In Bed With A Stranger by Mary Wine

Chapter Seven

Helen was cross with her.

The maid hid it well but Anne knew from personal experience what the tight set of her lips meant. How many times had she done the same while tending to Philipa?

The maid was holding back the words that she wanted to lecture Anne with. She performed her duties efficiently but without the friendly banter she’d added this afternoon. There was little to do after Anne’s dress was removed and hung up. Helen returned with a silver brush. Anne heard her pull in a stiff breath as she drew it through Anne’s hair.

“The lord will adore yer hair.”

The brush slid along the waist-length strands. Anne rarely let it hang loose. That was something girls did and she’d passed such a stage when it came time to begin earning her keep in the kitchen. Tight braids were far more practical. Warwickshire servants wore linen caps, too. The required head covering kept flour out of her hair. Pinning her braids up kept the ends from frizzing when she leaned over to poke up the fire.

“He’s a good man, the lord.”

Anne sighed, unsure what to believe anymore. Had she truly only left Warwickshire three days ago? It felt so much longer.

“If yer mother were here, she’d explain how men can be suspicious when they are thinking about their wives.” Helen was silent for a long moment. “Ye really should not take it to heart. It only shows how much they value a good reputation. That’s nae something they feel is needed in a mistress. It’s a compliment, setting ye above the women in their past.”

“Should I risk him reproaching our first child? Wondering if I was carrying before he knew me?”

“The McJames would nae do such a thing.” There was an edge to her tone now. “Besides, Agnes would have known if ye were breeding.”

“He doubts my purity.”

Helen stopped. She walked in front of her, aiming a steady look that reminded her very much of her mother’s.

“Go to his bed and prove the matter. Pride is poor company once the bed curtains have been pulled.”

Anne bit back her longing to do exactly that. Helen saw it and sighed. She curtsied.

“Good night, then, mistress.”

“Thank you, Helen.”

She hesitated before leaving, looking back at Anne. With a nod, she left the room. The crackle from the dying fire was suddenly loud. Heat braised Anne’s cheeks as she felt her hair shifting softly around her shoulders. She felt so pretty, something she wasn’t accustomed to. Vanity was another one of those things she had never had time for. Her skin was creamy and smooth from her bath, practically glowing in the firelight.

As a noble bride should be…

Yet she had sent her groom away.

The bed curtains were drawn along the sides to catch the heat and hold it. Reaching out, she fingered one of the thick panels. It was a luxury that she had never thought to sample. The sheets were smooth and soft, too. Running her hand over them, she remained on her knees, ill at ease among such finery.

Her guilt robbed her of any enjoyment. She had not earned the place as mistress of the house.

“Do you really fear me so much?”

Anne jumped—Brodick’s voice came from the shadows. It was soft and silken as if he were speaking to a child.

“Or is it a game to prod me into doing what ye want and return ye to your father?”

Guilt slammed into her, making it hard to raise her head. The man deserved far better than the deception she was. But her pride demanded that she stop allowing him to think her a coward.

“I am not motivated by fear of your touch. Your insinuations angered me.”

There was a soft step on the stone floor. The shadows grew until the earl was standing in front of her. He studied her, his gaze lingering on the soft waves of her hair.

“I did that true enough.” He touched her hair, gently fingering a lock. A look of enjoyment passed over his face. It made her feel pretty, something she’d never experienced.

“For all yer demureness on the trail, there’s a flame hidden inside ye.” He sounded amused by her temper. Something she hadn’t expected from any man. Even the lowest stable hand considered himself master of his own family.

“You cannot be happy to discover that.”

He chuckled. “Ye think not?” She realized that the brooch holding his tartan was missing now, only his shirt covering his chest.

“Think once more. I told ye already that I have no taste for a coward.”

A tingle of awareness went through her, as though she was proud of showing him that she would not submit meekly.

“I didn’t take that to mean that you enjoy shrewish behavior.”

His lips twitched up, a look of satisfaction taking over his features.

“There’s a difference between passion and sourness.”

