Julie Garwood: Honor's Splendour

His hand moved between her legs. He found the treasure he sought, thrust his finger inside, and was nearly driven beyond reason by her hot, wild response.

He wanted it all.

Duncan abruptly rolled to his side. Madelyne turned to her husband. The side of her face rested on Duncan 's warm thigh.

His mouth was driving her wild. She couldn't seem to draw a breath, her stomach indrawn as her husband placed wet kisses around her navel. His fingers continued his sweet torture. Madelyne whimpered when Duncan gently nudged her thighs apart. She knew what he wanted to do and opened herself to him, begging him to kiss her there.

Duncan moved lower, until he was tasting the heat of her. His tongue teased, tormented. And his beard drove her mad. His whiskers were excitingly abrasive against the sensitive skin of her inner thighs.

She wanted to taste him. All of him.

There was no warning of her intent, no tender kisses leading up to her quest. Madelyne arched her hips against Duncan as she captured him and took him into her mouth.

She was given her moans then. Her hands and mouth were just as pleasing, just as erotic as Duncan 's. Aye, he told of his pleasure by moving forcefully against her.

And then he was suddenly pulling away from her. He turned, settled himself between her thighs, and penetrated her. His seed immediately spilled forth, his climax seemingly unending. The force of his surrender gave Madelyne her own release to the same splendor.

She was too weak to move, couldn't even summon the strength to let go of her husband's shoulders.

He was content. He thought to kiss his wife, to tell her how very satisfied he was, but he couldn't seem to make the effort. Aye, he was too content to move.

They stayed as one for long, pleasing minutes.

Madelyne recovered her wits before her husband did. She suddenly remembered where they were. When she tensed against Duncan, he guessed her thoughts. "Father Berton has gone to say mass," he whispered.

Madelyne relaxed against him. "Of course, you were loud enough for my army to hear," he added.

"You were just as loud," Madelyne whispered back.

"Now I'll shave," Duncan told her.

Madelyne started to laugh. "I understand what you meant by telling me you'd shave after, Duncan. You knew your beard would drive me mad."

Duncan braced himself on his elbows and looked down into Madelyne's eyes. "Do you know how much you please me, wife?"

"I do," she whispered. "I love you, Duncan, now and forever."

"Did you love me when you realized Laurance wasn't a true priest and I lied to you?"

"Aye, though I did want to throttle you for not telling me. Lord, I was angry."

"Good," Duncan remarked, smiling over the startle that comment caused. "I worried you would have thought I'd lied to you about other things," he admitted.

"I've never doubted your love, Duncan," Madelyne said.

"But you doubted your worth," he reminded her.

"No longer," she whispered. She drew him down to kiss him and then demanded that he make love to her once again.

It was a much more leisurely union the second time, but just as satisfying.

Father Berton returned to his home to find both Madelyne and Duncan dressed. The baron sat at the table, his gaze never leaving his wife's figure as she went about the task of preparing their breakfast.

"I've need for a priest, Father," Duncan said. "Would you like the duty of looking after my soul? I could request your attendance immediately."

Madelyne was so pleased with Duncan 's suggestion, she clapped her hands together.

Father Berton smiled, then denied the request with a shake of his head. "The earl has taken me in all these years, Duncan. I cannot abandon him now. He depends upon my council. Nay, I can't leave him."

Madelyne knew her uncle was doing the honorable thing. She nodded. "I would suggest that you come to us after the earl is put to rest, but God's truth, I do think he's going to outlive us all."

"Madelyne! Do not speak so unkindly of the earl," Father Berton admonished.

Madelyne immediately looked contrite. "I didn't mean to be unkind, Uncle. And I am ashamed, for I understand your duty to the earl."

Duncan nodded. "Then we will come to visit you, and when you are finished with this duty, you will come to live with us."

He was much more diplomatic than she was. Madelyne saw how her uncle smiled and nodded his agreement. "How long will we be staying here?" she asked her husband then.

"We must leave today," Duncan announced.

"We could stay here until the summer's end," she suggested before she could stop herself.

"We leave today."

Madelyne sighed. Duncan was trying to stare her down, she realized. "Then today it is," she said.

Father left the cottage then, pretending an errand to fetch bread from the cook. As soon as the door closed behind him, Madelyne walked over to her husband. "You must allow me to have an opinion, husband. I'll not always bow to your dictates."

Duncan grinned. "I know that well enough, Madelyne. You are my wife and will rule by my side. But your argument to stay here is most-"

"Unreasonable," Madelyne interjected with a sigh. She sat down on Duncan 's lap and put her arms around his neck. "I'm putting off the inevitable. You might as well know the full truth about your wife, Duncan. I am a bit of a coward on occasion."

Duncan thought his wife's confession was quite amusing. He laughed, uncaring that Madelyne wasn't looking too pleased with his conduct. When he gained control, he said to her, "You have more courage inside you than all my men put together. Who dared death to release her brother's enemy?"

"Well, I did, but-"

"Who stood behind Gilard's back and saved him?"

"I did, Duncan, but I was so frightened and I-"

"Who took on the task of caring for my sister? Who conquered Silenus for her lamb? Who-"

"You know it was me," Madelyne said. She put her hands on Duncan 's cheeks and then said, "But you've still to understand. Each time I did any of those tasks you believe are honorable, I was so afraid inside. Why, I was terrified just standing up to you."

Duncan pushed Madelyne's hands away and drew her down for a long kiss. "Fear doesn't mean you're a coward, love. Nay, in my mind it means you are mortal. Only a fool puts caution aside."

When he finished his speech, he had to kiss her again.

"You'll have to tell me what to do when we return to court, Duncan," Madelyne said next. "I don't want to displease you or say the wrong thing in answer to the king's questions. He'll question me, won't he, Duncan?"

He caught the fear in her voice, shook his head over it. "Madelyne, nothing you do will ever displease me. And you've only to tell the truth to the king's questions. That is all I would ever ask of you."

"'Tis what Louddon said to me," Madelyne muttered. "He thinks my truths will trap you."

"This is my battle, Madelyne. Tell the truth and leave the rest to me."

Madelyne sighed. She knew he was right.

Duncan tried to lighten her mood. "I must shave before we leave for court," he announced.

Madelyne started to blush. "I would prefer that you never shave again. I have come to… appreciate your beard, milord."

Duncan fully appreciated his wife's honesty. His forceful kiss told her so.

Duncan and Madelyne arrived in London two days later. Gilard, Edmond, and Gerald met them at the gates. They all wore grim expressions.

After giving Madelyne a welcoming embrace, Edmond told Duncan the other barons had already settled in their chambers.

Gilard next embraced Madelyne. He took his time with the greeting, and when he turned to speak to Duncan, his arm was still circling Madelyne's waist. "Do you go to the king tonight?"

Duncan decided Gilard wasn't quite over his infatuation with Madelyne. He pulled his wife into his side before he answered his brother. "I go now."