The Temptation (The Medieval Knights Series) by Claudia Dain Read Free Book Online Page B

at me, little wife, and all bleeding will be stanched, all wounds forgiven."
    "You put much power into a smile."
    "Nay, only your smile."
    She smiled then and shook her head at his extravagance and his arrogance. Her mother had warned her of this, of this deception, this lure. These words were empty, yet they glittered, and she was mesmerized by the glimmer of them and of him.
    He was a strange man, unlike any other she had known; even wild Ulrich could not match the smooth beauty of his words. He spoke of wounding, but it was she who was in danger of being wounded. With all others, she had the possibility of retreat, but where and how could a wife retreat from a husband? She knew of no such place. He was the master of her body and her life, both church and king declared it.
    "When we are far from this hall, I will breathe in rhythm with your smiles, Elsbeth," Hugh said, leaning toward her.
    "I have not so many smiles in me to keep you breathing," she said, edging away from him.
    "Ah! A parry and a thrust from my little wife. You are learning, little one," he said, grinning. "Soon you will be calling troubadours to your side to hear their golden praise of you. And none shall hinder them. You deserve songs, line upon line, describing your beauty and your purity. But perhaps a troubadour from the Levant would better serve you. I do not trust what cold words might spew from a man living in these northern climes."
    "I cannot keep pace with you, my lord. Your words are too quick. I am a mudfrog to your eel."
    "Rather say you are a pheasant to my hawk, Elsbeth. I would not be an eel, even for you."
    "There is the proof. I cannot even keep pace when striving for a metaphor. You have won the field. I stand silenced."
    "Nay, not silenced, only stand," he said, helping herto her feet with his hand on her arm. His hand was large and warm, even through her sleeve. "Stand and let all those in this hall feast their eyes upon you. We have tarried long here. Let us do what we are called by God to do. Have you the heart for it?"
    She did not. Her inward parts were cold and watery, like the eel she had just named.
    "Speak, Elsbeth," he urged, his head lowered to hers. "I would not drag you from the feast if you would stay."
    She could not speak. She knew her duty was to obey, yet she could not. Had God led her here without a tower to hide her in? She knew it could not be so. God was not so unmerciful or unloving. With all her heart, she cast upward a prayer to heaven, praying as she sent it that God would listen.
    God was silent.
    "I have no wish to stay," she said.
    "Then let us depart. We have an appointment, do we not?" he said.
    "Do we?" she said, waiting for her miracle, certain it would come, that God had not deserted her to face what every bride must face upon the completion of her vows.
    "Yea," he said. "Did we not agree to pray together after the meal?"
    If he grinned at her in jest, enjoying her discomfort, she remembered again the pleasure men took in having women in their power. Still, God had answered. It was no miracle, but it was an answer. Yea, to pray. 'Twas what they had agreed upon. Hugh was not insisting upon his marital rights.
    What she would do when he did insist, she was not certain. Nay, that was untrue. She was most certain. She would pray for a miracle.
    * * *
    The chapel was still when they entered it. They were alone and the light was dim. She was grateful for all. She needed time and privacy to cool the hot flush in her cheeks.
    Her father had not let them leave the hall without comment. That his comments had been loud was to be expected. That his comments had been irreverent was also to be expected. That he had roused the hall to laugh and whistle upon learning that Hugh was taking her off to pray had been more than she expected and more than she was prepared to endure.
    Hugh had not seemed to take offense, however, and for that she was grateful. Her father seemed to her to be a most offensive man. That her