Apprehension settled around her like a choking blanket.
‘Do not feign innocence with me, demoiselle. You have birthed one child already so you are more than aware of what happens between a husband and wife.’
Jarred by the coolness of his tone, Caroline’s gaze jerked from the bed to his, speechless.
Distant and cold.
On this she had no scathing retort and said nothing. She was too nervous. She watched him remove his black cloak and toss it on top of the chest at the foot of the bed. His face darkened as he strode past her into the anteroom and waited there she supposed for his manservant.
Caroline turned away and went to one of the two hearths blanketing either side of the room. She removed her slippers first. Her tumultuous feelings caused her fingers to shake badly as she undid the lacing on the sides of the simple gown she’d worn of green as her wedding dress. It was the finest one she owned and the only one she had managed to grab in her mad dash to gather any of their belongings before they had been forced to leave their home. How befitting her doom.
She struggled with the lacings in the back and almost screamed when she felt his hands on her bare skin, his knuckles warm against her back as he took over the task.
‘Let me help you.’
His tone had lost some of its coldness and anger, but still Caroline could not take in an even breath. He’d spoken so softly in the too quiet room. She stood frozen until the gown pooled at their feet. She stepped out of the puddle but was unable to go any further for he held her in place by her long unraveling braid.
She stopped breathing and looked around in the dimly lit room for signs of his servant. There was no one. With a deep breath, Caroline turned and faced him and yanked her hair out of his grasp, and then she gasped.
He stood completely naked in front of her, an expression she could not read upon his face as his eyes slowly looked over her body.
With the back of her hand pressed to her mouth, she let her eyes roam over him. The breadth of his chest and shoulders, made her throat go dry. He was thick and well-muscled it seemed all over and when he turned his back to her for a moment, she sucked in a deep breath at the sight of his tight muscled arse.
His large chest, riddled with old scars and nicks on one side stared her in the face. A spatter of dark hair sat in the middle of his chest and covered his nipples, then went down his flat stomach where it ended at that nest where his member lay softly. Even in his flaccid state he still appeared larger than Lord Halvard had been. Her breath quickened when he faced her fully again. The muscles bulged and corded in is arms as he ran a hand through his thick hair.
Her wide eyes continued down over his muscular thighs and calves to his naked feet and toes. He had not one ounce of fat on him. His lean frame loomed over her and heat washed over her. His body was taut. Craning her neck to look up at him, her eyes stopped at his thick neck. She swallowed loudly, unable to look past his bearded chin for her own embarrassment she knew colored her cheeks.
‘Come. We need to do what needs be done then we can go our separate ways. Lie on the bed.’
She walked stiffly to the bed in her thin shift and stood next to the bottom post, her hands burning from the wringing of her hands. ‘Can we not just talk for a moment first?’ She knew she was asking for much not knowing what this Norman was capable of.
Their first conversation had not been the best. But she was willing to make an effort, even though his large form was intimidating and distracted her as well as it excited her.
‘There is naught to discuss and neither is this the time for talk.’
Though his hard words sent a shiver through her, undeterred, Caroline blamed it on her fear and the other emotions clawing at her stomach. ‘Ther-There is always something to say.’
His deep sigh of exasperation told her that her request tested his
‘Do not feign innocence with me, demoiselle. You have birthed one child already so you are more than aware of what happens between a husband and wife.’
Jarred by the coolness of his tone, Caroline’s gaze jerked from the bed to his, speechless.
Distant and cold.
On this she had no scathing retort and said nothing. She was too nervous. She watched him remove his black cloak and toss it on top of the chest at the foot of the bed. His face darkened as he strode past her into the anteroom and waited there she supposed for his manservant.
Caroline turned away and went to one of the two hearths blanketing either side of the room. She removed her slippers first. Her tumultuous feelings caused her fingers to shake badly as she undid the lacing on the sides of the simple gown she’d worn of green as her wedding dress. It was the finest one she owned and the only one she had managed to grab in her mad dash to gather any of their belongings before they had been forced to leave their home. How befitting her doom.
She struggled with the lacings in the back and almost screamed when she felt his hands on her bare skin, his knuckles warm against her back as he took over the task.
‘Let me help you.’
His tone had lost some of its coldness and anger, but still Caroline could not take in an even breath. He’d spoken so softly in the too quiet room. She stood frozen until the gown pooled at their feet. She stepped out of the puddle but was unable to go any further for he held her in place by her long unraveling braid.
She stopped breathing and looked around in the dimly lit room for signs of his servant. There was no one. With a deep breath, Caroline turned and faced him and yanked her hair out of his grasp, and then she gasped.
He stood completely naked in front of her, an expression she could not read upon his face as his eyes slowly looked over her body.
With the back of her hand pressed to her mouth, she let her eyes roam over him. The breadth of his chest and shoulders, made her throat go dry. He was thick and well-muscled it seemed all over and when he turned his back to her for a moment, she sucked in a deep breath at the sight of his tight muscled arse.
His large chest, riddled with old scars and nicks on one side stared her in the face. A spatter of dark hair sat in the middle of his chest and covered his nipples, then went down his flat stomach where it ended at that nest where his member lay softly. Even in his flaccid state he still appeared larger than Lord Halvard had been. Her breath quickened when he faced her fully again. The muscles bulged and corded in is arms as he ran a hand through his thick hair.
Her wide eyes continued down over his muscular thighs and calves to his naked feet and toes. He had not one ounce of fat on him. His lean frame loomed over her and heat washed over her. His body was taut. Craning her neck to look up at him, her eyes stopped at his thick neck. She swallowed loudly, unable to look past his bearded chin for her own embarrassment she knew colored her cheeks.
‘Come. We need to do what needs be done then we can go our separate ways. Lie on the bed.’
She walked stiffly to the bed in her thin shift and stood next to the bottom post, her hands burning from the wringing of her hands. ‘Can we not just talk for a moment first?’ She knew she was asking for much not knowing what this Norman was capable of.
Their first conversation had not been the best. But she was willing to make an effort, even though his large form was intimidating and distracted her as well as it excited her.
‘There is naught to discuss and neither is this the time for talk.’
Though his hard words sent a shiver through her, undeterred, Caroline blamed it on her fear and the other emotions clawing at her stomach. ‘Ther-There is always something to say.’
His deep sigh of exasperation told her that her request tested his
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