Father Geoffrey had offered, separate rooms, of course. Her new husband, resourceful as he was, could have found a way to come to her there for the bedding. It would have alleviated at least some of her fear. But he had declined.
Reina did notfeelmarried, but she would ere the night was through. Her inner trembling would not stop, the more she thought about it. She knew what would happen. She had often imagined it happening with Richard, even with John, but never with a giant. Before, she had looked forward to her wedding night, for she was old not to have experienced lovemaking yet. Now—she could only berate herself for prodding Ranulf into bedding her tonight, when she still could have had days to get used to the idea if she had kept her mouth shut about wanting children.
But she did have a small reprieve. Dismounting before his tent, Ranulf nodded toward it. “Do you do whatever needs be done. I will join you anon.”
His “soon” turned out to be two hours, proving he was as reluctant to get to the bedding as was she, needing the bolstering of the two flagons of wine Father Geoffrey had pressed on them in honor of the occasion. She could have used some of that wine herself. What she got was water from the pitcher set inside his large tent and an opportunity to meet his leman, a big, hefty girl nigh as beautiful as Eadwina, who, if not exactly sprawled across his bed, came damn close to it sitting on the edge, resting back on her elbows, with knees spread in the most provocative, sluttish position Reina had ever seen.
The meeting surprised them both, for the girl was obviously not there to assist Reina, but had been awaiting Ranulf’s return. That no one had told her the reason for his absence from camp was obvious if that shewasthere, expecting only him to enter the tent for her blatant invitation.
Reina was not annoyed, however, especially since the girl was horrified to be found there by her, scrambling to her feet and stammering something about presuming she might be needed, and begging Reina not to tell the lord she had come without being summoned. Obviously she hadnotbeen summoned, or Ranulf would not have sent Reina inside to find her. Or would he?Nay, give him the benefit of the doubt, Reina.
“Since you are here?”
“Mae, my lady,” the girl told her quickly. “My name is Mae.”
“Well, Mae, you might as well help me with my laces this one time,” Reina said matter-of-factly. “Since I have wed the lord, this is the last time I expect to see you. We will return to Clydon on the morrow. You will understand if I ask that you do not linger there.”
Mae did no more than nod, incredulous that she was being let off so lightly underthesecircumstances. She had been whipped once by the order of a lady who had no more than suspected her husband had visited Mae. She had heard of other light-skirts who had been done away with by jealous ladies. That was one reason she had become a camp follower, where ladies were not likely to be, and the women of soldiers had no real power over her, at least not the power of life and death. If the lord had wed, glory be, Mae wanted naught else to do with him. Love was not worth risking her life for. Let the other Clydon whores see to him henceforth, and he would have use of them ifthislady was as indifferent as she seemed.
Reina took pity on the nervous Mae and dismissed her ere she was more knotted up than unlaced from the green woolen bliaut. She finished the chore herself, no more easy task than it had been donning the clothes earlier without help. Minus her braies and hose, which Kenric had overlooked when he swiped up clothes for her in the dark, she had felt nearly naked all day. But at least the boy had found a pair of her shoes. To have been married barefoot would have really been the crowning touch for this horrid day.
There were a number of things in the tent, but come to think of it, a mercenary as her husband had been up until now was likely to carry with him most of his possessions. There was a strongbox under lock, a small chest that could not containtoomany clothes. On top of it was a basin of water with a drying cloth Reina had every intention of making use of, since she would probably not get a bath here. Several stools around a low table with the water pitcher and goblets on it, as well as several fat candles, were set off to the side of the tent. The sleeping pallet was actually a thick mattress, very long and perhaps five feet wide, made especially for the giant, no doubt. The bedding was rather fine, a soft woolen blanket and linen sheets, better than she could have expected. In the corner was a war chest for the instruments of his trade, with an assortment of longer weapons that would not fit in it, including another sword like the one Ranulf had been wearing—and one brown cat.
Reina was surprised at this second guest for a moment, seeing those glowing yellow eyes staring out of the shadows at her. But then she was delighted, welcoming company that would not talk back. She was fond of cats, made sure the Clydon felines were as well fed as the hunting dogs, for they served their purpose, too, keeping down the rodent population.
