He grasped my breast, his eyes intent. “Ye take m’breath away all the time.”
“Thank you, that’s really nice.”
“I signed a decree, as a witness, twas tae turn a park tae the game of golf. Dost ye ken the game? Tis the same as golf in yer time?”
“Yes,” I moaned. “I think, but you signed it? Good.”
“I did, Lord Châtellerault likes tae hae m’signature on things. He said I hae a sure hand.”
“God yes,” I said as his hand stroked my breast. “I completely agree.”
He put his mouth on my neck and kissed down to my shoulder. “I was listening tae Châtellerault and the other men talk of King Edward and the French King, Francis, and the young queen Mary caught in the politics between them. The turmoil of the three crowns vyin’ for power. The court is so verra complicated, all the strict rules and shiftin’ allegiances, and maneuverin’.”
“That sounds rough.”
“Twas, and that was why I was thinkin’ I wanted tae simply hae ye.” His hand roamed down my skin. “Because ye are uncomplicated.” He nibbled and kissed on my neck.
“I will take that as a compliment and I agree, I was hearing about the Queen and the Dauphin and all the politics too. And it’s so much to pay attention to, to know, like our lives depend on it, and I simply want — but now I’m undressed and you’re still in your clothes.”
“Aye, because I’m of a mind tae take ye standin’. I was thinkin’ on it tae night, Châtellerault was discussin’ the current situation, the war with England is over but,” he squeezed one of my nipples.
I squeaked, and he chuckled and pressed his mouth to mine while he spoke. “...there is simmerin’ trouble and he is bowin’ tae pressures on all sides.” He roughly pulled my hips to his front.
I dropped my head back so he could kiss my throat some more. “It sounds so boring, I’m glad I get to sit with the women. Mary of Guise looks at him as if he is standing between her and the throne. She won’t take any of his shit.”
“Tis what the ladies were speaking of?”
His hands were all over me in a way that was causing me to lose my concentration. “What? Oh um, a little, but mostly we were talking about France and the fashion there, and the sun and...”
He lifted me around my waist and walked me toward the bed.
I said, “What were you talking about with the men?”
“Battles and coffers and whether the women were tae be trusted. Ye will forgive me for agreein’ that the answer was nae. I agreed that ye were nae trustworthy, because ye are a temptress and ye make me weak.”
He dropped my feet to the cold floor by our bed.
“Oh I do, do I?”
He grasped me hard and turned me away. “Aye.” His hand rubbed down my body, firm and grasping, “I am goin’ tae teach ye a lesson on it. Hold ontae the bed.”
“God yes.” I held onto one of the bed’s posts.
He said, “Hold still, daena move unless I tell ye tae.”
“Fuck Magnus, that is...” I held onto the post and glanced over my shoulder.
“Nae, I said for ye nae tae move, dost ye obey me?”
“Probably, I mean...”
“Nae? Ye daena obey me, or aye, ye obey me in everythin’?”
“God Magnus, aye, I obey you in everything.”
His hand softly trailed up the inside of my thigh and a finger dipped and played between my legs. I moaned and shifted toward him.
“I told ye, daena move.” He brusquely pushed my legs wider, and then got down on his knees behind me and licked me. I bit my lips to keep quiet and held the post tight, my chest against the carved footboard.
He licked and kissed and nibbled while I was driven wild but held tight, still, my breathing fast. I was about to freaking lose my mind when he pulled away and said, “Och, ye were verra still. Ye listened verra well tae me. I think ye hae been verra good.”
I heard the belt around his waist unlatch and drop to the ground and fumbling around the front of his pants — my mind was gone, lost, overwhelmed — hands on my hips, he pulled up behind me and slammed into me and arms around me he drove into me over and over and over, his body force and effort and energy and commands and power, while I was obedience and reception and yes, oh and oh and moaning because I had to as he took me to the edge and over and then with a rush of his strength he was done and I was weakened, spent, my legs shaking from the effort. He held my hips to his front, thick fabric, leather and rough weave against my skin. Then he put a hand on the bed to steady himself too.
We held on, holding like this, wrapped and resting, panting and slowly regaining our breath. His quick breaths near my ear then slowing, slowing, a kiss on the back of my neck, my shoulder. I turned in his arms and untied the panel on the front of his doublet and pushed the thick coat off his arms. I untied the neck of his shirt, opened it, and kissed his chest. Then I pushed it off over his head. I held the top of his leather boots while he pulled his feet from them and loosened the top of his trunk hose and pushed them down his legs and off. The hose underneath dropped to the rug.
And then I switched off our lantern, and climbed onto the bed, leading him to meet me there in the middle. I lay down and he curled up on me, a head on my breast, spent and vulnerable. His sweet kiss over my heart a wordless request for forgiveness from the commands earlier. You are forgiven my love.
“Good night.”
“Good night, mo reul-iuil.”
Fifty-four - Magnus
I found her on the bench in the chapel. Hands folded in her lap, crying. I slid intae the seat beside her and clasped one of her hands. She nodded, wiped her cheeks, and nodded again. I joined her in prayer, and after some time we rose and I led her away.
We went through the house, and out the back door tae the gardens that stretched away from the back of the house in a downward slope. There was a path we followed tae the end, far enough from the house tae be able tae speak. From here we had a view of the homes lining the road, and farther up the hill, the castle. In the other direction we could see the city walls. The house gardener, Auld Colban, passed us with a shovel over his shoulder, I spoke tae him of his duties for the day and then he continued on.
Kaitlyn and I held each other.
“I’m glad you’re home, I was so worried.”
“I ken.”
“I got weird, I think it was the gloomy weather and not enough sun, and you were gone, and Lady Fleming was in a mood. I couldn’t stop crying.”
I held her tighter for a moment, then held her at arms length. “I am home though. I went tae Balloch, checked the RF-transmitter, the ground was beginning tae thaw so I buried Bella’s body in the earth—”
“Ugh, that must have been awful.”
“Twas, but I am home now, tis done.”
“I’m sorry you found me crying. I was going to put on a smile, but I wasn’t expecting you — and it all seems rather bleak. Like never before — this is it? This is our life now? We’ll never go home?”
I shook m’head. “I ken tis hard tae hae spent all these many days here with Lady Fleming while I was away. But I hae an idea, I thought we might go tae Stirling. Mary of Guise will be traveling there and we hae been invited. She likes your company and has asked for ye especially tae attend her.”