He approved of her. She heard it in his voice. Her teeth worried her lower lip because she just couldn’t help but bask in the glow of that praise. It meant even more because it came from a man she was growing to admire. Brodick wasn’t a puffed-up shell with a title. He was a man who worked as hard as his people did. His attention dropped to her chest, lingering on her breasts behind the thin chemise. She was suddenly self-conscious and keenly aware that they were alone.

In her bedroom.

“You should not be here, my lord.”

“Did yer father teach ye to tell everyone around ye what to do?” His voice was sharp, edged with impatience that thickened his brogue. “Ye do it often enough with me. I think it’s time ye heard what I’m wanting.”

“You want me in your bed. I have listened to you.” She spoke too quickly, her emotions bleeding through to her voice. Brodick frowned.

“And ye want me to return ye to yer father.” He placed a knee on the bed, judging her reaction. A ripple of sensation crossed her bare arms, raising gooseflesh along her limbs. His keen gaze followed it. “I notice ye don’t ask to return to yer mother but instead to court. Is it any wonder that I question who is waiting for ye there?”

The collar of his shirt was open, displaying a deep vee of skin and brawn. He leaned in closer, joining her on the bed. The frame creaked as it took his weight. But he moved slowly as though he were attempting to lull her into a sense of submission. She did admit that it was mesmerizing having his large body invade her bed. It was something she’d heard about for so many years. Been warned to avoid, it had taken on almost a magical feeling. As if it could never truly happen except in her imagination. Excitement rippled through her when she smelled his skin. He was very real and so different from the few boys who had attempted to flirt with her at Warwickshire. Those boys had professed bravery in the face of Philipa’s dictates but Brodick embodied that idea. She believed that he would never tremble with fear…never.

“Explain what drives ye to return to court.”

“I did…I told you…” She shut her lips as he reached for her. Fascination took hold of her as her skin anticipated the contact between them.

She craved it.

Need blossomed inside her, spreading its petals wide to catch the warmth radiating from him. She lifted her face for his touch, sighing softly as his fingers smoothed over her cheek. A tiny sigh crossed her lips. Her eyelids fluttered, opening to see why he didn’t touch her further. The suspicion tore through her and she lost the battle to deny him the solace of the truth.

“I truly want to see my father. No other. Only him.”

She stared straight into his eyes as she spoke. He reached forward, stoking her face with a warm hand.

“Aye, I see that in yer eyes. Ye love him deeply.”

“I do.”

His thumb traced her lower lip. Sweet sensation filled her, traveling along her skin. It flowed down to her breasts, awakening the flesh so that she was keenly aware of it. Both nipples drew into hard points that brushed against the thin fabric of her chemise. Her heart thumped hard inside her chest, but outwardly, she felt amazingly calm.

“Which is why I willnae return ye, lass. I envy him that devotion and find myself longing for the chance to earn the same place in yer heart.”

He kissed her, stopping the retort that bubbled from her lips. He pushed the words back into her mouth as he cradled her in strong arms while laying her back onto the bed. His body trapped her there, but he caught some of his weight on his elbows as he teased her lower lip with the tip of his tongue. She shivered, a flood of sensation washing over her. The bed felt like a surreal place. A hidden paradise where they might frolic without earthy cares.

Never once had she imagined that an embrace could feel so good. His arms were hard, but his hold, soft. She squirmed, turning one way and then another but he controlled her with his body moving to remain in contact with her.

His scent filled her as his tongue thrust into her mouth, his fingertips turning her head so that their mouths could fit together tighter. His tongue filled her mouth, slipping and sliding along hers. He teased her until she returned his touch, tangling with his tongue.

Her hard nipples pressed against his chest and it delighted her. She was suddenly too warm for the chemise, the garment scratchy against her skin.

She was equally unhappy with his shirt, her fingers pulling on it as they searched for the skin she’d only glimpsed. He broke their kiss, trailing his lips across her cheek and along her jaw. Sweet delight flowed along with her racing blood and she arched her back to be closer to him. He kissed her neck, softly, tenderly, once and then twice. He cupped her nape, holding it still as he applied his teeth to the delicate skin. A mutter of pleasure left her mouth as she pulled on his shirt. The wide shoulders her eyes had admired felt so good in her grasp.