The cat’s presence in Ranulf’s tent proved what she had earlier suspected when she first noticed it atop his shoulder. The animal was a pet. What was so unusual was that such a large, gruff man would want such a little pet, and an ugly one at that. Its tail was bent at the end, probably from being stepped on at some time or other. Its coat was short and scraggly, in need of fresh milk and an occasional egg. There were patches of reddened skin from what was no doubt a bad flea infestation.
Aside from that, it certainly seemed friendly enough, coming forward when she made soothing sounds to attract it, rubbing up against her leg. She bent down to scratch it behind the ears to gain a very loud purring of contentment, and smiled. At least someone around here liked her.
Wearing only her shift now, Reina took care of her toilet, keeping up a running chatter with the cat, which continued to move in and out between her legs, and answered her with that overloud purring that was a rather soothing sound. She was in need of soothing. She did all she could do to avoid getting down on that pallet, including rummaging in Ranulf’s chest until she found a comb to make use of.
But combing her hair took only so long, even as snarled as it was. Wondering what was keeping Ranulf was pointless. He would come when he was ready. She thought about sleeping while she waited, but knew she never would.
Finally she picked up the cat and settled in the center of the bed to pass the time picking fleas. The cat, which she discovered then to be a female as it stretched out on its back to let her have at it, seemed to enjoy the grooming. She became so engrossed she did not hear her husband enter—but the cat did. One second it was purring in utter contentment, and the next, hissing, and Reina got a sharp scratch for her presumption that the cat was friendly.
She stared incredulously as the feline bounded away from her to actually leap up into Ranulf’s arms. Since he was not surprised, this was obviously a normal occurrence. But Reina was a bit piqued as she rubbed the scratch on the tender inside of her thigh. That was the last timeshewould offer to groom the fickle thing, and after she had allowed its fleas into what would beherbed.
Since Ranulf had not deigned to even notice her yet, but was busy greeting his pet, Reina took a moment to dust the sheets. And then Kenric was entering, unannounced, and she quickly stuck her legs under the covers.
She supposed she would have to get used to this. The squire had his duties, and disarming and undressing her husband was one of them. But the lord’s chamber at Clydon had an antechamber. Perhaps she could persuade her husband to have his disrobing done there—on the other hand, she thought as she silently watched the process, perhaps she would not.
SweetJesú, were those bulges under that tunic real? Off it came, and with it a tiny gasp from her. They were real, all right, thick cords of muscle bunching and rippling as he moved. Theo had tried to tell her, but she had refused to listen. All golden-skinned and beautiful, he had said, and it was more than true. She felt a tiny bit jealous that Theo had seen all of him, whilst she was waiting with bated breath for those chausses to come off. But she had to wait. Ranulf dismissed Kenric and moved to the basin, splashing the cold water all over him. It was only when he used the cloth that was already wet from her use that he finally seemed to be aware of her presence, turning about abruptly to impale her with those violet eyes.
“You are—not asleep?”
Reina felt the little kernel of expectation curl up and die in her chest. She had seen for herself what kind of woman he preferred, and she did not even come close. Of course he had been hoping she would be asleep. He had made a promise in warning that he now regretted. Why else would he have taken so long to join her, and weaving unsteadily on his feet, too?
Well, she would not stay where she was not wanted. The bedding would have to come sometime, but it could wait until theybothgot used to the idea.
She stood up in the center of the bed, perversely feeling something of a disappointment when she should feel naught but relief. “Nay, I do not sleep yet. I waited to hear where you wished me to sleep,” she said calmly, though with raised chin, daring him to call her a liar.
He did not call her anything. He stared at her hard, for an unnerving long time, and then the cloth fell from his hand unnoticed.
“You sleep there—with me,” he said huskily, surprising her and perhaps himself, too.
But he continued to stare, as if he doubted what he saw. Then he was yanking at the laces on his chausses, tearing them in his haste. Reina’s eyes widened. She had the distinct feeling he was going to jump on her, and she was not far wrong. He took her down to the pallet with one arm as he crashed on it. She lost her breath and, in the next moment, her shift.
“Wait—”
