Lowri grabbed his wrist. ‘I am in earnest. I propose this. I will lie with you any time and any way you want, Cullen, so long as you put a bairn in my belly. I will offer no protest, nor struggle, nor scream. There is no one to hear me anyway.’
‘A tempting and seductive offer, if ever I heard one. Who could resist the words, ‘I will offer no protest.’ What a way to urge a man on.’
‘I shouldn’t have to urge you on. Men can do it without wanting the other person.’
‘Who told you that?’
‘Never mind. What if I try to be…well…softer for you.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘I will accept my situation and be nicer. I will not argue. I will be anything you want, and I will be bound to you, a submissive little wife. I will wear dresses, dance, sew, and cook. I will let you do whatever you want with me in bed as long as you do not kiss me, and you swear not to hurt me.’
‘I would never hurt you,’ he said, but his voice came out as a snarl, and she flinched. ‘Did I hurt you on our wedding night?’ he said.
‘No…a bit…I don’t know. Do you agree then?’
‘No.’
‘But I am giving you what you want.’
‘That is the opposite of what I want.’
‘I don’t understand. Please Cullen. I am tormented. It would be a kindness. I cannot stay here forever. I am begging you.’
‘It is late. Stop talking and leave me be, if you know what’s good for you.’
As the day went on and the fire roared, Cullen fetched water from the well, boiling it in a pot over the fire. He put a bowl and jug on the table.
‘You need to take off those wet clothes to warm yourself. Dry them by the fire, and you can have one of my shirts to sleep in. I will stay outside so you can wash in privacy.’
***
Cullen did not come back, and once night fell, Lowri got into bed. The fire was a comforting glow in the darkness. Cullen had been good to his word and not barged in when she was naked, washing the sand and salt spray off her skin. His shirt was too big, but it was a relief to peel off the damp dress and wear something clean. Exhaustion dragged Lowri into oblivion, but she woke later with a start and a little shriek as the mattress shifted beside her.
Cullen had come to bed. Would he do as she asked, do his duty so that her friends could go free? A strong hand took Lowri by the shoulder and turned her over. Cullen’s palm slid across her cheek, and his fingers sank into her hair. His eyes were hungry in the gloom as he eased on top of her. Then he kissed her, hard and passionately, almost as if he meant it. Ripples of lust ran up her stomach, so Lowri pushed at his shoulders.
‘I said no kissing.’
‘Aye, but I didn’t.’
Cullen kissed her again, and as he pulled up the shirt, he flicked his tongue to meet hers. She could bite it, that would teach him, but, in one smooth movement, he was inside her body, grinding his hips against her. Lowri tried not to show him that she felt it. She lay like a corpse, but it was an effort that made her clench her teeth and thank God for the darkness.
His hair brushed her cheek. He smelled fresh. He must have washed too. ‘So you’ll do as I ask and get me with child so that you can be free of me,’ she whispered into the gloom.
Cullen stopped moving. ‘Aye, but that’s not why I’m doing it.’
‘So why?’
‘Because I want you, Lowri,’ he hissed.
After that, there was no more talking as Cullen took her in absolute silence, broken only by the crackle of the fire and the creaking of the metal bedhead, which rose to a mortifying crescendo as he quickened inside her. His tongue was inside her mouth, his manhood inside her body, all of Cullen Macaulay inside her, all at once.
‘Gah,’ he said into her hair, his panted breath hot on her neck. Cullen became a dead weight on her, but she had asked for this, so she dare not complain. When he tried to kiss her afterwards, and she turned her head away, he cursed and rolled onto his side. Lowri turned the opposite way and tried to sleep, but she could not. There was an ache between her legs that was not from what Cullen had just done. It was as if a shadow of his manhood was still there, inside her, making her pulse with longing and frustration.
‘Do you know how to use a pistol?’ he said suddenly.
‘Aye.’
