"Are you upset with me for not telling you sooner?"

Duncan shook his head. A sudden thought occurred to him then. "Morcar is the man you wanted to kill, isn't he?"

Madelyne frowned. "You told me you were going to kill a man. Remember? It was Morcar you meant, wasn't it?"

She nodded. "I couldn't let him get away with his treachery, yet I was honor bound to keep Adela's secret," she whispered. " Duncan, I didn't know what to do. It is God's duty to see to sinners. I know that well enough. And I shouldn't want to kill him. I do, though, God help me, I do."

Duncan pulled her into his lap. He held her tenderly. He understood his gentle wife's torment.

Each lapsed into silence for several minutes. Madelyne was worrying about Gerald. Would he leave now or would he continue to pursue Adela?

Duncan used the time to gain control of his emotions. He didn't blame Adela for her infatuation with Louddon. His sister was such an innocent, she couldn't be faulted. But Louddon had deliberately preyed on that innocence.

"I'll take care of Morcar," Duncan said to Madelyne.

"You will not."

It was Gerald who bellowed the denial. Both Madelyne and Duncan watched Gerald rush over to stand in front of them. His anger was most evident. He was shaking with it. "Ill kill him, and you as well, Duncan, if you dare deny me this right."

Madelyne gasped. She looked up at Duncan. His expression didn't tell her if he was insulted or angry.

Duncan stared at Gerald a long moment. Then he slowly nodded. "Aye, Gerald, it is your right. I'll stand behind you when you challenge him."

"As I'll stand behind you when you challenge Louddon," Gerald answered.

The fight went out of Gerald then. He sat down in the chair facing Duncan.

"Madelyne? Would you please tell Adela I'd like to speak to her?"

Madelyne nodded. She hurried to comply but had worried herself sick before she reached Adela's bedroom. She still didn't know what Gerald was going to do.

Adela had already made up her mind Gerald was going to leave her. "It's all for the best," she told Madelyne between sobs. "Kissing is one thing, but that is all I could ever allow. I could never let him come to my bed."

"You don't know if you could or couldn't," Madelyne returned. "Adela, it won't be easy but Gerald is a patient man."

"It doesn't matter," Adela said. "He's going to leave me."

Adela was wrong. Gerald was waiting for her at the bottom of the steps. Without saying a word, he took hold of her arm and led her down the next staircase.

Duncan walked over to Madelyne and lifted her up into his arms. "You look exhausted, wife. 'Tis time for bed."

"I'd better wait until Adela comes back. She might need me," Madelyne protested when Duncan started up the steps.

"I need you now, Madelyne. Gerald will take care of Adela."

She nodded. "Madelyne, I have to leave you tomorrow. It will be for a short time only," he added before she could interrupt.

"Where are you going?" she asked. "Do you have important matters to attend to?" she asked then, trying her best to sound interested and not disappointed. She couldn't expect him to spend every minute with her. Duncan was an important man, after ail.

"I do have a matter that calls for attention," Duncan answered, deliberately keeping his explanation to a minimum. Madelyne had been through enough torment today. Duncan didn't want to add another worry, and he knew if he told her about the king's petition tonight, she wouldn't get any rest

Maude was just coming down the steps when Duncan turned the corner. She said she'd see to the baroness's bath right away, but Duncan shook his head. He told Maude he'd take care of the task.

Maude made a curtsy. "Maude, your son has done a courageous thing today."

The woman beamed. She'd already heard all about her son's brave act. The lad had made his parents proud. Why, he saved the baroness's life.

"I'll have to think of a suitable reward for such bravery," Duncan said.

Maude looked too overwhelmed to speak. She made another curtsy, then stammered out her gratitude. "I do thank you, milord. My Willie took a fancy to the baroness. He's a bit of a nuisance, running after her all the time, but she don't seem to mind it and always has a kind word for my boy."

"He's an intelligent lad," Duncan said in praise.

His flattery, an unusual event to be sure, added to the fact that he was actually speaking to her, made Maude feel giddy. She thanked her lord again, picked up her skirts, and went flying down the steps. Gerty would be wanting to hear this tale to be sure. Maude was bent on being the first to tell

Madelyne brushed her hand against her husband's cheek. "You're a good man, Duncan," she whispered to him. " 'Tis yet another reason I love you so much."

Duncan shrugged, forcing Madelyne to grab hold of his shoulders to keep her balance. "I do only my duty," he commented. Madelyne smiled. She thought her husband was as awkward with praise as Maude appeared to be.

"I've been denied my bath," she said, teasing him. "Perhaps I'll swim in your lake. What say you to that?" she added.

"I say it's a good plan, wife. I will swim with you."

"I was only teasing you," Madelyne rushed out. "I don't want to swim in your lake."

She shivered. "When I was little, I jumped into the pond. It wasn't deep, and I did know how to swim, you understand. But my toes squished in the mud and my gown weighed ten stone, at least, before I could drag myself out. Why, I needed another bath then and there. Mud was even caked in my hair."

Duncan laughed. "First of all, my lake has a rock bottom in most places," he said. "And you aren't supposed to swim with your clothes on, Madelyne. I'm surprised you didn't drown."

She didn't look too convinced of the merits of his lake. "The water is clear. You can almost see to the bottom," Duncan told her.

They reached their bedroom. Madelyne was undressed and waiting for Duncan in their bed before her husband had removed his tunic.

"You don't want to swim with me?" he asked her with a grin.

"No," Madelyne said. "There are soldiers outside. Good Lord, Gerald and Adela are outside too. It wouldn't be decent to parade in front of them without my clothes on. Whatever could you be thinking of, Duncan, to suggest such-"

"Madelyne, no one goes to the lake at night. Besides, the moon isn't bright enough to-"

She interrupted him with a startled gasp. " Duncan, what are you doing?"

It was obvious even to her, Duncan was standing next to the bed, holding her cloak up. "Wrap yourself in this. I'll carry you to the lake," he suggested.

Madelyne nibbled on her lip in indecision. She really did want to swim. It was hot and sticky tonight. Yet the thought of being seen by anyone was a worry to be considered.

Duncan patiently waited for Madelyne to make her choice. He thought she looked terribly appealing right now. Only a thin blanket covered her, and the tips of her breasts were nicely revealed.

"You said I looked exhausted," Madelyne stalled. "Perhaps…"

"I lied."

"'Tis a sin to lie to me," Madelyne commented. She pulled the blanket up, holding it like a shield against him. "My soap is in your chest," she told him.

Madelyne thought to send him on an errand so she could wrap the cloak around her in privacy. She still wasn't used to parading around him naked.

Duncan grinned. He walked over to the chest to get the soap. Madelyne tried to grab her cloak before he turned, but she wasn't quick enough.

Her husband returned to the side of the bed. Her cloak was draped over his arm. The packet of soap was in one hand and a small circular mirror in the other.

He handed the mirror to Madelyne. "You've a black eye to match the one you gave Edmond," he remarked.

"I never gave Edmond a black eye," Madelyne protested. "You're teasing me."