’Twould be unwise for her to attempt to sleep with any man other than himself. And if she did, she would pay for her disloyalty with her life.
Had he been wrong in assigning Sir Alex to her side? Known to act the scoundrel at times, surely his vassal would not dare lay a finger upon his delicate skinned wife. He frowned. Thoughts such as these had plagued him for weeks. Since the day he’d argued with her in the solar, he had thought of little else. Her eyes sparkled bright in anger. The color upon her cheeks had made her more beautiful than he cared to know. She haunted and pleased him at the same time. There were not many who would stand up to such a man as he. Except for his wife…Madeline.
In the hopes that distance may lessen the pleasant thoughts of Lady Madeline writhing under him, he had taken Lady Veronica to her brother’s home in Cheshire. Days of hunting and nights filled with hearty meals and talk of King Henry’s exploits had not helped. Madeline had haunted his dreams even there. It was no secret that Lady Veronica, for many months, no longer held the allure she once did. In fact, his distant cousin had become a nuisance more than anything else, and she would soon need to leave Kingston. Her time as his guest had come to an end.
Before his departure, Madeline seemed to be everywhere. If not checking the welfare of his serfs, she was sitting at the dais taking a meal, talking amicably with other guests, or in her room…only a door away. He had started to feel desperate and in need of seeing her. To be near her presence, like a fish in need of water. A man consumed with noting every little act and gesture his wife performed.
His fists clenched. Damn the woman. It had become an absurd situation he could not allow to continue. So he had done the only thing he could. He had fled.
Like a coward.
William climbed down the last of the steps and awaited them within the courtyard. His fisted his hands as his wife walked alongside Sir Alex, comfortable and, if her smile was any indication, happy. What was she about looking at another man such?
“Sir Alex, thank you for your escort. You may go,” he said, glaring at his wife. Her eyes flashed at his harsh words. William welcomed her fear. She ought to be scared of his temper, especially if he found any wrongdoing on her behalf. His nose flared, his teeth ached from his clenched jaw. How dare she mock his command and ogle his head knight, adoringly, still.
He mentally swore. If Madeline thought to act the common whore, she would pay dearly for it, with her life. Or perhaps under him in his bed. Either option would not be pleasant. Well, on reflection, maybe one would be, for him at least.
“Yes, my lord,” Sir Alex replied, a calm indifference to his words, before he walked away.
*
Maddie looked over to her husband and raised her brow. So she had infuriated him. Well, good, he deserved it. With him regularly looking at Lady Veronica as if she was the only women on the planet, he deserved a little pay back. Not that her revenge would involve sleeping with his men, she was no whore. Nor was she stupid enough to lose her head in this time.
She took a calming breath as he stood before her, brooding and still. Nerves skittered across her skin. What was going through his mind? Whatever it was it did not bode well for her. She lifted her chin, told herself that the man before her, for all his muscles and temper, was still only human. Not some super power who could wipe her out. Or, perhaps he could, but not without a bloody good fight beforehand.
“What is it you wish to speak to me about, Lord William?” she asked, watched as a perplexed frown marked his brow. She wondered if he did in fact have anything to discuss, or if he had now forgotten it. She raised her brows questioningly, annoyed to be confronted by him and in such a public place.
Lord William’s gaze stole to her lips and she just stopped herself from taking a step back. She would not fear
Had he been wrong in assigning Sir Alex to her side? Known to act the scoundrel at times, surely his vassal would not dare lay a finger upon his delicate skinned wife. He frowned. Thoughts such as these had plagued him for weeks. Since the day he’d argued with her in the solar, he had thought of little else. Her eyes sparkled bright in anger. The color upon her cheeks had made her more beautiful than he cared to know. She haunted and pleased him at the same time. There were not many who would stand up to such a man as he. Except for his wife…Madeline.
In the hopes that distance may lessen the pleasant thoughts of Lady Madeline writhing under him, he had taken Lady Veronica to her brother’s home in Cheshire. Days of hunting and nights filled with hearty meals and talk of King Henry’s exploits had not helped. Madeline had haunted his dreams even there. It was no secret that Lady Veronica, for many months, no longer held the allure she once did. In fact, his distant cousin had become a nuisance more than anything else, and she would soon need to leave Kingston. Her time as his guest had come to an end.
Before his departure, Madeline seemed to be everywhere. If not checking the welfare of his serfs, she was sitting at the dais taking a meal, talking amicably with other guests, or in her room…only a door away. He had started to feel desperate and in need of seeing her. To be near her presence, like a fish in need of water. A man consumed with noting every little act and gesture his wife performed.
His fists clenched. Damn the woman. It had become an absurd situation he could not allow to continue. So he had done the only thing he could. He had fled.
Like a coward.
William climbed down the last of the steps and awaited them within the courtyard. His fisted his hands as his wife walked alongside Sir Alex, comfortable and, if her smile was any indication, happy. What was she about looking at another man such?
“Sir Alex, thank you for your escort. You may go,” he said, glaring at his wife. Her eyes flashed at his harsh words. William welcomed her fear. She ought to be scared of his temper, especially if he found any wrongdoing on her behalf. His nose flared, his teeth ached from his clenched jaw. How dare she mock his command and ogle his head knight, adoringly, still.
He mentally swore. If Madeline thought to act the common whore, she would pay dearly for it, with her life. Or perhaps under him in his bed. Either option would not be pleasant. Well, on reflection, maybe one would be, for him at least.
“Yes, my lord,” Sir Alex replied, a calm indifference to his words, before he walked away.
*
Maddie looked over to her husband and raised her brow. So she had infuriated him. Well, good, he deserved it. With him regularly looking at Lady Veronica as if she was the only women on the planet, he deserved a little pay back. Not that her revenge would involve sleeping with his men, she was no whore. Nor was she stupid enough to lose her head in this time.
She took a calming breath as he stood before her, brooding and still. Nerves skittered across her skin. What was going through his mind? Whatever it was it did not bode well for her. She lifted her chin, told herself that the man before her, for all his muscles and temper, was still only human. Not some super power who could wipe her out. Or, perhaps he could, but not without a bloody good fight beforehand.
“What is it you wish to speak to me about, Lord William?” she asked, watched as a perplexed frown marked his brow. She wondered if he did in fact have anything to discuss, or if he had now forgotten it. She raised her brows questioningly, annoyed to be confronted by him and in such a public place.
Lord William’s gaze stole to her lips and she just stopped herself from taking a step back. She would not fear
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