Honor's Splendour

"Gilard wears his thoughts on his face," Duncan remarked. "Did you see the way he reached for his sword during the marriage ceremony, when he thought I was forcing Madelyne?"

"You were forcing her," Edmond returned with a grin. "And yes, I did witness the act. Madelyne also saw his reaction. I think that is the only reason she suddenly agreed to take you for husband."

Duncan grinned. "A true observation, Edmond. Madelyne will always try to protect anyone she believes weaker. At that moment she feared I would retaliate."

Duncan began to caress his wife's back. Edmond watched the way his brother stroked Madelyne and thought to himself that he probably wasn't even aware of what he was doing. "Does Madelyne want us gone then?" Edmond asked.

"Nay, Edmond. I imagine she'll become upset and blame me," Duncan answered. "My wife doesn't understand that your loyalty extends to Rhinehold too."

Edmond nodded. "I think Madelyne worries I'll keep you and Gilard under my control for the rest of your lives and won't allow either of you to act on any thought of your own."

"Your wife has strange ideas," Edmond remarked. "Yet she has changed your life, hasn't she, Duncan? And ours as well. This is the first time we've ever had such a long discussion on any issue. I believe Madelyne has made us a stronger family."

Duncan didn't respond to that comment. Edmond stood up and started to walk toward the entrance. "It's a shame you know," he called over his shoulder.

"What's a shame?" Duncan asked.

"That I didn't capture her first."

Duncan smiled. "Nay, Edmond, it was a blessing. God's truth, I would have taken her from you."

Madelyne awakened just as Duncan made his comment. She struggled to sit up and smiled shyly at her husband. "What would you have taken away from your brother, Duncan?" she asked him in a husky voice. She patted her hair and Duncan dodged her elbows before answering.

"Nothing for you to concern yourself with, Madelyne."

"You should always share what you have with your brothers," Madelyne instructed Duncan.

Edmond obviously heard her remark. His laughter trailed behind him.

Just then, Adela came tearing into the hall. As soon as Duncan's little sister spotted Madelyne, she burst into tears. "Gerald still insists that the contract is valid, Madelyne. What am I going to do? The man still wants to marry me."

Madelyne jumped off Duncan's lap just as Adela threw herself into her arms.

Duncan stood up and sighed in exasperation over his sister's near hysteria.

"You should be asking me that question, Adela," he snapped. He took hold of Madelyne's arm, ignoring the fact that Adela was clinging to her like a wet gown, and started pulling Madelyne toward the entrance.

"We can't just leave your sister in such a condition," Madelyne protested. Lord, she felt like she were in the middle of a tug-of-war. "Duncan, you're pulling my arm off."

Baron Gerald came rushing into the hall then, disrupting Duncan's bid to take Madelyne upstairs and deal with Adela's problem in the morning. Duncan wasn't in the mood for a long discussion and determined to resolve the matter immediately.

Before Gerald could say a word, Duncan asked, "Do you still want to marry Adela?"

"I do," Gerald answered. His voice challenged, as did his stance. "She will be my wife."

"I've given Adela my word she can stay here for as long as she wishes, Gerald."

Gerald's face showed his anger. Duncan felt like growling. "I was wrong to give her such a promise," he said, admitting the error in front of Edmond, Madelyne, Adela, and Gerald. It was an amazing confession coming from a man who never admitted any mistake. Duncan smiled over the way his confession stunned everyone.

He turned to Madelyne and whispered, "Your obsession with telling the truth has affected me, wife. Now, close your mouth, love. All will be well."

Madelyne slowly nodded. She gave her husband a smile, letting him know she trusted him. He was so pleased that when he turned back to confront Gerald, he was still smiling. Gerald knew Duncan well enough to wait until he was given a full explanation before openly challenging him. Duncan had always been a man of his word in the past.

"Adela," Duncan demanded, "quit screeching like a hen and tell Baron Gerald my exact promise to you."

His tone of voice didn't suggest argument. Adela straightened away from Madelyne and said, "You said I could live here until I died if that was my wish."

Gerald took a step toward Adela then, but Duncan's stare stopped him.

