“Are you a virgin?”
He did not wait for an answer. She knew he did not care if she was or not, and that hurt. Obviously he had decided that if he must do this, to get it over with as quickly as possible. Why else would he slash his mouth across hers for one measly second, then climb atop her the next? Well, she could assume that attitude, too. Best to have done with it right quickly, to find out how much she would have to fear of it next time—if there was a next time.
Reina braced herself to be crushed, but was not. Instead she felt his entry, and it did not rip her asunder, but was smooth and easy. Had staring at him done that, got her juices flowing without his even touching her? She was amazed, and felt a fluttering niceness like nothing she had ever felt before.Thenshe was ripped asunder.
Her scream was cut in half by the return of his bruising lips. How he managed to reach her lips and thrust into her at the same time, she did not know. Perhaps because most of his height was in his long legs. Perhaps because his back was bent over her; she was still not crushed as she had expected to be. Just her lips. He could use some lessons in that area. But in other areas…sweetJesú, what was that she was feeling now? Whatever it was, she was left to wonder about it. Her husband, with a loud roar, was done.
Chapter Sixteen
Reina moved carefully in taking inventory ere she got up, but she was not really battered. Her lips were a mite tender, and there was a definite soreness between her legs, but naught had been broken when Ranulf had collapsed on her for those few moments after he reached his pleasure.
But she had been misled. Wenda said it was wonderful. Eadwina must think so, too, to like doing it so often. Reina would not call what she had experienced wonderful, but it certainly was not as terrible as she had thought it would be with a giant. With the rending of her maidenhead behind her, she supposed she had naught left to fear from this business of coupling, but there was naught to recommend it either.
She dressed quickly while her husband slept on. Staring at him in that helpless state was not conducive to clear thinking, and she had much to consider, particularly what she would tell Lord Simon, who was likely to be at Clydon when they returned.
It was the stirrings of the camp that had woken her, and stepping outside the tent, she saw there was activity everywhere as nigh a hundred men broke their fast and prepared for another day’s march. She found some bushes to relieve herself whilst no one was paying attention, and when she returned, Lanzo approached her with a cup of ale and a chunk of day-old bread.
She thanked the boy but offered him no smile, and he quickly retreated. He might be learning skillful arms under Ranulf’s tutelage, but knightly courtesies were sadly lacking. It would do no harm for either squire to think she was still displeased with him for his part in her abduction. Both must become aware that the arts of warfare were not all that made a knight. The social skills and graces must be learned, as well as the courtesies due a lady, especially the treatment of a lady at all times. Those courtesies were due even during an abduction, but they had not been accorded her.
She was approached again, this time by Ranulf’s fickle cat, who once again rubbed up against Reina’s legs. “So, ’tis to be that way, is it?” Reina frowned down at the animal. “Think you I am not wise to your ploys?”
She got a meow in answer; then the creature bounded off toward Lanzo, who had just set down a tin of scraps for it. Reina shook her head, not sure whether she wanted to play silly games with a cat. She supposed she might have to, if her husband intended to bring the animal home with them.
She then heard rumblings from the tent and returned to it. Ranulf squinted up at her as she opened the flap, letting in the bright sunshine of a beautiful spring morn.
“Where is Lady Ella?” he asked in a grouchy tone.
Reina stiffened. “I was not aware there was another lady in camp.”
“My cat,” he clarified.
“Oh,” Reina said dumbly, then, “You named your catLadyElla?”
“Aye.”
Reina was treated to the first really pleasant expression she had seen on her husband. Whether it could actually be termed a smile, she was not sure, but ’twas devastating to behold.
“Her namesake is the cleverest cat I know,” he continued. “So it suited.”
She now had to wonder who this namesake Ella was, but she was not about to ask him. He obviously did not think highly of her.
“Your Ella—”
“Lady Ella—”
“LadyElla is breaking her fast,” Reina gritted out. She was insulted to give that scrawny creature a title,hertitle, but was not ready to have her first argument with her new husband. “Do you wish me to summon your squire so you may—”
“Not yet.”
He sat up as he interrupted her, so that the blanket fell to his lap. Reina looked away. That wide expanse of golden chest was like a magnet for her eyes, but she staunchly resisted the pull.
“Take off your clothes.”
Her eyes flew back to him, wide in disbelief. “I did not hear you aright.”
“Aye, you did.” His tone was mellow for all its deepness. “I wish to know if I was dreaming last eventide, if I really did bed you.”
“You have only to look beside you at the sheets to see that you did indeed bed me.”
