they removed his plaid and then the long shirt he had worn beneath it. Her mother had prepared Iliana well for her wedding night and had even given her an idea of what to expect a naked man to look like, but the body exposed to her now was a bit more than she had ever imagined.
Truth to tell, it was a lot more, she thought faintly, her gaze finding and fixing on his manhood. There was no way in heaven that that thing was going to fit inside her, she thought with dismay. By God! 'Twould rip her to shreds. 'Twould--
Iliana reined her thoughts in viciously, reminding herself that 'twas not a worry. She wore the belt of chastity. The key was hidden and would remain so until her husband bathed. But what if he did bathe?
She was forced from that worry to more immediate ones as the men hurried her husband to the bed and drew the linens back to put him in beside her.
For a moment, her scanty gown was revealed to one and all, then Iliana tugged the linens back over herself, fearing they might see the leather of the belt through the thin material of her gown.
Iliana waited as Ebba followed the men out, catching the worried glance the woman threw over her shoulder. Then the door closed, leaving her alone with her husband. It was not until she turned to peer at him solemnly that she realized why the men had had to carry him. Her husband was thoroughly sotted and now that the men who had supported him were gone, he could hardly sit upright.
"Get out of this bed."
Duncan blinked, the meaning of her words slow to weave their way through the ale pickling his brain. "Get out?"
"Aye. You will not sleep in this bed until you have taken a bath."
"Bath?" He appeared to catch on to the last word and shook his head as she shifted until she sat facing him. Her knees drawn up under the linens, she rested her feet beside his body, and contemplated him grimly.
"Nay," Duncan said fin
ally. "I do no bathe 'til July."
"Then you do not sleep here until July," she announced primly.
He was still trying to absorb her words when she suddenly slid her feet forward, rested them on the hip facing her, and gave him a push that sent him toppling off the bed.
Iliana fully expected him to rise up from the floor, furious and ready for a fight. Taking a deep breath, she tried to prepare herself for the battle ahead, but after several moments of silence, she began to worry her lip nervously. After several more moments, she managed to gather the courage necessary to move hesitantly to the edge of the bed and peer cautiously down at him.
He lay silent and still on his back upon the floor. Iliana had the brief, mad fear that she had killed him, but then she saw that his chest was rising and falling slowly and she relaxed. It seemed he was just unconscious. Iliana was not sure if that was due to the drink he had consumed or from hitting his head on the floor, but she was too relieved to care overmuch either way. For tonight at least, she need not fear his displeasure.
Feeling it was safe to allow her curiosity free rein now that he was unconscious, she let her gaze slide to his manhood. Her eyebrows rose as she stared at it. Iliana had seen chests and arms and legs before, but this was something new. 'Twas a most curious appendage. The only description she could think of was to say that it looked like a large, angry pink mushroom was growing out of his groin. Most interesting, she decided, and wondered how it might feel.
After glancing nervously at his face to be sure that he was still unconscious, she reached out tentatively to run one finger lightly over it, only to pull quickly away in surprise. The skin was soft and smooth. Not what she had expected. But that was not what had made her react as if she had been bitten. At her mere touch, her husband's manhood had reared up, seeming to grow an inch or so out of his body like a tree seeking the sun.