The Deed (5 page)

Noting this, Amaury put a hand on his friends shoulder. Lord Rolfe will explain, was all
he said before leading Emma silently away, aware as he did that Rolfe had moved to sit
beside his friend to do just that. He could almost imagine Blakes consternation when he
learned the reason behind this sudden rushed wedding. Twas the truth, neither he nor Blake
cared for Bertrand. He was a greedy, selfish beast, and a coward to boot. Many a man had
died needlessly in Ireland due to that cowardice and his poor leadership. Worse yet though
they had no proofboth of them suspected it was Bertrand who had betrayed the king in
Ireland and smuggled the assassins into camp the night he had almost been killed. But
perhaps that was simply their own prejudice against the man, Amaury thought now. He
pondered the incident briefly, before realizing quite suddenly that they were halfway up
the stairs on the way to...

Good God! They had reached the time for the bedding. His gaze dropped to the wee woman
beside him and he swallowed anxiously, all thoughts of Bertrand fleeing.

Lord Rolfe had taken great pains to stress his cousins innocence. As the rumors had
suggested, it appeared she had not even been bedded once by her husband. Amaury could
hardly believe Fulk fool enough to neglect her so, and was not sure that he was pleased at
the knowledge. He supposed it was nice to know his wife had known no other, but Amaury had
never taken a virgin. Being a bastard and knowing the trials of a bastards life, he had
been determined not to produce one himself, and had therefore lavished his attentions on
camp followers and wenches, never virgins. Now, however, he found himself in a quandary.
Never having bedded a virgin, he really had no idea how to proceed.

His gaze slid to his wifes face. She looked completely unperturbed by what was coming, but
he had to wonder how long he could hope for that to last. Probably right up until the
bedroom door closed, he decided. Then she would no doubt burst into rivers of tears and
fears and look at him like he was an animal.

Sighing inwardly, he tried to remember all he had ever heard of bedding virgins from
others. They were a fearful lot from all accounts. That much was certain. And the first
time would hurt too, hed been told. It was the maidens veil, of course. A man had to ram
through it. There was said to be blood sometimes, sometimes a great deal of it.

Swallowing once more, he felt a fine film of sweat begin on his forehead. How was he to
approach this frail and petite lady with all of this? It was impossible. He would crush
her with his very weight. Might crack her in half with his passion. He simply could not
give her the tenderness she deserved, especially not when he had thought of little else
but the consummation since their wedding. At least he had since he had lifted the veil and
seen how comely a wench she was. Lady, he corrected himself. His wife was a lady and an
untried one at that.

My lord? Amaury glanced at her with a start to find her smiling at him ever so gently.
This is myour room, she informed him quietly.

Ah. Clearing his throat, he reached for the door and opened it for her, then hesitated
about entering. It had suddenly occurred to him to wonder if it would not be more seemly
to allow her a few moments alone in their room to do whatever it was women did to prepare
for bed.

Emma was halfway across the room when she realized that her new husband had not followed
her. Turning back, she found he still stood in the doorway of the room. Neither all the
way in yet, nor all the way out, he seemed deep in thought, his face pinched in
concentration as he pondered whatever was concerning him. My lord?

Her new husband looked at her then, and Emma was amazed to see uncertainty on his face.
Then understanding came to her. This was his first time, she realized, and felt her heart
melt with understanding. Up until that moment she had been working herself into a fine
lather, silently fretting over having to share her bed again. Despite knowing what to
expect, it was still nerve-wracking being abed with a man for the first time. But now that
she saw how fearful he was, she found herself feeling much better. After all, if he had
never been abed with a woman before, she was the more experienced one. That being the
case, she immediately found herself taking control of the situation.

Come. Smiling gently, she held a hand out toward him. All will be well. Realizing that his
virgin wife was trying to comfort him, Amaury shook his head in bewilderment and

entered the room, pulling the door shut behind him.

As he closed the door, Emma turned to peer around the room, her gaze landing on the screen
Rolfe had brought back to her from one of his travels. Would you like to use the screen to
disrobe? she asked when he turned to peer at her.

