The Key (14 page)

Duncanhad not seen his wife since the day he had made love to her in the woods. He had
sought her out repeatedly since then, knocking on the chamber door in an effort to lure
his bride away for a bit of houghmagandie . Both times the door had been opened by that
English hag servant of the mother's, and he had been told that Iliana was resting after
spending the night watching over her mother. He was feeling sore neglected and was also
growing worried. It seemed obvious to him that his wee wife was avoiding him, but he could
not understand why. He had thought that their time in the woods would have set a new tone
to their relationship. It had been an incredibly enjoyable interlude for him, and he was
positive she had enjoyed it as much, if not more.

As unfair as it was,Duncanhad discovered long ago that women could find their satisfaction
time and again, while a man was held back by the need for rest between the times when
passion overcame him. And so it had been that day. His wife had stiffened and twisted and
cried out at least half a dozen times in the woods, while he himself had been restricted
by his own body to finding satisfaction only three times. Not that he was complaining.
Those three times had been more than enough to leave him weak in the knees and standing on
shaking legs afterward.

He wanted those weak knees again. Howbeit, his wife was not being the least cooperative.

As he frowned at that thought, the door he had been glaring at suddenly opened and the
focus of his thoughts stepped out and hurried toward the stairs. Stiffening,Duncanwatched
blankly as she hurried out of sight, then he dropped the plank of wood he had been holding
and started after her.

Elginwasn't in the kitchens. Iliana paused in the center of the room and peered at the
empty tables and the fire where workers would normally be busy preparing the evening meal,
perplexed. The kitchen was rarely empty. There was usually at least one person there,
cleaning vegetables or performing some other such chore, but just now that was not the
case.

She had just turned back toward the door, intent on seeking outElginor someone who could
find him for her, when the door swung open andDuncanstrode in. Iliana froze where she
stood, her eyes widening at the sight of him. It was obvious he had been working. His
usual linen shirt was missing, his upper body bare but for various streaks of dirt among
the sweat that glistened there, leaving him with only his plaid hanging about his waist.

The sight of him brought vivid memories back to Iliana, coloring her cheeks with a heat
that was reflected in her eyes as he moved toward her. His purposeful stride as he closed
the distance between them told her that he had followed her here, and not with the
intention of asking how her mother was. Then all thought fled Iliana's mind and she
stepped forward to meet him as he reached for her.

He kissed her with a passion that left her breathless and wanting. When he released her
lips and his mouth began roaming down her cheek, to her neck, she gasped and released a
moan that quickly turned into a groan of dismay. Iliana began struggling in his anus.

Her sudden struggling was enough to bringDuncanback to his senses. They were standing in
the kitchen, for God's sake, and here he was, intent on ravishing her right there on the
floor where anyone might walk in and find them. Cursing, he scooped her up and hurried to
the locked storage closet where the spices and more expensive cooking items were kept.

Pausing There, he set his wife down and slipped the ring of keys that his father'd had
made for her from her waist.

“What do you do?” Iliana asked with bewilderment as he began searching through her keys.

“Shh, sweetling, all will be well,” he muttered, pausing in his search for the key as he
came across one oddly shaped one. Bewilderment crossed his face briefly, then he shrugged
and continued through the ring until he came to the one he sought. Finding it, he quickly
unlocked the storage door and pushed it open, then grabbed his wife's wrist and hurried
through it.

The scent of several spices assailed Iliana's nose as she was tugged into the small
storage space. She could make out marjoram and nutmeg and the earthier smell of stored
vegetables. ThenDuncanpulled the door closed and they were enclosed in darkness.

“What” she began uncertainly, only to fall silent as she found herself tugged into his
embrace again, her mouth being ravaged as he leaned her back against what she suspected,
from the lumps and bumps pressing against her back, was a sack of potatoes.

Duncanwas like a starving man faced with a four-course meal, and all four courses
presented on one plate. His mouth and hands were everywhere, seeming to try to touch and
kiss every part of her at once. His lips were dancing from her mouth to her cheek, to her
ears, to her neck, while his one hand was busy tugging at the neckline of her gown and
alternately delving inside of it for a quick squeeze and feel before returning to tugging.
His other hand was struggling its way up under her skirts, pushing the gown before it as
his leg slid between hers, spreading her own farther apart.

