She turned the mirror over and looked at her face.

Madelyne screamed.

Duncan laughed.

"I do look like a Cyclops," she shouted. She dropped the mirror and began to pull her hair forward over the injured side of her face. "How can you stand to kiss me?" she asked. "I've a black circle around my eye and…"

She sounded like she was wailing. Duncan 's smile faded when he leaned forward. With the palm of his hand he forced her chin up to make her look at him. His expression was most serious now. "Because I love you, Madelyne. You're everything I've ever wanted, and much, much more. Do you think a bruise or two could sway my heart? Do you believe my love could be so shallow?"

Madelyne shook her head. She slowly edged the blanket away and then stood up next to her husband.

She wasn't shy with him anymore. Duncan loved her. That was all that mattered.

"I would like to go to your lake now, Duncan. But we better hurry, before I begin to beg you to make love to me."

Duncan cupped her chin with his hands and kissed her. "Oh, I am going to love you, Madelyne."

She was warmed by the promise and the dark look in his eyes. She heard herself sigh, felt a warm knot in her stomach begin to spread inside of her.

Duncan wrapped the cloak around her, lifted her into his arms, and carried her out of their room.

They didn't encounter anyone on their route to the lake. Duncan was right, too, for the moon wasn't bright tonight

Duncan took her to the far side of the lake. Madelyne tested the water with her toes, declared it was too cold.

He told her to suffer through it She stood next to Duncan, her cloak held around her in a firm grip while she watched him casually strip out of his clothes.

Duncan made a clean dive into the water. Madelyne sat down on the bank, then edged into the water. She would have taken her cloak with her had Duncan allowed it. Her husband surfaced next to her, jerked the cloak out of her hands, and tossed it onto the grass.

The water took a few minutes to get used to. It was such an erotic feeling to swim without a stitch of clothing. Madelyne felt quite wanton, told Duncan so, admitting shyly that it was a pleasant sensation.

Madelyne hurried through her bath. She washed her hair and rinsed it by dunking herself under the water. When she surfaced a third time, Duncan was standing in front of her.

He was only going to talk to her, but Madelyne was smiling up at him with such a bewitching look in her eyes. The water lapped against her breasts. The nipples were hard, beckoning him. His hands covered them.

She leaned into him, tilted her head back for his kiss. It was a temptation he didn't want to resist. Duncan took her mouth hungrily. His tongue thrust into her mouth. Wet. Wild. So predictably undisciplined.

Duncan would have allowed only the one kiss, then carried her back to their chambers to make love to her, but Madelyne's stomach rubbed against him then and her hands boldly moved into the water to capture his arousal.

Duncan wrapped his arms around her, roughly pulling her up against him. The kiss deepened, became consuming.

She was as rough as he was. Her hands moved to his shoulders, stroking him wild. Duncan lifted her higher, until her breasts were rubbing against his chest. Her legs moved restlessly against him. Her sweet whimper of longing drove him wild.

He whispered instructions to her, his voice gruff with need. When Madelyne wrapped her legs around his thighs, he entered her slowly, cautiously, thoroughly.

She pushed against him, demanded with her fingernails. " Duncan," she begged.

He kissed her temple. "I'm trying to be gentle with you, Madelyne," he whispered, sounding hoarse.

"Later, Duncan," Madelyne moaned. "Be gentle later."

Duncan gave in to his need. He was forceful, giving her as much pleasure as she gave him. When he felt Madelyne arch against him in fulfillment, he covered her mouth to catch her moans. His seed filled her and he clung to her as the tremor of bliss exploded.

Madelyne sagged against him, weak with satisfaction. Her breath warmed his neck. Duncan smiled with arrogant pleasure. "You are a wild woman, Madelyne."

She laughed, delighted with his compliment, until she remembered where they were. "Good Lord, Duncan. Do you think anyone saw us?"

She sounded so appalled. She buried her face into the crook of his neck. Duncan chuckled. "Love, no one saw us," he whispered.

"You're certain?"

"Of course, the light isn't sufficient."

"Thank God for that," Madelyne answered.

She was thoroughly relieved, until Duncan spoke again. "You did make enough noise to wake the dead though. You're a moaner, my love. The hotter you get, the louder your moans."

"Oh, God." Madelyne tried to sink under the water. Duncan wouldn't let her. He laughed a husky deep sensual sound, and then continued to tease. "I'm not complaining, sweetheart. As long as your fire is for me, I'll let you moan all you want."

Just when she was about to tell him how sinfully arrogant he sounded, Duncan deliberately fell backward. She had time only to hold her breath.

He kissed her again, under the water. She pinched him when she needed new air.

Madelyne didn't know how to play in the water. When Duncan splashed her, she took immediate offense. He had to tell her to splash him back. She thought it a silly game to try to drown each other, but she was laughing by the time she finished her comment, and trying to overturn him by nudging him with her foot.

She was the one who lost her footing. When Duncan pulled her up, she was sputtering, coughing, and trying to lecture him at the same time.

They stayed in the lake for almost an hour. Duncan taught her how to swim properly, though he'd begun his instructions by insulting her. "You look like you're about to drown when you swim."

She wasn't too offended, even kissed him to let him know her feelings weren't injured.

When Duncan finally carried her back to their bedroom, Madelyne was exhausted.

Duncan, however, was in the mood to talk. He was in bed, his hands folded behind his head, watching his wife brush her hair. Both were naked, and neither was shy about it.

"Madelyne, I've been invited to speak to my king," Duncan commented. He kept his voice controlled, trying to give Madelyne the impression he was bored with the request. "That is where I'm going tomorrow."

"Invited?" The brush was discarded when Madelyne turned to frown at Duncan.

"A summons then," Duncan admitted. "I would have told you sooner, but I didn't want you to worry."

"I'm in the middle of this, aren't I? Duncan, I won't be ignored or pushed aside. I've a right to know what is happening."

"I've neither ignored you nor pushed you aside," Duncan answered. "I was only trying to protect you."

"Will it be dangerous?" He wasn't given time to answer her. "Of course it will be dangerous. When do we leave?"

"We don't leave. You're staying here. It will be safer for you."

She looked ready to argue. Duncan shook his head and said, "If I have to worry about you, my concentration will be compromised. My mind is made up, Madelyne. You're staying here."

"And will you come back to me?"

He was surprised by her question. "Of course."

"When?"

"I don't know how long this will take, Madelyne."

"Weeks, months, years?"

He saw the fear in her eyes, remembered the time she'd been ignored by her family. Duncan pulled Madelyne on top of him. He kissed her. "I'll always come back to you, Madelyne. You're my wife, for God's sake."

"Your wife," Madelyne whispered. "Whenever I become frightened, or begin to fret about the future, I remember that I'm bound to you." Duncan smiled. She didn't look frightened any longer. "If you get yourself killed, I'll find your grave and spit on it," she threatened.