She wanted to change clothes first.
When Alex went into his bedroom he sat down on the bed, put his head in his hands, and sat for a while trying to empty his mind of all thoughts. He wondered what Robina was doing now, for he knew she did not wish to be with him. What a fool he had been, thinking that a woman whom he had known for less than a week would wed him and then want to bear his children. How stupid could a man be? He wanted to be more tender with her but he had forgotten how.
Presently, there was a soft knock at the door. He thought it was probably Peter, who always seemed to guess where he was. He had likely been watching him at the wedding and seen him going upstairs alone, then brought him a hot toddy as he did when he thought he needed comforting.
“Come in!” he called gruffly. He was sitting with his back to the door and did not see Robina at first until she moved into his line of vision. His jaw dropped open as he gazed at her, wearing nothing but a filmy white nightdress through which he could see the dark circles of her nipples and the triangle of hair at the top of her legs.
“I have come to be your wife,” she said softly, but her expression was of subtle fear.
He stood up, not quite knowing what to do next. He had never before been with a woman who did not really want him, and it was an unsettling feeling. He bent down and drew back the bedcovers, then she climbed into the bed and immediately drew the covers up to her chin. She looked beautiful.
She watched him as he removed the belt from his kilt, then she turned away. He was still wearing a shirt that came down to mid-thigh.
“Please leave your shirt on,” she pleaded. “Please.”
“If you wish,” he replied, reminding himself how inexperienced she was. He got into the bed and lay down beside her, then moved to lie on top of her, his hips between her thighs. She felt something hard and rubbery press against her and knew that it was his erect manhood. She was trembling, but he was running his hands gently all over her breasts and it calmed her slightly. She began to relax a little.
“Look at me, Robina,” he whispered. She turned her head and looked into his eyes. “I am not going to hurt you if I can help it. There may be a little pain but it will soon be gone. There is no other way.”
She nodded nervously, then he leaned over to kiss her. She had never been kissed before, except by her mother and father on the cheek or forehead, but this was different. His mouth moved on hers, caressing her lips and awakening something inside that she had never felt before. She could not describe it. It was a pain, but a sweet pain between her legs, and there was moisture too. She felt something touch her secret place gently, awakening the most blissful feeling she had ever experienced, and she realized that Alex was rubbing her with his fingertips, moving them in and out of her. She moaned with pleasure.
She sucked in a deep breath, and Alex’s tongue dived into her mouth, startling her, then he pulled away. He touched her secret place with the tip of his tongue, and she watched, fascinated, as his head moved between her legs, and a sweet sensation she had never felt before spread from her core all the way outwards to the rest of her body.
“Ready?” he asked gently.
She nodded nervously, and felt herself beginning to tense, as if bracing for a shock. She had thought she was ready, but nothing could have prepared her for the sheer agony of it.
He tried to be gentle, easing himself into her a little at a time and waiting for her guidance, but she arched her neck back, her body stiff, hands gripping his shoulders. At first she was moaning through gritted teeth but as he went on and on, she screamed in anguish after a while.
Despite himself, Alex had climaxed, even though she was weeping and pushing him away. He felt wretched.
“I am so sorry, Robina,” he said sadly as he tried to gather her into his arms.
She shoved him away. “I am your wife now, am I not?” she said icily.
“Yes, but—” he began, but she held up a hand for silence.
She turned the other way as she did not want him to watch her cry. She was not mad at him but did not want to talk.
“Can we speak in the morning please?” she asked. As she got out of the bed she noticed the formerly pristine white sheets, now stained with the blood of her maidenhead. They both looked at it for a few moments before Robina turned and fled. As she left, he noticed the same stain was on the back of her nightgown.
When she got to her room, Robina washed quickly and changed her nightgown, then fell on her bed and burst into tears. Everyone had told her it was just a little painful, but they had lied; she was still raw, throbbing, and miserable.
She cried until she had no tears left then fell into a troubled sleep, and in the morning she found a note on her pillow from Alex.
My Dearest Robina,
Please forgive me. I had no intention of hurting you last night, and I am deeply sorry that I did. I have called Mistress McCallum from Glengour to come and give you a healing salve, and I hope that you will soon be feeling better. We must talk at some time, so please come and see me when you are ready.
Alex
She looked at the note for a long time, then tossed it on the bed and ordered a bath. When she had dried off a maidservant came to tell her that the wise woman from the village had just come to see her.
Mary McCallum had treated every woman in the village at one time or another. She was small and birdlike with bright brown eyes and pure white hair. She was so short that she barely came up to Robina’s shoulders, and Alex towered a good eighteen inches above her.
She gave Robina a beaming smile then inspected her quickly.
“Aye, Milady,” she said, sighing. “We a’ hae tae go through it. ‘Tis just the way the good Lord made us.” She handed Robina a little bottle of pungent-smelling ointment. “Pit this twice a day, Milady, an’ tell yer husband no’ tae come near ye for a week. Twa wid be better. Are ye a’right otherwise?”