Nay, Ill wear naught to bed.

Oh! She flushed slightly, disconcerted at that, then regained her composure and moved to
the screen. Then I shall use it and you may use the room itself, she decided, moving out
of sight behind the screen.

Amaury stared at the screen his young bride was hidden behind, then turned to survey the
room. It was a dark and gloomy room. The large bed was the first thing he noticed. It
appeared more than big enough to accommodate his unnatural height, he was happy to see.
But it was also solid black in color. Not the wood. The wood itself was a dark mahogany,
but the linens on it and the drapes that had been pulled back to reveal the bed itself
were both as black as the clothes his bride had worn to their wedding.

Amaury frowned as he took it in. From what he had seen, his wife had an uncommon fondness
for black. He would have to see to that. The room would be much cheerier with different
bedding, he decided as he set about unbuckling his sword from his waist. Then he turned
his attention to the rest of the room. A large fire took up most of the wall opposite the
bed. One chair sat before it. He would have to see to another being added. The idea of
spending cold evenings comfortably in front of the fire with his wife had some charm to
it, he thought with a slight smile. His eyes moved over the tapestries on the wall as a
familiar chorus rose up in his mind. Mine. Mine. Mine.

Sighing his satisfaction, he slid his gaze over the screen behind which his wife changed.
It was obviously foreign. He had never seen anything like it, but even so, the painted
designs on it spoke of foreign lands and people. A rustle of material caught his ear just
as his new bride slung her dress over the top of the screen, and Amaury swallowed,
realizing that while he had been dallying, his wife had not. He could almost picture her
standing behind the screen, stripping her clothes away one piece at a time.

Feeling the stirring in his nether regions, Amaury quickly shook the image away. It would
not do to get excited already. He suspected he had a long stressful night ahead of him in
wooing his virgin bride. He intended on making it as easy and bearable an experience for
her as he could manage. With that intention, he began to quickly strip. He was unsure how
she would handle seeing him in full nudity and thought it might be best to be already abed
when she came out.

Best intentions aside, he had only managed to strip his tunic off before she stepped out
around the screen and presented herself. Amaurys hands froze on the waist of his braies as
he caught sight of her, his eyes widening in shock.

Gods tooth, even the womans nightgown was black! Did she not own a single item of cloth
that was not, he wondered in dismay as he took in the voluminous folds of the gown that
covered her from her neck to her very toes?

Emma took in her husbands wide-eyed face and tried not to fidget under his gaze. His
expression merely assured her that she had been correct in assuming he was untried.
Forcing a reassuring smile, she walked cautiously past him to the bed and crawled
carefully beneath the bedclothes, then took a great deal of time and care straightening
all the wrinkles out of them until they lay across her in a nice smooth wave. That done,
she glanced furtively at her new husband, only to find him still standing where he had
been, eyeing her with wide eyes. Frowning slightly, she started to speak, then realized he
was probably

shy.

I promise I shall not look, she told him gently and to prove it, closed her eyes and
covered them with both hands.

Amaury straightened at her action. Giving his head a shake at her odd behavior, he
stripped his pants quickly off and moved to the side of the bed, lifting the linen and
slipping beneath the bedclothes beside her.

Emma dropped her hands as soon as she felt the bed depress. Turning, she shone a bright
smile on him. There. That was not so bad, was it? she asked gently. Now, just lie back.

Amaury swallowed his shock as she pressed him gently back to lie on the bed, wondering
what exactly was occurring. Was his wife truly taking control of the situation? His virgin
wife?

Once she had urged him to lie flat on his back, Emma smiled sweetly, tucked the bedclothes
gently about his neck, then lay back herself, pulled the covers up to her neck as well,
and sighed.

Amaury lay silently beside her for a moment, then glanced at her curiously. His brides
eyes were closed, a serene smile on her face. Lady Emmalene? he asked uncertainly.

Her eyes fluttered open. Aye?