His legs were bare, his knee-high boots missing. With her wearing only the chemise, their legs slid against one another, heightening her enjoyment. His hands left her to press down on the bed beside her head. He raised his face to watch her. Their lower bodies connected, the presence of his hard cock solid against her belly.

She shuddered, need raking its claws across her. Hidden between her thighs, her sex was hot and needy. The glow from the dying fire cast a ruby hue across her lover, bathing them in more heat.

“I like the way we talk without words quite a bit.”

His voice was husky but also demanding. He sat back on his haunches, pulling his hands across her belly and over her thighs until he reached the bottom of her chemise. He watched her face as he pressed his hands onto her bare skin.

“Do ye feel that, lass? The passion is alive between us.”

He moved up her body, pushing the fabric slowly upwards. She didn’t care that it bared her to his stare; her skin was begging to be free. She had never longed to be naked but it took root in her soul as an absolute necessity. His hand smoothed over her hips, removing the barrier of her clothing. Higher still until her belly was clearly in sight. One thick leg pressed down on the bed between her thighs while he worked the chemise over her breasts.

“Ye’re lovely indeed, lass. A vision.”

She didn’t get to see his expression because he was pulling the garment over her head and up her arms. But she heard the satisfaction in his tone.

“And ye would have sent me to a lonely bed.” His gaze roamed down her length, hunger tightening his jaw until a muscle twitched along one side. “I think not.”

He ripped his shirt up and over his head, baring his chest in one swift motion. A hard jerk on his belt and he threw it behind him. The folds of his kilt fell away from his lean waist, now that the belt was no longer holding it. He lowered his weight back onto her before the fabric revealed the cock she’d felt pressing against her.

“I think that I shall have ye.”

He cupped her breasts, drawing a whimper from her as pleasure spiked through her. His thumbs brushed across her nipples, surprising her with how much she liked being touched.

“And I think that ye will enjoy being taken.”

His mouth sealed out any further comments. A hard kiss taking command while his tongue thrust deeply. It was an invasion, a breaching of her defenses. Yet one she did not protest. Pleasure rose up from every point of contact. She was swept along by the powerful current, willing and eager to discover how much more delight there might be. She toyed with his tongue, teasing it with the tip of her own. Her hands sought out his shoulders, gliding along the sculpted ridges.

“That’s it, lass, touch me.”

His shoulders shook as she ran her hands along the hard ridges. His chest was coated in crisp hair that felt very male to her. He pressed a kiss against her neck as his hands gripped each soft breast. She’d never once noticed how sensitive the globes were. His hands sent sensations through her. They flowed down her body to her sex. But her nipples begged for him to keep his promise to taste them. He worked his way lower, kissing her neck and along her collarbones. His hands gently kneaded each mound as his mouth arrived over one. Her eyes grew round as her breath caught in her throat. Anticipation drew her as tight as a bow, her gaze fastened on his head.

“I’ve been wanting to discover what yer nipples taste like for too long.”

“We only met two days ago.”

His lips thinned with hunger as his thumb brushed across the tip of one hard nipple. “Aye, as I said—too long.”

His hair hung down on either side of his head, brushing the side of her breast. A harsh gasp escaped her lips when he opened his mouth and closed the remaining distance. It was almost too hot. Sucking her nipple deep inside his mouth, the heat singeing the delicate skin. Her fingers made their way into his hair. She simply could not resist the urge to hold him in place. The sweetest pleasure filled her, covering her like warm sunshine.

He chuckled softly when she whimpered. It was a sound she’d never heard from herself. So needy, so hungry.

He raised his head and she moaned at the loss. He stared into her eyes, studying her for a long moment.

“Wife.”

There was heavy possession in his voice. That single word more of a battle cry than anything the church sanctioned.

He released her breasts, sliding his fingers down and across her belly. The muscles quivered as he pressed her thighs wider, spreading her sex open. One large male hand hesitated for only a moment on the top of her mons before slipping into her sex.

“Brodick.”

She sounded breathless but wasn’t sure if it was from shock or excitement. Never once had she considered being touched between her thighs.

