Read Online The Temptation (The Medieval Knights Series) by Claudia Dain - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Claudia Dain
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all somewhat clumsily.
Could she not hear him breathing at the door? And then she wiped the smear of blood from her legs with a dampened cloth. Thank God above she had chosen to wear a crimson garment. Her chemise had taken the worst of it; she needed to don a new one, which would require that she remove all and begin from the skin out.
Did she not hear her husband moving impatiently at the door? She drew the curtain that covered the door against drafts, shutting him out still further. With that last barrier in place, she removed her garments.
It was when she was completely naked that he knocked again, softly yet insistently.
She jumped and whirled, her chemise wadded to her chest.
"What is it?" she hissed.
"Someone comes."
"I can do nothing as to that," she said, pulling the chemise over her head. It was slow work; she was unaccountably clumsy.
He banged upon the door with his fist. "Let me in. I will not be found upon the doorstep."
"Aye, it is better to be found banging at my door. That will cause no comment in the hall," she said to the door, fumbling with her clothing.
He was not helping her, though she could not think that he would care as to that. He only wanted to get in. The state of her dress was not his concern. Nay, but it was hers.
"Better to find me breaking down the door of an unwilling and chill wife than to find me sitting in the doorway like an errant dog," he said, his mouth obviously pressed to the door.
"I am not unwilling, merely unable," she said. "I have done nothing. This is not my fault.''
Her chemise was on, as was her pelisse. She could have let him in, but she was reluctant to receive him without shoes and stockings. And she needed to remove the pile of bloody garments on the floor.
"You have surely done nothing. That will be proved on the morrow," he said. "Or in the next instant. I think it is your father who comes."
She opened the door at that and pulled him inside. He closed the door behind them and bolted it. She tried to hide the bloody evidence of her flux with a kick of her foot, but he looked exactly where she did not want.
"It is true, then," he said, "though it is difficult to see in this dim light. Can we not light a taper?"
"I can see very well," she said. "And I do not lie. And some things, such as this, are private."
"So, is that your way of saying we cannot light a taper?" he said, smiling softly.
Why did he turn everything to jest and mirth and laughter? Could he not see that life was a solemn affair of duty and service? Could he not see that she did not want him in her life?
"Light it if you will," she said, turning from him to pick up her soiled clothes, "but I am not staying."
"Oh, yea, you will stay," he said, leaning against the door with his arms crossed over his chest. He had mighty arms and shoulders like an ox. He was more formidable than any iron bolt "We cannot leave, not till morn when the whole world of Warkham will know and record that we have performed our marital duty."
"As I said, I do not lie," she said. "And I will not, especially not about this."
She was untouched and would remain so. Would that the world would know she was a maiden still. The whole world, yet not her father. He would be most displeased that his plans had tilted against a will and power mightier than his own.
"Then do not lie, but lie with me this night. Our night will be chaste, yet I will have your company, Elsbeth. None other shall claim you."
"None other seeks me," she said. "I do not understand why you would want to... want to spend the night closeted with me when there can be... there will be no..."
"Consummation?"
"Copulation," she said.
"At least you did not say fornication. That would have wounded me greatly," he said, his smile as firmly in place as ever.
He did love to jest at her expense. She had no liking for it. Yet when did that ever stop a man?
"I have no desire to wound you," she said, still holding her bloody garments. She really had to get them in
Could she not hear him breathing at the door? And then she wiped the smear of blood from her legs with a dampened cloth. Thank God above she had chosen to wear a crimson garment. Her chemise had taken the worst of it; she needed to don a new one, which would require that she remove all and begin from the skin out.
Did she not hear her husband moving impatiently at the door? She drew the curtain that covered the door against drafts, shutting him out still further. With that last barrier in place, she removed her garments.
It was when she was completely naked that he knocked again, softly yet insistently.
She jumped and whirled, her chemise wadded to her chest.
"What is it?" she hissed.
"Someone comes."
"I can do nothing as to that," she said, pulling the chemise over her head. It was slow work; she was unaccountably clumsy.
He banged upon the door with his fist. "Let me in. I will not be found upon the doorstep."
"Aye, it is better to be found banging at my door. That will cause no comment in the hall," she said to the door, fumbling with her clothing.
He was not helping her, though she could not think that he would care as to that. He only wanted to get in. The state of her dress was not his concern. Nay, but it was hers.
"Better to find me breaking down the door of an unwilling and chill wife than to find me sitting in the doorway like an errant dog," he said, his mouth obviously pressed to the door.
"I am not unwilling, merely unable," she said. "I have done nothing. This is not my fault.''
Her chemise was on, as was her pelisse. She could have let him in, but she was reluctant to receive him without shoes and stockings. And she needed to remove the pile of bloody garments on the floor.
"You have surely done nothing. That will be proved on the morrow," he said. "Or in the next instant. I think it is your father who comes."
She opened the door at that and pulled him inside. He closed the door behind them and bolted it. She tried to hide the bloody evidence of her flux with a kick of her foot, but he looked exactly where she did not want.
"It is true, then," he said, "though it is difficult to see in this dim light. Can we not light a taper?"
"I can see very well," she said. "And I do not lie. And some things, such as this, are private."
"So, is that your way of saying we cannot light a taper?" he said, smiling softly.
Why did he turn everything to jest and mirth and laughter? Could he not see that life was a solemn affair of duty and service? Could he not see that she did not want him in her life?
"Light it if you will," she said, turning from him to pick up her soiled clothes, "but I am not staying."
"Oh, yea, you will stay," he said, leaning against the door with his arms crossed over his chest. He had mighty arms and shoulders like an ox. He was more formidable than any iron bolt "We cannot leave, not till morn when the whole world of Warkham will know and record that we have performed our marital duty."
"As I said, I do not lie," she said. "And I will not, especially not about this."
She was untouched and would remain so. Would that the world would know she was a maiden still. The whole world, yet not her father. He would be most displeased that his plans had tilted against a will and power mightier than his own.
"Then do not lie, but lie with me this night. Our night will be chaste, yet I will have your company, Elsbeth. None other shall claim you."
"None other seeks me," she said. "I do not understand why you would want to... want to spend the night closeted with me when there can be... there will be no..."
"Consummation?"
"Copulation," she said.
"At least you did not say fornication. That would have wounded me greatly," he said, his smile as firmly in place as ever.
He did love to jest at her expense. She had no liking for it. Yet when did that ever stop a man?
"I have no desire to wound you," she said, still holding her bloody garments. She really had to get them in
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