The Marriage Prize by Virginia Henley Read Free Book Online Page B

mouth.
    Rosamond almost came out of her skin and would certainly
    have screamed if the hand had not prevented her. Her breath
    caught in her throat and her heart hammered with fright.
    "Do not open it, Rosamond."
    The fierce whisper was so low, she wondered if she had
    imagined it, until she felt his mouth touching her ear. She knew
    who it was immediately, and struggled to remove his hand.
    Then his arm came around her like a steel band to hold her
    motionless.
    "Hush!"
    It was a command she could not disobey, and as she stil ed,
    Rosamond heard a rustle and a laugh that told her Alyce was
    directly on the other side of the closed door.
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    "Edward, you real y do have the longest shank in the realm!"
    "Shank? It is a royal scepter, my little wanton."
    "It is a formidable weapon; sheath it before I faint."
    "I’l make you faint, by God" he growled fiercely, thrusting himself inside her.
    Rosamond heard Alyce cry out, then she heard a steady,
    rhythmic thumping against the door. It seemed to go on
    forever, accompanied by the couple's moans and gasps.
    "Oooh I love to be taken against the door, it shows your
    towering impatience for me."
    Even in the darkness, Rosamond knew she was blushing. She
    felt the warmth from her cheeks spread to the tips of her
    breasts. She had always been sheltered from carnal
    knowledge, but the pair's amorous coupling against the door
    was so graphic, it left little to the imagination. Rosamond felt
    hot threads spiral inside her bel y, and she became acutely
    aware of her undergarments brushing against her skin,
    arousing sensations that were new and strange.
    "Now, now, oh please, Edward, now!"
    "You beg so prettily, Alyce, how can I resist? "
    The thumping came faster and louder until a half-scream
    began and was quickly muffled. A long silence was fol owed
    by a heartfelt sigh. "Your mouth ravages me like no other
    —carry me to bed." The laughter of the playful couple
    gradual y faded as they moved away from the door, until al
    was quiet. Rosamond could hear her own pulse beating
    against her eardrums. She closed her eyes and felt the blood
    drain from her face. She had just heard Alyce de Clare
    commit adultery with Prince Edward.
    Rodger de Leyburn removed his hand from Rosamond's
    mouth and led her silently to the far side of his chamber. He lit
    a torch in the wal bracket, then pushed back her hood until her
    golden hair spil ed about her. One glance at her pale face and
    trembling lips told its own story. Without a word, he poured her
    some wine and lifted it to her lips.
    "How did you know it was me?" she whispered.
    "Your fragrance is unique. Drink," he ordered softly, pushing her down into a chair.
    She obeyed him and felt a blood-red rose bloom in her
    breast.
    "Rosamond, you are privy to a secret that none save you and I
    knows about."
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    "I... I thought she was with you."
    "That is the whole idea. Everyone has thought that for five
    years. Al are wil ing to look the other way at a little dal iance. It is another matter entirely for Lord Edward to be bedding the
    wife of Gilbert de Clare. You must not breathe a word of this
    dangerous secret to anyone."
    Rodger de Leyburn could see how shaken she was, and it
    dawned on him just how innocent Rosamond Marshal must
    have been until tonight. She had intended to catch him alone
    with Alyce, but the sexual act she overheard had shocked her
    badly. "Come, I wil see you safely back to the Lady Tower."
    He reached out to pul her hood forward, but she drew back
    from him to avoid his touch. A muscle ticked in his jaw as he
    opened the chamber door and led the way up onto the moonlit
    ramparts.
    When they passed a guard, Rosamond pul ed her hood close,
    but Rod exchanged a quiet greeting with the man, as if it were
    a natural occurrence for him to be on the castle roof with a
    woman. When they reached the Lady Tower, Rod paused and
    leaned a powerful, muscled arm across the door, effectively
    blocking her escape.
    She whirled to face him