Chapter 2 #2
“This will hurt I’m afraid,” he said, less unkindly than she had expected. “It cannot be helped.”
Yes, Katherine knew that. She whimpered, expecting him to ram inside her without further ado.
Instead, he pushed in slowly and although it felt odd—and indeed slightly painful—she could not have said that it hurt beyond bearing.
Siaspar stilled. She inhaled slowly. Was there worse to come?
Surely that could not be it? But no, the second thrust was no worse, on the contrary.
The third went in a lot more easily, as did the next one, and the one after that.
Soon she forgot that it had been a struggle for him to penetrate her.
Siaspar mumbled something in Welsh, a praise for her courage perhaps, a permission to let go, and started to move in earnest. Something loosened inside Katherine.
A man was inside her, taking his pleasure within her body.
The notion was hard to fathom, and the sensations it created, almost pleasurable.
Then, before she could make the most of this new experience, Siaspar stilled, buried deep inside her.
There was a shudder, followed by a soothing, warm sensation. His seed, she understood in a sudden bust of clarity. He had reached satisfaction. Then he ground his hips against her and let out a long exhale.
By the time he rolled off of her, Katherine had forgotten about the pain.
Her first reaction was one of gratitude toward this man who had shown her patience and kindness when he could have possessed her without worrying whether she was ready or not. She still had no precise idea of what he had done to prepare her body to accept him, but it seemed to have worked.
He stayed a moment next to her, and then got off the bed, walking over to the place where his clothes were. She heard him shrug on what she imagined was his undershirt.
“I guess we really are husband and wife now.” He sounded neither pleased nor displeased by the fact. “I bid you good night, my lady.”
With those words, he left.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Lady Malpas walked into the room “So, is it done?”
“Yes.”
The conversation that followed was excruciating.
Fortunately, Katherine had managed to cover her nakedness.
Before she could take her leave, Lady Malpas insisted on checking for blood stains on the sheets.
This proof of distrust hurt and made her realize that Siaspar had not even asked to see any proof of her virginity.
This was yet another proof of delicacy from a man his wife took for a brute.
He had spared his new bride the humiliation of checking to see if she was indeed the untouched maiden she was supposed to be. Instead, he had trusted her word.
“Good,” was all Lady Malpas said. No apologies, no thank you. “Very good. You can go.”
“My lady, if I may, I think you are mistaken about your husband. He is not the savage you take him for.” Katherine knew she was taking liberties but her conscience would not allow Siaspar to be considered so unfairly.
She knew what had happened in that bed. He had been kind to the woman he thought to be his wife, despite his opinion of her.
As could have been predicted, her declaration was not well-received.
“Spare me your comments. I do not recall asking for your opinion on the Welshman. If his performance in bed pleased you then it only goes to show that our tastes differ. I, for one, prefer lovers who—”
The sentence was cut short, causing Katherine to frown. What had her mistress unwittingly revealed? Was there more to this bargain than she had first supposed? What if she had been ordered to take her place to ensure that the groom did not realize his bride was not untouched?
It didn’t matter anyway. Siaspar had done his duty by his wife—or so he thought. There was no reason for Katherine to remain here any further.
“My lady.”
She bowed and left the room.
“So?”
Siaspar gave a start when he reached the top of the spiral staircase. He’d hoped to avoid being seen leaving his wife’s chamber, but Cadell was waiting for him outside his door. Arms crossed over his powerful chest, his foster brother was leaning against the wall, looking rather anxious.
“What are you doing here?” Siaspar snapped. He was feeling ridiculous, dressed only in his shirt with the rest of his clothes and boots in hand.
On the rare occasions he had imagined getting married, he had always supposed he would stay in his wife’s bed on their wedding night, instead of sneaking back to his room like a lover doing something wrong. But he had felt no desire to stay with Lady Malpas. Theirs was not that kind of arrangement.
His brother shrugged. “I wanted to make sure you were all right. You know, that your wife had not tried to kill you, or something.”
“She did not.”
His wife hadn’t done anything at all.
She had not talked, she had not protested, or tried to touch him; she had only lain there and let him possess her, as was “his right.” In truth, he had been surprised at her lack of resistance.
She had promised during the banquet that she would submit but he had not quite believed her.
The way she had looked at him revealed too many conflicted feelings.
But when the time had come to consummate their union, she had surrendered willingly enough.
Her idea of consummating the union in the dark had been the right one, he had to admit.
It had allowed him to make the most of her appealing body in the best conditions.
Because, what he thought of her character notwithstanding, the woman he’d held in his arms had been appealing.
Her skin had been soft, her body firm and her breasts, as far as he’d been able to judge, utter perfection.
He had enjoyed suckling her and hearing the involuntary gasps and moans escape her lips.
In the end he had reached his pleasure with surprising speed and intensity.
But once it had been over, he’d had no urge to stay by her side.
“Come, have a drink with me,” he told Cadell, suddenly glad of the company. It would prevent him from drowning in maudlin thoughts.
His brother fell into the fold up chair by the fire and sighed, looking uncharacteristically weary.
“Listen, if you must know, I came here because I feel guilty. I’m the one who argued in favor of a union with an English woman.” He made a grimace. “I still think it was a good idea. I just…didn’t imagine it would be that woman. I’m sorry.”
“The lady is not to your taste then, is she?” Siaspar snorted, helping himself to a cup of ale. “What bothers you exactly? The beautiful face? The blue eyes? The delicate hands?”
“Come, you know what I mean. She’s beautiful, of course, but…”
Yes.
But.
Desirable as she may appear at first glance, his wife might well make his life unbearable.
Siaspar handed a cup to Cadell, who accepted it with a nod, and sat down, in turn.
“It’s not your fault, Cade. You were right, I need this alliance. I’m glad I was able to procure it. And I am now well and truly married to her. She could even, with luck, be carrying my child.”
If only… Like any man, Siaspar wanted children, but he hated the idea that producing them would be such a chore.
Perhaps now that his union was secure, he could wait a couple of months to visit his wife’s bed.
They were both still young, there was no hurry, and perhaps by then he would be told it would not be necessary.
If this night had made her with child, then he would be free from her for a whole year.
Siaspar drained his cup. What sad life had he condemned himself to?
“What now, then?” Cadell asked, echoing his thoughts.
“I don’t know. Let’s wait and see.”
As satisfactory as this coupling had been, he was in no hurry to renew the experience. The less time he spent with his wife, the better. But perhaps she would be different in the morning, now that she was relieved her position was assured?
One could only hope.