“Husband,” Iliana muttered, only to have her lips covered by his again. She tried to keep
her mouth closed against the invasion, but when he reached and cupped her womanhood, she
gasped in surprise and his tongue slid into her mouth. Her discomfort was forgotten as his
tongue twined around her own, and he finally succeeded at nudging her gown aside enough to
free one breast for his attention. Iliana moaned into his mouth and arched her back as he
began plucking at an immediately erect nipple. Then she felt his other hand spread the
folds of her womanhood to caress her and she clutched convulsively at his shoulders,
gasping in a breath of air as his mouth slipped from hers, dipping down to capture her
exposed nipple.

Unfortunately, it was that gasp that reminded her of what she had noticed in the kitchen
and what had made her struggle there. There was no delicate way to put it. Quite
simply,Duncanstunk. Again.

Her previous excitement slipping away like so much smoke in a breeze, Iliana straightened
as much as she could in his embrace and began to push at his chest.

Frowning at the heel of her palm suddenly pressing into his collarbone,Duncanpushed her
hand away and suckled at her nipple, noting even as he did so that it was becoming soft in
his mouth. Frowning, he applied more attention to the aureole, nibbling at it gently, but
then his wife's hand was again pressing into his collarbone.

“What?” Straightening away from her, he tried to peer at her face in the dim light seeping
under the door, but it was not enough for him to see her expression. “Why, sweetling,
don't fret so. We'll not be found in here.”

“Aye, well,” Iliana murmured uncomfortably, resisting being pulled back into his embrace
when he tried to tug her against him again. “ Tis not so much that, my lord. But” She
floundered briefly, not wishing to

anger him by stating the problem, then latched onto the only real excuse she had to offer.
“Mama is awake and hungry, and I actually came below to fetch her some broth or”

“Well, we'll make it a quick one then, shall we?” he murmured seductively, bending
slightly to catch the hem of her skirt and begin sliding it up her legs, his fingers
brushing over the suddenly tingling flesh of her calves as he did.

Iliana gasped in surprise at the warmth that suddenly pooled in the pit of her belly as
his hands slid the length of her legs, then moaned aloud as she smelled what she had
inhaled in that gasp. It had been bad enough in the kitchen, a wide open area with the
scent of tonight's supper simmering on the air, but in this enclosed space, his scent
seemed to outweigh the smell of even the spices that surrounded them. All she could smell
was

“Horse dung.”

Duncanstilled at that, his hands clasping her thighs beneath her skirt. “What?”

“I You have been working with the horses?” she asked carefully.

“Aye.” She heard rather than saw his surprise at her guess. “I was helpni' in the stables
early this mom. One of the mare's was havin' difficulty foaling and needed a wee hand
gettin' the foal out.” "

Iliana groaned aloud at that. She knew what he had been doing to help out. He had knelt in
the straw in the stable, reached inside the animal, grabbed the foal by the legs, and
pulled the poor wee beast out of its mother, getting himself covered in blood and muck
while he was at it. Then he had most likely wiped himself off with a rag and moved on to
hammering away upstairs without ever even considering bathing. In fact, she would bet her
life that he had not thought to bathe at all since the day she had fallen in the dung
nearly a week before. Day by day he had worked at building the new rooms he wished to add,
becoming coated in sweat, dust, and dirt, and never once thought of cleaning up. 'Twas no
wonder he smelled like the stables. Actually, worse than the stables.

“How did ye ken?” Iliana sighed at his question. “I could smell it.” He went completely
stiff at that.

Sensing his anger, she stepped to the right and felt for the door. Light splayed across
both of them as she tugged it open. Wincing at the fury on her husband's face, Iliana
decided that, in this instance, retreat might be the better part of valor, and hurried out
into the kitchen, nearly running right over a startledElgin.

“My apologies,” she muttered, attempting to hurry past him.

“Wife!”

She did not need to turn around to see that her husband was storming after her. She could
hear the thud of his footfalls as he crashed after her. Iliana immediately put on a bit of
speed, running for the door. Unfortunately, in her hurry, she didn't notice the fact that
her father-in-law was in the room until she collided with him, nearly sending them both
crashing to the floor.

Gasping as the seniorDunbarcaught her to his chest to steady her, Iliana glanced up into
his face and

flushed brightly. “Oh, my lord. I er I was just My mother is awake and hungry,” she
babbled nervously, taking a step back from his hold. “I thought to fetch her a bowl of
broth and”

“And me randy bull o' a son jumped ye again,” Angus finished for her heavily, reaching out
to tug at her gown.