“I told ye that we Scots are practiced in the art of warming up our women. Believe me, ye aren’t nearly warm enough to my way of thinking.”

He stroked her sex, straight down the center with one finger. The little nub hidden at the top sent a jolt of pleasure into her belly when he touched it. A whimper rose from her as he lingered for a long moment on that spot, stroking it with a firm touch.

“Exactly the right spot to start a fire.”

Her hips lifted towards his touch without her even thinking about it. She simply responded to the pleasure. Her nipples twisted tighter as she found it impossible to remain still. Her body twitched and pressed up towards his, seeking more. Fluid coated his fingers, making the skin wet. His fingers moved easily through the folds of her sex, toying with her clitoris.

Need consumed her. She reached for him, clawing at his shoulders, her hips bucking towards his hand. Pleasure tightened under his finger, twisting harder until she cried out for relief from it.

“Brodick…” She didn’t recognize her own voice. It was strained and husky. Completely uncharacteristic for her.

But he withdrew his hand and she hit him, her hand smacking his skin. He laughed at her and thrust one thick finger deep into her body. Pleasure ripped up from the penetration, her bottom tilting to take him deeper.

“Do you like that, lass?”

“Yes.” It went far beyond wanting, she craved him inside her.

He sent a second finger into her sheath, working them in and out of her body. His knee rose to push her thighs up giving him more access to her sex.

“Then ye shall have me.”

He withdrew his fingers, spreading her thighs wider with his hips. A rustle of fabric filtered up to her ears before she felt the first touch of his cock against her opening. He gripped her hips, shaking as he nudged his way into her. Just a mere inch at first and her body strained towards him, every muscle taut with need.

He kept her still, refusing to fill her further. His teeth were clenched as he withdrew. “Ye’re too tight.”

“I don’t care.” Her hands slapped against his shoulder again, the craving to move overwhelming. She could not contain it all inside her body, else she’d go insane.

“You started this inside me, so finish it.”

He thrust forward but slowly. The muscle on the side of his jaw began to tic as his cock slid deeper inside her. Her sheath was too tight, protesting the invasion, but her hips lifted, welcoming more of his length. She dug her hands into the warm skin above her, gasping as her body adjusted. She wasn’t sure if it was pain or not. Only that having him inside her quelled the raging need. She wanted him to thrust deep. Her body ached as he slid deeper but it also felt good to be full. A moan left her mouth as she arched towards him.

“That’s it, lass, take me.”

His voice was rough and demanding but it suited her mood. He lowered his body until he was pressed against her, his hands grasping the sides of her head. The crisp hair on his chest rubbed against her hard nipples as he caught his weight on his forearms, bracing above her shoulders. He gripped her hair, holding her head in place as his mouth captured hers in a hard kiss. His body moved at the same time, his back flexing. His cock left her only to thrust solidly back into her. This time her body burned as he filled her completely, pushing his entire length into her.

She bucked away from the pain. It was dull and burning. But his weight held her still, his cock fully lodged inside her sheath. Her fingers had curled into talons on his shoulders as she gasped, staring up into the canopy above her. Her lungs hurt because she forgot to breathe. Sucking in a deep breath, she felt the pain settle into an ache that didn’t truly hurt overly much.

He pressed a tender kiss to her lips, coaxing her to open her mouth. His body flexed again, withdrawing his cock all the way to the tip before he sent it smoothly back inside her. His hands held her face steady as he kissed her, refusing to allow her to regain her senses by speaking.

He began thrusting in a steady motion, moving the bed gently as he lay over her, using his body to pin her beneath him. The hard length of his cock slid across the little clitoris at the top of her sex every time he moved. Ripples of delight rose up into her belly as the pain diminished. Her body returned to wanting him inside her. In spite of the ache, her passage felt good with his flesh stretching it wide. His lips trailed kisses across her cheek as she whimpered with new passion.

“Lift for me.” His face returned to hover over hers. There was a hard glint in his eyes. “Wrap yer thighs around me.”

