Sweet holy Mother, Jean silently thought. She would have to speak to Angus, or Duin was apt to never have an heir. “My brother is wont to be gentle wi’ ye because he respects yer innocence,” she told Annabella. “Perhaps ye should swallow yer fears and encourage him to do what needs be done.”
“I don’t think I know how,” Annabella admitted, feeling like a perfect fool. “Do ye like it, Jean, when yer husband . . .” She paused. Did she know of what she spoke?
“Aye, I do like our bed sport. And really, all ye need to do is kiss the man and caress him to encourage him. He’ll do all the rest.” She chuckled. “Ye do know that the first time will hurt? But after that there is little but pleasure for ye both.”
“My sister Myrna told me I should lie on my back and open my legs,” Annabella ventured. “When I told the earl that, he laughed.”
“Well,” Jean allowed, “she is right, in a manner of speaking. There is an opening for yer husband to put his cock into ye. And it is between yer legs, but yer bodies will find the right way to allow him this access. Let Angus lead ye. He will not harm ye. The longer ye put this off, the more terrifying it becomes, and ’tis not. Once ye have made love ye will discover ye want to do it again and again. And if I know my brother, ye will.” She smiled at the younger woman. “The morning after, ye will see how silly all of yer fears have been.”
“Is it truth?” Annabella asked. She actually felt encouraged by Jean’s speech.
“’Tis truth,” Jean reassured her. “Tonight invite yer husband into yer chamber, and welcome him into yer bed. Put yer arms about him, kiss him, and let what should happen, happen. And dinna let him leave ye until dawn on the morrow. Duin needs an heir.”
But to make certain there was no difficulty, Jean sought out her eldest brother before the meal. She found him in his small library. He smiled in welcome as she came into the chamber, closing the door behind her.
“Sit,” he said gesturing to a chair opposite his by the hearth. “Ye have yer serious face on today, Jeannie,” he teased.
“It is past time, Angus,” Jean began. “She thinks it is her plain face that keeps ye from her bed, and from consummating yer marriage. I know ye have been patient, but it is past time now. The longer ye both wait to do what needs doing, the more difficult it will become for her. Tonight ye must go naked into her bedchamber. Ye must get into the bed wi’ her and kiss her protests away as ye do what must be done. Duin needs an heir.”
“I know, I know, but I don’t want her to hate me,” he said. “Can ye imagine having to live wi’ a woman who hates ye?”
“Ye’re a fool, Angus,” Jean told him. “She admires ye. I watch her as her eyes follow ye in the hall. I suspect for all yer lack of intimacy that Annabella is falling in love wi’ ye. Why do ye think it troubles her so that ye have not made love to her? Annabella knows what is expected of her, but she does feel neglected by ye, brother. And dinna say I told ye, but this morning Matthew accused her of not doing her duty, saying your prowess was proven, given the evidence of yer two bastards, and the one soon due. She was very hurt by his accusation, but ye would have been so proud of her. Every inch yer countess, she gave him no quarter but immediately dismissed him wi’out comment as regally as any queen might have done.”
“Must I kill Matthew?” Angus growled.
Jean laughed. “Sweet Mary! Do ye care for her then?”
“She’s my wife, and I will allow no one, even my brother, to disrespect her,” he answered.
“Oh, my.” Jean chortled. “The handsomest man in the borders is falling in love with his plain-faced bride. I can see, however, that ye’re not ready to admit it, Angus, so I’ll tease ye no more. Don’t bother wi’ our brother. He did apologize. Just make love to Annabella tonight, and get an heir on her.”
Afterward, as they sat at the high board, Jean noted that both the Earl of Duin and his countess were more silent than talkative, thoughtful and introspective. Would her interference prove fruitful? If it did not, she would have to ask her mother for advice. As was their custom after the evening meal, Annabella and Angus sat at the same game table playing chess. He had discovered, to his pleasure, that she was a skillful player.
Now, as she moved to capture his bishop, he put a large hand over her small one.
Annabella looked up, surprised, and met his gaze. “Tonight,” was the only word he spoke. She colored, but said nothing in return. She could hardly refuse him. Shaking his hand off of hers, she took the dark green agate piece.
With a positively wicked smile, he checked her queen. “That was careless of ye,” he teased her. “Ye’re not paying attention, lass.”
“Or else ye are playing better tonight, my lord,” she teased back. “But ye’re correct. I do have other things on my mind. I would bring the blacksmith’s youngest lad, Callum, and little Una to live at the castle this winter. Of all my pupils, they are the only ones remaining. Both of them are intelligent. Pastor Blaine told the lad that the ability to read and write would take him far in the world. I’ve begun to teach them their numbers as well.”
“To what purpose?” the earl wanted to know.
“The smithy will go to Callum’s two older brothers. He has no interest in it, nor in being a soldier. He’s intelligent, Angus, and if educated could be of use to ye. Ye have ships trading in the New World, and even the East Indies now. Surely a place could be found among yer enterprises for such a lad.”
“What about the blacksmith?” the earl inquired of her. So she was aware of his shipping endeavors. How much did she know? It wasn’t something he had considered discussing with her. Her place as his wife was to supply Duin with heirs.
“With two sons already working by his side, Callum will be no loss to the blacksmith,” Annabella told her husband. “Matthew can find a place for him here in the castle so he will earn his keep.”
“And the little lass, Una? She will have her mam’s place one day, won’t she?”
“She says she doesn’t want it, my lord. The old peddler who visits Duin has told her tales of Edinburgh and of shops,” Annabella explained. “She wants to go to the town one day and work in a shop. She can have a place with me, and be responsible for keeping my clothing fresh and neat. Jean is willing to teach her. And she can take my laundry to her mother and bring it back. I’m sure there’s another lass in the village who would be willing to help the laundress. With both these bairns here in the castle the winter long, I can concentrate on teaching them. I doubt Una will ever get to Edinburgh, although perhaps she will. Or we might help her to open a shop here in the village. It would be a great convenience for our clan folk.”
Her arguments were well thought out, and he felt a surge of pride to be married to such a clever woman. Then he said, “Ye’ve a thoughtful heart. Aye, ye have my permission to bring these two bairns to the castle. I will speak with my brother, the steward, myself. And I will speak with the smith and the laundress of the opportunity we are giving their bairns.”
“Thank ye, Angus,” Annabella said. Then she arose from the game table and withdrew from the hall.
The earl watched her go, his half sister a step behind his countess. Jean was right: It was time for their marriage to be consummated. It was time for them to get on with the important business of getting an heir. For two months now he had courted her, riding out in the mornings with her, walking the beach below the castle with her many afternoons, playing chess with her in the evenings. They had talked and talked. He was surprised by her intellect but decided that it was pleasant to have a wife with whom he might speak on matters other than domestic. And she made him laugh.