Eyes drawn downward, Iliana saw with some embarrassment that her gown was still out of
place, leaving the better portion of one breast in plain view.Flushingbrightly, she took
over the task of straightening her gown.

“Get ye upstairs, lass, and sit with yer mother.Elgin'll bring some broth to ye. I've a
word or two to say to me son.”

Nodding with relief, Iliana slipped past him and out of the room, ignoringDuncan's
shouting of her name even as his father began to speak to him.

“Do you not think you have hidden up here long enough?”

Iliana glanced up warily from the chessboard between her and her mother. “What do you
mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean.”

Shifting uncomfortably under the older woman's keen gaze, she turned back to the game. “I
have not been hiding.”

“Nay.” The dryness of Lady Wildwood's tone was known well by her daughter.

“Nay,” Iliana insisted impatiently. “Check.”

“I suppose you have been here day and night for the last week out of filial devotion?”

“Of course.”

“Hmm.” Shaking her head. Lady Wildwood took her own turn at the game “Checkmate.”

Iliana blinked at the board. Her mother had turned the game with one simple and almost
impossible move. Sighing, she sat back and peered at her irritably. “You have not been
well.”

“Nay. I have not.” “I thought you would appreciate the company.” When her mother merely
stared at her, Iliana glanced away uncomfortably. “All is not well with your husband.” It
was an accusation and Iliana sighed as she shrugged. "Well enough, Mother. How well would
you expect? We are newly married. Still getting to know each

other."

“Aye. Well, it seems to me 'tis hard to get to know someone should you not spend any time
with him.”

When her daughter merely stared stubbornly at the chessboard and did not answer. Lady
Wildwood lifted the game from her lap, where it had rested, and set it aside.

“What are you doing?” Iliana asked in dismay, hurrying around the bed to stop her when she
folded the blankets back and shifted her legs to the floor. “You cannot get up. Mother,
you are still too weak.”

“I will not get any stronger lying about on my back,” was Lady Wildwood's pragmatic
answer. “ 'Sides, I believe 'tis time I met my son-in-law.”

“Nay. If you wish to meet him, I will send Ebba to ask him to come to see you. But under
no circumstances are you going to get out of that bed. You have been far too ill and are
still weak.”

“Ebba?”

“My lady!” The maid's eyes were wide as she hurried across the great hall toward her. “You
are out and about.”

Iliana grimaced at the words. “Aye. My mother has decided to join the table for sup. She
would like a bath and...” Her voice trailed away as a burst of laughter drew her gaze to
Lord Angus and several other men seated at the trestle table.Duncanwas nowhere in sight,
nor was there a single female present, yet every place at the tables was filled, and
several men were left to stand about, chatting with the others. Iliana had never seen so
many men within the keep walls.

Not even when the men had been working on the new rooms. “What goes on here?”

“Lady Seonaid's betrothed was here.”

“Lord Sherwell?” Iliana's eyebrows rose when her maid nodded. Ebba had told her nearly two
weeks ago that the other woman had fled the keep to avoid her marriage. Seonaid had run
off the day after Iliana's mother had arrived Her maid had also informed her that men had
been sent to track Seonaid. They had returned with the news that the girl had fled to St.
Simmian's, a nunnery to the north. Iliana's only reaction to that information had been to
wonder why she herself had not been that clever. Now her eyes moved over the laughing men
around the table, pausing and widening slightly at the sight of Lord Angus in a fine gold
doublet. “What”

“Tis Lord Sherwell's,” Ebba interrupted to inform her, having followed her gaze. “Lord
Sherwell wished Lord Dunbar's plaid, so Lord Angus insisted he must trade his own clothes
for them.”

“Why did Lord Sherwell wish for Lord Dunbar's plaid?”

“To prove he was a friend to theDunbars. 'Twill see him safely through those lands
friendly to the Dunbarsdoes he wearDunbarcolors.”

“Really?” she asked with interest, then pushed such thoughts aside as the sight
ofElgincoming out of the kitchen reminded her of her purpose in being downstairs. “My
mother wishes to come below for sup this evening.” She paused to grimace at Ebba's
expression and nodded. "I know. I have told her she should rest, but she will not listen.
Mayhap if her leg had truly been broken as we first suspected, she would

have the sense to stay abed, but as it is she wishes a bath to prepare.“ ”I shall see to
it," Ebba answered.