She did it before thinking. The next thrust sent a harder bolt of pleasure up into her. Clasping him to her placed more pressure against her clitoris. Her hips rose to ensure that she took all of his length. Even her spine arched due to the ripples of delight running along it. Remaining still became impossible. She wanted to surge up toward his next thrust and hold him tightly inside her. Deep inside her. She felt like he wasn’t lodged deep enough and strained toward him, trying to ensure that every last bit of his cock was sheathed inside her.

“More.” She wasn’t even sure what she craved only that she didn’t have what she wanted yet.

He chuckled but it wasn’t a nice sound. His body bucked, thrusting hard against her spread one.

“Aye, lass, I’ll be happy to give ye all ye want and then some.”

His brogue thickened, his words taking on an unearthly edge that fit the moment. She honestly didn’t care if he was leading her to some pagan ritual that would steal her soul. Each downward plunge of his cock made her gasp with enjoyment.

She wanted more.

His pace increased. Each stroke gliding across her clitoris. A soft growl escaped his lips as she kept time with his motions, lifting to meet every thrust. Her wet sheath was taking his cock smoothly all the way to the base.

“That’s the right of it, lass. Ride with me.” He rose above her, pressing his hands into the bed. His body became demanding, thrusting with hard purpose. Moving the bed as he took her, pressing his cock deeper with every plunge.

She rose to the challenge, lifting her hips for each thrust. Pleasure covered her like a thick fog, surrounding her. She could taste it because it was so thick, could feel it on every inch of her bare skin. Her breasts bounced as her lover thrust, a hard growl escaping his clenched teeth.

He dropped back down to cover her, his body moving in hard motions as he fucked her. His teeth grazed the side of her neck as pleasure began to tighten through her belly. There was an unexpected urgency to the sensation. Her hips bucked frantically to rise for his next downward motion. She clawed at his shoulders, her back arching up off the bed to press her against his body. Pleasure burst inside her, drawing a cry from her lips. It was so unexpected that she shivered violently, thrashing from side to side as it traveled along her spine to slam into her brain. It was all centered on the hard flesh stretching her passage. Her muscles attempting to grip it harder as she quivered in pure delight.

“That’s the way.” Her lover snarled his words, his body slamming into hers. She heard him gasp before his body went rigid. He thrust deep, burying himself to the hilt. There was a jerk from the hard flesh before she felt the hot spurt of his seed filling her. Her eyes flew open as he shivered, growling softly against her ear. His embrace was hard, holding her in place as his seed filled her.

Her entire body pulsed with satisfaction. She didn’t think she’d ever been so at ease. Every muscle relaxed as ripples of pleasure moved over her.

Brodick’s large body quivered too. Her fingers detected the tiny vibrations from where her hands were gripping his forearms. His chest rattled with a hollow breath before he lifted his head. His eyes glittered in a manner that drew her to stroke his shoulders. She couldn’t truly explain the odd need to soothe him; only that it felt more intimate than anything she had ever experienced. He pressed a soft kiss against her mouth, lingering for only a moment.

He rolled off her in one fluid motion, withdrawing his cock to then lie beside her. She shivered, the separation striking her as harsh.

He slipped an arm under her, easing her up to rest her head on his chest. She tensed up, unsure of herself.

“Shhh.”

He pressed her head onto his shoulder, making a few more soothing sounds as he settled her body alongside his. She knocked her knee against his as she tried to decide what to think. Every sense was overwhelmed, soaked in the pleasure he’d unleashed inside her. She lifted her head, trying to regain her poise by placing distance between them. Just a little so that she might think.

“There’ll be none of that.”

He sounded content, his voice almost lazy.

“None of what?”

He sighed but not softly, the sound was one of exasperation. “Lie down, lass.”

He didn’t wait for her to comply but sat up and turned her onto her side. He pressed her down onto the bed, taking a moment to grasp the heavy coverlet that had been folded at the foot of the bed. With one hand he dragged it up to cover her body. A moment later he pressed against her back, from head to toe his feet trapping hers.

“My lord—”

“When we’re naked, ye’ll call me Brodick.”

Her next words got caught in her mouth as his cock pressed against her bottom. The thing was still hard, causing her to quiver. Brodick soothed her skin with strokes from his large hands, sliding his fingers along her thigh and over the curve of her hip. He nuzzled her neck, tucking the warm coverlet up to her collarbones.