"Now then, Gerald? What promise did I give to you?"

Duncan's voice was mild, giving the impression he was bored with the conversation. Madelyne clutched his hand.

Gerald answered Duncan with a shout. "With the king's blessing, you agreed Adela would become my wife."

Edmond couldn't keep silent any longer. "How in God's name are you going to honor both pledges?" he asked Duncan.

"Gerald," Duncan said, ignoring Edmond, "my word to Adela is dependent upon her wish to remain here. I believe it is up to you to change her mind."

"Do you suggest…"

"You're a welcome guest in my home for as long as it takes," Duncan said.

Gerald looked startled, then a most arrogant grin transformed his face. He turned to Adela and smiled at her. "Adela, since you won't leave, then I shall stay here with you."

"You'll what?"

Adela was back to screeching, yet Madelyne couldn't see fear in her eves, only disbelief and anger.

"As your brother said, for as long as it takes me, Adela, to make you realize I mean to marry you," Gerald said. "Do you hear me?"

Of course she heard him. Madelyne thought the south watchman must have heard Gerald. He shouted his announcement loud enough.

Madelyne took a step toward Adela, fully intending to protect her from Gerald's anger, but Duncan suddenly took hold of her hand again. He jerked her up against his side, and when she opened her mouth to protest, his grip intensified, and Madelyne decided to save her protest for later.

Adela was too enraged to speak. She picked up her skirts and rushed over to Gerald. "You'll be old and gray and withered, too, before I change my mind, Gerald."

Gerald smiled at Adela. "You underestimate my abilities, Adela," he told her.

"You're the most stubborn man alive," Adela blurted out. "You… you plebeian." She turned her back on him then and left the hall.

It was all going to be all right. Madelyne felt it in her heart. Adela was furious, but she wasn't terrified.

"What's a plebeian?" Gerald asked Edmond.

Edmond shrugged and looked over at Madelyne. "Another one of your words?" he asked.

"Aye," Madelyne admitted.

"Is it as distasteful as Polyphemus?" Edmond asked.

Madelyne shook her head.

"At least Adela places higher value on you, Gerald, than Madelyne placed on me when we first met," Edmond said with a grin.

Madelyne didn't know what Edmond was talking about. Duncan bade everyone a good night and dragged Madelyne out of the hall before she could question Edmond.

Neither husband nor wife said a word to each other until they reached Duncan's bedroom. When he opened the door for her, Madelyne was waylaid from asking him about Adela or Edmond. The bedroom drew her attention first. Duncan had moved her possessions from the tower to his chambers. The two chairs now flanked his hearth, the cover now lined his huge bed, and her tapestry was hanging above his hearth.

Maude was just leaving the room and announced to the baron that Madelyne's bath was ready for her, as he'd instructed.

As soon as the door closed behind the servant, Madelyne said, "I can't bathe in front of you, Duncan. Please go and swim in your lake while I—"

"I've seen you often enough without your clothes on, Madelyne," Duncan said. He untied her braided belt, tossed it over one of the chairs, then proceeded to remove her bliaut and chainse as well.

"But always in bed, Duncan, with the covers and…" Her voice trailed off.

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Duncan chuckled. "Get into your bath, love, before the water turns cold."

"You swim in a freezing lake," Madelyne reminded him. Her husband was slowly edging her chemise up over her shoulders. "Why do you do that?" she asked, blushing enough to feel the heat in her cheeks. "Do you like to swim when it's so cold?"

Madelyne thought to turn his attention away from undressing her. But Duncan seemed capable of answering her question and stripping her at the same time.

"I don't particularly enjoy it," Duncan answered. Duncan made short work of her undergarment, eager to get rid of the clothing that shielded her beauty from him. He knelt down in front of her and slowly removed her stockings and shoes, and then caressed a hot trail back to her waist.

His hands made her sigh with pleasure.

"Then why do you do it?" Madelyne stammered.

"To toughen my mind and my body."

He stopped touching her. Madelyne was disappointed. "There are easier ways to toughen your body," Madelyne whispered.