Murmuring her thanks, Iliana turned to hurry back upstairs. She had been anxious about
leaving it in the first place, but on finding the hallway empty of men had warily braved
going below to search out Ebba. The hallway had been empty these past two days. The three
roomsDuncanhad planned on adding were done. The upper floor now boasted six rooms, a
hallway twice its original size, and a new railing. Iliana had yet to see these added
rooms but was too wary of running intoDuncanto explore them, so she hurried back to her
mother to assist her with her bath and dressing.

“You are fortunate, daughter; your cook is excellent. I do not believe Jean-Claude could
have made this meal better.” Lady Wildwood's words were deliberately said loud enough
forElginto hear. As expected, he puffed up under the verbal petting, pride swelling him so
that he fairly beamed at one and all around the trestle tables.

The meal had gone pleasantly enough.Elginhad made the finest meal Iliana had enjoyed
atDunbarto date. Lord Angus, wearing Lord Sherwell's fine new doublet and braies, had been
making an effort all evening to make her mother feel comfortable and welcome. He had even
gone so far as to flirt shamelessly with her throughout the meal. Iliana supposed she
should not be surprised. Even with fading bruises marring her hands, arms, face, and neck,
her mother was an attractive woman. Noting the blush his behavior had brought to her
mother's cheeks and her shy smiles, Iliana had almost jumped up and kissed Angus's
wrinkled old cheek in gratitude. Her mother had been so frighteningly pale ever since her
arrival that the ribbons of color on each cheek were a relief, and Iliana had relaxed and
listened idly to the conversation her mother shared with Duncan and Angus, both of whom
sat on her mother's right. Iliana had organized those seating arrangements.

When she and her mother had come below to sup, it was to find everyone else already at
table.Duncan had been seated between his father and his cousin, Allistair, but all of his
attention had been focused on his father as the older man spoke to him. Only Allistair had
seemed to notice their arrival. TheDunbar warrior had immediately urged the men to slide
along the bench, following the action himself, to make room between himself and Duncan.

Not having seen her husband since the incident in the storage room, she had not been eager
to face him. Stepping quickly forward, Iliana had dropped onto the bench next to
Allistair, forcing her mother to take the space next toDuncan. She had spent the meal
seemingly completely absorbed in her food but had really been listening to the
conversation around her.

Once again, listening in on conversations between her husband and someone else had shown
her another side to the man she tended to think of as a great stinking bear.Duncan's every
action and word toward her mother had been gentle and polite. In truth, his behavior was
almost chivalrous. He had also talked with her mother more openly than he had ever seemed
to do with her, telling of his plans for the keep and listing what was already
accomplished. The upstairs rooms were not only finished being built, all but one were
furnished as well. She had also learned that the men had immediately turned their efforts
back to the wall, and that was nearly done as well. Then, too, she had learned why there
suddenly seemed so many more men in the keep. It seemed that several of the men had been
off on a mercenary expedition, but were now finished and returned home. With the crowds
that now filled the keep, Iliana could well understand her husband's desperation to
enlargeDunbar.

“You shall have your room back tonight.”

Iliana stiffened at her mother's words, her own thoughts flying to the four winds. “What?”
she asked, grabbing desperately at her arm when the woman turned away to gesture for her
maid to approach.

Glancing back. Lady Wildwood frowned slightly at Iliana's obvious dismay, but nodded. “Now
that I know that your husband has gone to the trouble of building extra rooms, it seems
only right that I use one.”

“But” Iliana paused when her mother reached out to caress her cheek gently.

“Do not fret, child. He seems to be a good man. All will be well.” Her mother kissed her
gently on the cheek, then turned toward her maid. “I am ready to retire, Gertie.”

“Aye, my lady.”

Iliana continued to sit where she was as her mother's maid helped her to rise, until she
took a step away from the bench, leaving a clear view of her husband.Duncanmet her gaze,
the expression in his eyes and the smile on his face telling her that he had overheard her
mother's words.

Rising abruptly, she stepped over the bench after her mother. “I shall help you,” she
announced nervously, sliding her hand beneath her elbow to take some of her weight.

Duncanpaused outside the door to the bedchamber and took a deep breath. Hard as it was to
accept, he was nervous. It had been so long since he had held his wife in his arms... And
then there was her reaction to him in the storeroom. Shrugging such thoughts away, he
straightened his shoulders and opened the door.