“Ye may call me lover or a dozen other things, but not by my title. This is no place for rank or position. We’re simply a man and woman sharing the delights of knowing each other.”

“But we are not like others. Our union—”

“No more talking, lass. Ye spend too many hours thinking about things that no one truly understands. There is nothing wrong with enjoying something simply because ye like it. That’s as old as time.”

He bit her neck, a tiny, sharp nip that sent a little ripple of sensation down her body. Beneath the coverings, his hand cupped one breast, drawing a gasp from her.

“Surely you do not sleep here?” She didn’t care if her voice sounded frantic, she was desperate to gain some small amount of distance from his hands. His touch drove her insane.

“My father has not yet been gone a full year. I never moved into his chamber, just as I didnae begin taking my supper on the dais. This chamber is better than the one I’ve been using. I had it furnished for ye. This bed was made for our children to be conceived in.”

His arms tightened around her while he nuzzled against her neck drawing a deep breath in her hair. “I hope ye enjoy it as much as I am.”

She did…

She wiggled as shock washed over her. It was the truth that she enjoyed the feel of his large body pressing against her.

“I warned ye once, Wife, keep me awake and ye’ll need to entertain me.” There was a hint of teasing in his voice now. His thumb brushed the nipple back and forth as his fingers cradled the soft mound. His cock thickened against her bottom, drawing a shaky breath from her. She tottered on the edge of bliss, not really wanting to think anymore. Especially not when her body felt so good.

Pandora’s box…

“But no more entertaining tonight. I’d be a demanding brute if I pushed ye for more so soon after taking yer innocence.”

She wasn’t so sure that he’d taken anything. He had been bold, entering her chamber in spite of her refusal, but in those moments after he’d joined her, she’d offered as much as he had demanded. Her face burned as she recalled exactly how much she had wanted to be taken. She wriggled, trying to gain some space.

“So now you believe that I am not loose.” Hurt edged her words. His embrace tightened, holding her against his body.

“Aye. It’s nae an uncommon way of proving the issue.”

There was no softness in his tone. But there was a ring of approval that she should have detested. Instead a small smile curved her lips because measuring up to his standards was something she did see the value of. Knowing that he was pleased stroked a portion of her heart, filling her with tender contentment. It was very tempting to lie back against him and savor the moment.

Oh, it was foolish to let the emotion wrap around her. But she couldn’t stop it. Her eyelashes fluttered as she drifted off into slumber, warmer and more content than she could recall. A memory of her mother’s face as she lay against her sire, filling her dreams. Sometime during the night, the face changed to Brodick’s and she snuggled against him, holding onto his arm where it draped across her chest.

A warm hand stroked her shoulder. She muttered in her sleep. It felt quite good, that petting. She lifted her eyelids to discover who was being so motherly towards her.

Her mind snapped to attention when she looked into a man’s eyes. For a second she was confused, stunned by the masculine face. His hair was tossed from the night and there wasn’t a stitch on him. Nothing to shield his body. The early dawn light washed over his hard chest, down across his belly and along his thighs. He stood up, stretching his arms. Her eyes were glued to the sight of his magnificent body. The church would condemn her fascination with his earthly form, but her gaze roamed over him, touching the firm skin.

The sight was magnificent.

He turned, considering her with his midnight eyes. Even in the light of morning they seemed forged out of the night.

“I enjoy the look of ye tumbled in my bed quite a bit.” His attention lowered to her breasts that were bare and uncovered. “Aye, I believe I’ll take to waking up beside ye often.”

She pulled the heavy bedcover over her nude body. He chuckled at her action. She expected him to tease her again but he bent down to retrieve his shirt where it lay on the floor. His kilt was draped over the foot of the bed and half onto the floor, the wide leather belt used for holding it around his waist lying a few feet from the bed. As he shrugged into the creamy linen shirt, she lowered her eyes to look at his cock. It stuck out from his body, the head slightly red. A deep chuckle jerked her attention back to his face. A grin decorated his lips.