What are we doing?

Consummating the marriage, Emma whispered with a reassuring smile and closed her eyes once
more.

We are?

Emma frowned at the perplexed tone in his voice. Aye. We are sharing a bed, sleeping
together, lying together.

Amaury groaned as her words tumbled out. His bride, it seemed, was more innocent than he
had thought if she believed this to be consummating the marriage. How was he to tell her...

My lord?

Eyes popping open, he nearly jumped out of the bed when he saw that she had sat up and was
now leaning worriedly over him.

You groaned. Are you in pain? I had heard there could be some pain the first time.

Amaury groaned again and turned his head away. How was he to tell her

A pounding at the door scattered his thoughts to the wind, and Amaury sat up
instinctively, knocking his head with Emmas as he did.

Sorry, he muttered as the pounding sounded again. Is the deed done yet? The question was
called anxiously through the door.

Emma rolled her eyes as she recognized her cousins voice. Truly, this was going too far.
Aye!

Nay!

Emmas head swiveled, her mouth dropping open at Amaurys negative answer. Why would he lie,
she wondered in dismay.

Well, get to it, Rolfe roared impatiently.

Get you back to the celebrations and leave us be! Amaury thundered, then turned to his
wife and sighed. My lady, he began carefully. I fear you have misunderstood... He paused
to frown. You do not seem to... You appear to be a bit lacking in knowledge of what
consummating the marriage entails, he got out finally.

I do? Emma worried her lip uncertainly.

Aye, he announced heavily. There is more to it.

There is? She was definitely anxious now, and Amaury cursed her cousin, the bishop, the
king, and Bertrand, along with her husband, for this situation. Especially her husband.
Had Fulk attended to his duties as he should have

A pounding at the door distracted his thoughts again and Amaury sighed. Damn me! Can a man
not have a little privacy on his wedding night?!

There is a party approaching! It was the bishop this time. We fear it may be Bertrand come
from the King!

Damn! Amaury cursed helplessly, seeing his dreams of owning this castle slipping away. Get
the deed done! Rolfe bellowed. My lord? Emma clutched his bare arm anxiously. Is there
truly more? Aye. He sighed miserably.

Then we must do it, she said firmly, and Amaury turned to her in surprise.

We must?

Aye, my Lord. Of course we must. I cannot allow my people to suffer under the rule of Lord
Bertrands mother. She would misuse them horribly.

Aye, my lady, but

There are no buts, my lord. If there is more, we must do it.

When he simply stared at her in an agony of uncertainty, she twitched the bedclothes away
from her body and began dragging her black gown off.

What are you doing?

I am naive of what is expected, my lord, but I am no fool. You came to this bed nude, so I
must assume that whatever is required necessitates our both being so, else you surely
would not risk a chill. The gown flew over her head as she concluded that statement, and
Amaury was left staring at quite the loveliest chest it had ever been his pleasure to
view. And it was all his, he thought with greedy glee. Then he frowned. It was his if he
could consummate the marriage before

Tis Bertrand! The dismayed bellow shook the door. He is flying like the wind. Do the deed!

Muttering under his breath, Amaury wasted a moment glaring at the door, then turned back
to his bride. My lady. As you said, the first time is usually painful. But not for the man

Prithee, my lord, do not waste our time on niceties. Simply tell me what to do.

He be at the gate! My lady, he be at the gatet

Who the devil is that? Amaury asked with a frown at the new voice.

Sebert, Emma answered with a sigh, then when he looked confused, reminded him, My... our
steward.

What? Have they got everyone out there? he muttered unhappily.

My lord, Emma said impatiently. What do I do?

Amaury turned back to his wife and sighed. You do not seem to realize the pressure

He be in the bailey! This time it was Maudes voice. Even Amaury recognized the voice of
the plain-faced servant who had refused to let him enter the castle on first arriving.

They do have everyone out there, he muttered.

Do the deed! the bishop roared.

Emma could only think that a series of watches were keeping the people outside her bedroom
door up to date.