The room was semi-dark, lit only by the glowing embers in the fireplace. By the dim light
they cast, Duncancould just make out his wife's form in the bed. Easing the door closed,
he moved uncertainly toward the bed.

Iliana was already asleep. Or pretending to be. He supposed he should not have expected
anything else. A hearty welcome would have been too much to hope for after the way she had
avoided him these many days. Sighing, he shrugged out of his plaid and quickly lifted his
shirt off over his head, dropping both items to the floor. He then lifted the linens to
crawl into bed, only to freeze and stare at his wife beneath the sheet. She wore her
undertunic, which was not unusual she often wore that to bed or had when refusing him his
rights. It was the bulky outline of the chastity belt that made him stiffen.

“Ye've got it back on.”

Iliana sighed at the tone of his voice and gave up all attempts at feigning sleep. Opening
her eyes, she peered at him unhappily. “Tis sorry I am, husband, but”

“Sorry? Nay, yer not sorry.” Glaring at her irately, he let the linen drop back to cover
her with disgust. “Yer cold. Yer one o' those women I have heard about who don't enjoy the
mating and will do anything to avoid it.”

“Nay!” Iliana denied at once, grabbing at his hand when he turned to move away. “I doenjoy
it. Truly,” she assured him when he sneered at the claim, then added, “Truly I do, but I
find I cannot enjoy it when your scent is so foul that it distracts from the pleasure you
give me. Could you not just bathe and...” Her voice trailed away to silence as he tugged
his arm free.

“Aye, ye would like that, would ye not? Do I bathe, surely ye will favor me with yer
attentions,” he sneered. "Well, I will remind ye once again, wife, that 'tis yer duty to
submit to me. Ye are denying me a

husband's rights, which gives me every right to put ye aside."

Iliana stilled at that threat, and he gave a harsh laugh.

“What is the matter? Surely ye don't care? Nay, of course not. Did ye care, ye wouldn't
refuse me yer favors.”

When Iliana merely stared at him silently, he turned away in disgust. “Worry no more. I'll
not sully yer precious linens with my foul smell. I'll take mesel' off to a more welcoming
bed.”

Iliana stared blankly at the door as it closed behind him, his words repeating themselves
in her head.A more welcoming bed Did he intend to seek his pleasure elsewhere? Her eyes
narrowed at the very thought, anger welling up within her at the idea of his sharing the
passion and intimacy they had experienced with someone else. Teeth snapping together,
Iliana pushed the linens aside and got to her feet, only to pause.

Shehad refused him. Did she wish him back in her bed as he was? Iliana shifted
uncomfortably. She did not care for his stench. Could she put up with it to keep him from
straying?

The years ahead rolled out in her mind,Duncancoming to her after a day of hard labor, his
body slick with sweat, glistening in the firelight. He would shrug his plaid to the floor,
then his shirt. Shadows from the fire would dance across his wide chest and strong legs as
he moved toward her, took her in his arms, and... she would catch a whiff of him.

Groaning, Iliana crawled unhappily back into bed. While the idea of his seeking his
pleasure in another bed was most distressing, the idea of being forced to welcome him into
her own when he smelled of the stables was really no better.

“Yer a buxom wench, Kelly.”Duncanaddressed the enormous breasts that floated before his
eyes. They were bulging out of the top of the low-cut gown that bound them. Thinking they
meant to attempt escape at any moment, he reached out to push them down, back into their
strappings. But the movement unbalanced him somewhat, and he ended up grabbing one of the
massive mammaries though the gown that covered it and holding on as he swayed where he sat.

I'mdrunk, he realized with dismay, then decided it didn't matter and raised the nearly
empty pitcher in his other hand to his moutli and gulped the last of the liquid down.

“That's enough, that is.” Grabbing the pitcher from him, Kelly set it on the small table
next to the bed whereDuncansat. When he scowled at the loss, she laughed slightly and took
his empty hand, placing it against her other breast. “Ye've been a naughty man, me laird,
not comin' to see me fer so long. Kelly's missed ye.”

“Aye, well, I've been busy.”Duncan's head lolled forward, landing between her generous
breasts.

“Aye, with yer English wife.” The woman pouted, but whenDuncandid not raise his head to
see it, she frowned slightly and tugged his head back. Her lips tightened when she saw
that his eyes were closed and he appeared on the verge of sleep. “Yer in yer cups, ye are.”