“I’ll have to see about making sure ye get a chance to look yer fill at me later.” He shrugged his shoulders into the shirt. It slithered into place, the length of it falling to cover his cock.

“But nae now.”

He scooped up his kilt. Using the end of the bed, he laid it in even pleats over the belt. His hands were confident at the task, telling her that he was not a man who expected service. She might even forget he was a titled man while watching him lean back over the bed. He grasped the ends of the belt and secured it around his lean waist. When he stood, the kilt fell perfectly around his thighs. His self reliance drew her interest. She found him likeable and that frightened her. Fear laced her thoughts as she contemplated a man she could see her heart growing fond of. If he’d been anything like Philipa, she’d have ignored him easily.

“Good morning, mistress.”

Helen’s voice bounced off the chamber walls. She led a string of maids in through the door, not stopping until she was leaning in among the bed curtains. The maid beamed. Helen reached for the heavy bed coverings and tugged them clean to the foot of the bed. Slumber evaporated instantly as Anne grabbed at the edge of the comforter. She flopped over onto her belly as graceless as a newly caught fish, her eyes rounding when the morning air brushed her bare bottom.

“No need to be shy, mistress.” Helen was surprisingly strong, pulling the thick cover clear off the bed. A satisfied smile lit her face.

“Here now, out of bed with ye.”

Helen didn’t wait for Anne to overcome her modesty. She gently grasped a wrist, pulling her out of the bed. The row of maids all lowered themselves. There was a snap of fabric behind her. But she froze as she looked into Brodick’s eyes. He stood watching her, his expression unreadable.

“There now.” Helen held up the soiled sheet triumphantly. She showed its bloody stain proudly to the waiting maids. They all lowered themselves once more before turning to fetch her clothing. Brodick eyed it, satisfaction lifting his eyes. He had his boots on now and looked like the earl once more, the man she’d woken up with hidden behind a controlled expression.

“It will serve as a fine example to the castle folk to have this flying outside yer window.” Helen inspected the sheet closely, nodding approval. “Aye, indeed it will. Too many of the young are tempted to dally outside of marriage.”

Helen refused to give up the sheet, keeping a tight hold on it. She watched the maids bring forward Anne’s clothing with a keen eye.

“The lot of ye take notice, the lass is nae having her monthly curse.”

Every set of eyes flew to her bare thighs. Anne groaned softly, more embarrassed than she’d ever been in her life. Helen had no pity for her plight. The senior maid took an edge of the soiled sheet that was still clean and swiped it along her inner leg.

“You see? White as snow it is.”

“Helen…”

The maid didn’t look a bit contrite. She lifted her chin, satisfaction shining in her eyes.

“Just making sure that there is no question of yer honor.” She aimed a hard stare at the frozen maids. “From any corner of the castle.”

“Aye, ma’am.”

“Ma’am.”

“Indeed, mistress.”

“’Tis so, ma’am.”

Helen nodded approval. The maids began to dress Anne taking care to lay each garment softly against her skin. Her unbound hair was lifted gently by one set of hands while another eased her doublet up her right arm. Brodick watched, seemingly interested in her dressing.

“We’ll have some of yer clothing altered by tonight. Yer mother’s housekeeper should be demoted. None of yer corsets are the correct length on the sides. Such an oversight is shameful.”

A maid was closing the front of her doublet when a fist landed on the door.

“Open it.” The earl spoke with firm authority that sent every maid to lowering herself instead of doing what he wanted.

“Now, Ginny.”

Helen didn’t lack command presence—the maid jumped to the ring of urgency in her voice. One of them pulled the door wide. Cullen and Druce stood there along with three other men.

“Thank ye for attending us, my lords.” Brodick sounded more serious than an executioner. He pointed toward Helen.

The senior maid proudly pulled the sheet wide between her outstretched arms. Anne felt her face burn as the men all inspected the stain. They didn’t say anything, only stared before their gazes drifted over her.

“’Tis settled then.”

Brodick nodded as he swept the room with a firm glance. He paused at each maid before eying the men. When they had all returned his nod he moved across the chamber to her.