She thought she sounded hoarse. Madelyne tried to cover her breasts by pulling her hair forward, frowning when she realized the length didn't do an adequate job. She twisted the ends of her hair, conveniently blocking his view of her breasts.

Duncan wouldn't let her hide from him. He stood up and gently pushed her hands away. His palms cupped the fullness of her breasts while his thumbs made lazy circles around her pink nipples. Madelyne's toes curled into the rushes. She instinctively leaned forward, seeking more of his touch.

"If I kiss you, Madelyne, I won't let you have your bath. I can see the passion in your eyes. Can you feel how much I want you?" He whispered to her in a voice that caressed as tenderly as his hands.

Madelyne slowly nodded. "I always want you, Duncan."

She forced herself to turn around and walk over to the tub.

Duncan tried not to watch his wife. He had vowed to go slowly this night. He was going to make love to her without rushing, no matter how much the urge to throw her on the bed and love her wildly challenged him.

He was going to gentle her with soft words too. His plan was to force her to tell him how much she loved him. Duncan was uneasy. He needed to hear the words now that he'd admitted to himself how much he loved her.

Duncan was determined to make her love him. And he was arrogant enough to believe that once he'd wooed her, she wouldn't be able to deny him anything.

Duncan smiled to himself. He was about to use her obsession with telling the truth to his advantage. He removed his tunic, then knelt down before the hearth to add another log to the fire.

Madelyne washed quickly, worrying that Duncan would turn and watch her doing such an intimate task.

And then she saw the humor in her predicament and laughed.

Duncan walked over to stand beside the tub. With his hands on his hips, he demanded to know what she found so amusing.

He wasn't wearing his shirt now. Madelyne's heart started racing. She suddenly became breathless too. Oh, how he could so easily arouse her. "I sleep beside you every night without a stitch of clothing and I really shouldn't be embarrassed now. That was why I was laughing," she added with a shrug that nearly drowned her.

Madelyne stood and faced her husband, proving to herself and to him she wasn't embarrassed any longer.

Droplets of water glistened against her skin. The ends of her hair were clumped together in wet locks. She had a mischievous look on her face. Duncan leaned down to kiss her once, on the top of her forehead, then again, on the bridge of her nose. He couldn't help himself. Madelyne was looking so magnificent and trying so nobly not to be shy with him.

When she shivered, Duncan reached for the cloth Maude had left on one of the chairs. He wrapped the material around Madelyne, lifted her from the tub, and carried her over to the hearth.

Madelyne stood with her back to the fire. She closed her eyes when Duncan's chest rubbed against her breasts. The heat from the blaze warmed her shoulders and Duncan's tender gaze warmed her heart.

She felt cherished. It was such a wonderful feeling, she didn't offer any protest when Duncan began to dry her. At first he used the cloth to pat her skin, but when he'd finished with her back, he suddenly pulled the edges of the material toward him, dragging her up against his chest. And then his mouth captured hers in a searing kiss. His tongue penetrated the treasure she offered him. Duncan let go of the cloth, cupped her buttocks, pulling her up against his hardness, his incredible heat.

She moaned with pleasure into his mouth, stroked his tongue with her own. Her hands caressed his back, but when her fingertips edged under the waistband of his pants, Duncan abruptly pulled away.

"Take me to bed, Duncan," Madelyne pleaded. She tried to capture his mouth for another kiss. But Duncan deliberately eluded her.

"In time, Madelyne," he promised her in a husky whisper. He kissed the tip of her chin, then slowly made his way down to her breasts. "You're so beautiful," he told her.

He wanted to taste all of her. Duncan stroked one breast with his hand while he worshipped the other with his mouth, sucking until the nipple was a hard nub.

His tongue felt like hot velvet. Madelyne could barely stand up. When Duncan knelt down and began to rain hot, wet kisses down the length of her belly, she took a deep breath and forgot to let it out. His hands rubbed her thighs, moved between them, driving her to the brink of losing her control. He kissed a path along the length of her scar as his hands continued their sweet torment, stroking, caressing, adoring the very heat of her.

He held her by her hips, and when his mouth began to kiss the soft mound of curls between her thighs, her knees did buckle.

