He said in the most satisfied voice she had ever heard, “You bent uty to me. You accepted me as your lord and your master.”
<(-r J do not think it wise of you to draw such a drastic conclusion." H *® «I "Why? It is what resulted. They told you to give over to me, to stop setting yourself up against me. They told you to enjoy my man's body." "Aye, they did say that. Alice told me that all the men knew you were not a pig with women, that you were gentle and kind and enjoyed a woman's pleasure. I did not believe that, for at that time I knew nothing of this pleasure they spoke about. But Alice was very certain. She said that if I wished it, she would bed you and discover for certain that it was true. I thanked her for offering herself as a sacrifice, but that I would try it myself. She said that I just might learn some very interesting things if I just allowed you to come to me without anger, if I just relaxed and didn't tighten myself when you came near." "Dame Agnes and Alice told you all this? Which of my men did they speak to? " "Alice never draws a conclusion without copious evidence, particularly, I think, if it concerns something men do or don't do. I would imagine it was a good many of your men. I do know she asked Gwent after your return. She said he would never lie, at least to her." Severin fell over onto his back. He didn't know whether to feel like an ass or a man blessed. He had gained, not lost. He was satisfied with his wife, not in misery. She no longer lay beneath him like a dead log. She enjoyed him thoroughly, he knew it if he knew anything at all. "This is all very interesting. But heed me, Hastings, I treat you now the way I would have always treated you if you hadn't been such a-" He paused, which was fortunate because Hastings was above him now, and she was breathing fast and hard. "Aye, Severin? You wish to say more?" He stilled. It was dark in the bedchamber. She couldn't see the wickedness on his face. "Aye, perhaps. Does 'shrew' fit your mouth? Or prefer you 'fishwife' or 'harridan'?" "You are saying that it was all my fault, this rift between us?" "Naturally it was all your fault. You're proud, Hastings, and stubborn as a stoat. I am a man of peace. I am reasonable in all my dealings, with both men and women. I wanted no battle with you, but you fought me for no reason that I can remember." It was too much. She slammed her fist into his belly. He wasn't prepared for it and thus she did make him start at the jab of pain. He moaned, grabbed her, and pulled her down onto her stomach. He swung his legs over her and kept his hand on her neck to keep her down. He realized in an instant of time that his belly didn't hurt all that much at all. He realized in the instant just beyond that one that he was astride her white buttocks and both of them were naked. He eased his hand from her neck, down her back, until he held her in place with his hand pressing at her waist. He looked at her squirming beneath him and wanted to be inside her, then, no more words, no more fists to his belly. He was breathing hard. He jerked her onto her knees, ready to thrust into her, then he stopped. No, he couldn't. She wasn't ready for him. He would hurt her. She would call him an animal again. He would muck up the miracle. He touched her soft flesh with his finger and was so grateful he nearly wept. She was ready for him. He slid his finger into her and to his utter, besotted surprise, she moaned. He was trembling with this response from her, so unexpected was it. "Hastings, what is this? How can you want me when I have not kissed you or fondled you?"