“I do see the value in some traditions. Now the matter is proven truly.” He stroked a hand across her cheek, tenderness flickering in his eyes. It vanished almost as quickly as his fingers finished stroking her face.

“Wife.”

He strode from the chamber without another word. Her throat felt tight as if a hand was squeezing it. She had to force her next breath down to her lungs.

“Men. They bluster but don’t know what to do when presented with solid evidence. Never ye fear, mistress, the lord is pleased with ye. He’ll remember to say so later, once he knows that his men have been shown the proof of yer consummation.”

“I shall hope they are satisfied.”

Helen patted her shoulder. “I suppose ye dinnae ken the way it is in Scotland but knowing that the lord took ye to his bed will keep any trouble from arising among those that want to steal ye.”

Anne stared at Helen but heard a few smothered sounds from the maids that sounded like laughter. “You must be mistaken. No one steals other humans.”

One of the maids did laugh outright. She tried to catch herself but her cheeks turned ruby. “Beg pardon, mistress.”

She didn’t sound contrite. The other girls grinned at her as well. Helen sighed.

“Well now, ye might as well share with the mistress since ye all but spit it out. Vanora here was born on McAlister land. They don’t like their daughters marring McJames men so her husband snuck her away by the harvest moon.”

“I see.” Anne stared at the girl but she winked, clearly content with her lot.

Ginny tried to take the sheet but Helen shook her head. She returned to smiling. She even hummed some springtime melody.

“Nay. I pulled the covers back, so the sheet is mine to hang from the window.” She offered Anne a firm look. “There will be no gossip. I’ll lay my hand on the altar and swear to yer purity myself. Every one of these maids comes from family that has served this house for generations. I selected them carefully.”

Pride rang in her voice but it also shone from the faces of each girl. It was the same at Warwickshire. Even in the face of Philipa’s sour personality, the staff was loyal. Their parents had served the Stanford nobles and the generations before them. It was an honor that even a surly mistress could not drive them away from. To argue against your place was to question God’s will in putting you there.

The shutters were opened wide, fresh air sweeping into the chamber. It took the scent of candle wax away, leaving the first traces of spring. It also carried the smell of Brodick’s skin away. She’d never noticed that men smelled attractive. Yet Brodick did. Lifting one hand, she found a trace of it lingering on her skin. Her passage was sore, marking where he’d been. It was a moment she’d been raised to think of as sinful, yet it felt very right. As though she had been made for him.

“I told ye that ye’d be lamenting sunrise.” Helen smiled with the same sort of superiority her own mother had often aimed at her children when she knew that their youth was preventing them from understanding one of life’s realities.

“I am going to fly this sheet. ’Tis a moment I’ve looked forward to.”

Helen knotted one corner of the sheet through the shutter just above the thick iron hinge. She threaded the opposite corner through the shutter on the far side of the window, making sure it was tied tightly. She pushed the length of the sheet through the open window.

A few moments later the bells along the walls began to ring. First only the one nearest to them, but as it sent its sound into the morning, another rang out and then another until the sound echoed up and down the long length of walls.

She blushed but her heart swelled too. She hadn’t shamed him.

Brodick was worthy of purity.

The emotion caught her off guard. It was so very tender that she covered her mouth with a hand. She liked him too much. In sooth, she enjoyed the duties of a wife far too much.

You should have no objections to being used…

Yet was it being used? Taken, aye but she had enjoyed it full well.

Her temper suddenly lit. Philipa had been left far behind her. With everything else that she needed to worry about, the woman’s ill words were not among them.

“Come now, mistress, a good meal will help place strength in ye. Ye’ll need it when the lord’s babe begins to grow inside your womb.”

The color drained from her face. Icy dread locked its grip around her heart.

His babe.

Bonnie had said she would have it.

“Och now, look at ye. Such worry in one so young.” Helen laid a motherly arm around her shoulders, hugging her firmly.

“There’s no need for losing yer color. Ye heard Agnes yerself. Ye’re strong and sturdy. A babe will be no trouble at all.”

Helen swept her out the door. The maids all followed while the bells quieted.

If only it were as simple to still the ringing of dread inside her head.

It was not.