Duncan wouldn't let her move. His mouth and his tongue tasted the moist heat he'd created in her. She was as sweet as honey and as intoxicating as a fine wine.

Madelyne thought she was going to die from the pleasure. Her fingernails dug into Duncan's shoulder blades. She moaned a soft whimper. The primitive erotic sound nearly drove Duncan mad.

He slowly lowered Madelyne to the floor. His mouth claimed hers just as his fingers penetrated her tight, wet sheath. Madelyne arched against his hand, cried out his name when the splendor erupted inside her. Wave after wave of incredible pleasure washed over her, and through it all, Duncan held her close, whispering words of love.

She felt like liquid gold in his arms, thought to tell him how much he pleased her, but couldn't seem to quit kissing him long enough to tell him anything.

Duncan pulled away and quickly removed the rest of his clothes. He stretched out on his back then and pulled Madelyne on top of him.

He knew he was about to lose control. Duncan pushed her legs apart, trying not to be rough, and when she was straddling him, his hand began to stroke her wild again. Madelyne moaned his name, begged him with her hands and her mouth to end this torment.

He lifted her hips and thrust into her with one powerful surge. She was more than ready for him.

She was so incredibly hot, so wet, so tight.

Duncan let her capture him then. Madelyne arched her back until she surrounded all of him, and then began to move, with slow, instinctive motions that drove him crazed.

He felt as weak as a squire and as powerful as a warlord. Duncan held her by the sides of her hips, demanding her to move more forcefully.

He found release before Madelyne did, but the sound and feel of him gave Madelyne her own blissful surrender.

Madelyne collapsed against his chest. Duncan groaned but Madelyne was too exhausted, too satisfied to apologize.

Long minutes passed before either was capable of speaking. Madelyne's fingers stroked Duncan's chest. She loved the feel of his crisp hair, his smooth, hot skin, his wonderful scent.

Duncan slowly rolled with Madelyne until she was trapped underneath him. He moved to his side then, propped his head up with one elbow, and casually draped one heavy thigh over her legs.

Madelyne thought he looked most arrogant. He stared at her with such a smug expressio

n on his face. A lock of hair had fallen forward to rest against his forehead.

Madelyne was about to reach up and brush the hair back in place when Duncan spoke. "I love you, Madelyne."

Her hand froze in the air between them.

Madelyne's eyes widened and it was then that Duncan realized what he'd said to her.

It wasn't at all how he'd planned it. She was supposed to tell him she loved him. He smiled over his own blunder while he patiently waited for her to recover from his admission and tell him how much she loved him.

Madelyne couldn't believe he'd said the words. His expression turned solemn, telling her he meant what he said.

She started to cry. Duncan didn't know what to make of that. "Are you weeping because I've told you I love you?"

Madelyne shook her head. "No," she whispered.

"Then why are you so upset? I have just pleased you, haven't I?"

He actually sounded a little worried. Madelyne wiped the tears from her cheeks, bumping Duncan's chin. "You have pleased me," she told him. "I'm so frightened, Duncan. You shouldn't love me."

Duncan sighed. He decided he'd have to wait a few more minutes to get a decent explanation out of her. She was shivering too much to speak coherently.

He really held his patience, but once he'd carried Madelyne to their bed and they were under the covers, she snuggled up against him and didn't say a word.

"Why are you afraid?" he asked. "Is it so terrible for me to love you?"

His voice was filled with tenderness and that made Madelyne cry again. "There can be no hope for us. Duncan. The king will—"

"Give us his blessing, Madelyne. Our king will have to approve this marriage."

He sounded so sure of himself. She drew comfort from his confidence. "Tell me why you think the king will side with you. Make me understand. I don't want to be frightened."

Duncan sighed. "King William and I have known each other since we were young boys. He has many flaws, but he has proven himself to be an able leader. You dislike him because of the stories you've heard from your uncle. And your uncle reflects only the attitudes of his church. The king has lost the support of the clergy because he took treasures from their monasteries. He has never been quick to replace any church official either. The clergy belittles our king because he doesn't bend to their dictates."