Willa was sure she was about to die. She glanced wildly around for Hugh's sword, her heart sinking when she saw it lying out of reach beside Alsneta's prone body. She was helpless to save herself.

Willa turned her gaze back to Gawain. He stood, legs braced, raising the sword he held. Willa tensed as he prepared to bring it down on her. When the sword began to swing down, she rolled quickly out of the way. Dirt and leaves flew up in her face as the sword slammed into the ground mere inches from her head.

Gritting her teeth, she shifted to her hands and knees. Willa startled to scuttle away, but Gawain stepped on the hem of her gown, bringing her to an abrupt halt. She rose up then, and whirled to face him on her knees. If she could not escape her fate, she would face it. Willa would not die from a sword wound to the back. If Gawain wished her dead, it would be a frontal blow. She hoped her face haunted him through eternity.

Gawain hesitated the briefest second, and that was all it took to save her life. In the next moment a furious roar filled the air. Sure it was Hugh's voice she recognized, Willa sagged with relief as her would-be assassin turned to face the charging man. It was only then that she saw it wasn't Hugh who had issued that deep, feral growl. Much to her amazement, the man now battling Gawain was Jollivet.

She sat still, gaping at this turn of events. Shock held her in place as the clash of swords rang out; then a moan from Alsneta drew her attention. Still on her knees, Willa crawled the few feet that separated them.

"Alsneta?" she whispered. Her gaze moved over the cook's wound and Willa's heart lodged in her throat. The cook's shoulder had been cleaved midway between neck and arm. The slice went deep. Willa knew she would not live, but began trying to save her anyway.

"Willa?" Alsneta's eyes opened as Willa began applying pressure to the injury.

Willa tried to smile, but knew it was a miserable attempt. "Hush," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Do not speak. Save your strength."

"There is nothing to save it for," the woman breathed. "I am dying."

"Nay, you - "

"Aye. Leave off that. You are only hurting me and 'tis of no use."

Willa hesitated, then gave up trying to staunch the flow of blood. It hadn't been working anyway; even using both hands, she hadn't been able to stop the blood from oozing out. When Alsneta's good hand fluttered weakly, Willa obeyed the silent demand and grasped it tightly in her own. "You saved me."

"Aye." It was a slow exhalation. "As I walked around the side of the castle, I glanced back and saw Gawain skulking on the edge of the apple trees. I knew he was up to no good. I thought I had best follow. At first, I thought he was just going to spy on the two of you. Which would have been bad enough," she said with disgust and shook her head. "I waited, intending to reprimand him once you two left and would not be embarrassed by his actions." She paused to take another breath, the air rattling in her chest. "But then he charged you and I knew he was the one behind all the trouble. He and that no-good friend of his, Uldrick."

"Uldrick?" Willa queried.

"Aye. He went missing about the same time as that man was killed by your wolves. I didn't recognize him with his face all chewed up, but he was about the right size and coloring. It must have been Uldrick. He and Gawain must have been working for Garrod. I couldn't let him kill you. That bastard had already taken my Luvvy." She let her breath out on a slow wheeze.

"Thank you for my life," Willa said. The words seemed paltry in comparison to Alsneta's sacrifice. She had given her life for Willa, a child she had loved, and a woman she had hated, however briefly.

"I wish - " Willa began, then winced as Alsneta squeezed her hand with sudden strength.

"Nay. Do not take my death on your shoulders, as well," she snapped. "You are not to blame. You were not to blame for Luvena, either. I was wrong. I was taken by surprise and mad in my reawakened grief."

"But if I had not wished to go out that day - " Willa began sorrowfully.

"Whose idea was it the first time? The very first time the two of you sneaked out?"

Willa blinked at the question, then reluctantly admitted, "Luvena's."

"Aye." Alsneta's clasp on Willa's hand eased again. "I thought as much. I knew my girl. You rarely challenged Lord Richard's authority, but my girl..." She released a shuddering breath. " 'Twas no more your fault than 'twas hers. 'Twas fate and that bastard father of yours."

"Oh, Alsneta." Willa bit her lip as the woman's eyes focused on her. A frown creased her face.

"Do not cry for me, child. I am going to be with my Luvena, my little Luvvy." She smiled wearily. Her voice was growing weaker as her life's blood slipped out. "And I am ready for it. A mother shouldn't live to see her child die. 'Tisn't right. It makes her bitter and old before her time."

Feeling the tears running down her face, Willa turned her head and lifted her arm to rub them away with the sleeve of her gown.

"Willa?"

She turned back to see a worried look on Alsneta's face. "Aye? What is it?"

"You do not think - Do you think God will forgive me for trying to poison you?"

Reading the sudden fear in her eyes, Willa was quick to reassure her. "Aye, Alsneta. You saved my life. Surely that makes up for it. God will forgive you. You will be with Luvena."

The woman released a breath of relief and her eyes began to wander, the light in them fading. "Aye. I have... missed her. She was... my little sun..."

"Sunshine," Willa finished for her on a sob, as the life slipped soundlessly from Alsneta's body. Sunshine. It was a phrase that echoed in her memory. "You're my little Sunshine." Alsneta often had said that to Luvena as she hugged her in greeting when the two girls had come into the kitchens in search of sweets. "You're my little Sunshine, Luv."

Willa sat holding her hand until it began to grow cool in her own, then laid it gently on Alsneta's unmoving chest. She sank back on her haunches, feeling suddenly limp. Something hard was pressing into her shins, but it took her a moment to investigate. Shifting to the side, she stared at Hugh's great sword.

God had left her a weapon, but Willa had been too weak to use it. Now Alsneta was dead. She grasped the handle and lifted the sword until it stood before her. It reached higher than she did on her knees. Grasping the handles, she used it to get to her feet.

"Damn me! He ruined my best doublet."

Willa turned at that exasperated comment to see that Jollivet had dispatched Gawain. He was now standing beside the taster's prone body, examining the tear in his doublet with irritation. Letting it go, he shrugged and smiled at her as he started forward. "Ah well, better the doublet than my hide. Can Alsneta walk or shall I go fetch Ead - Jesu!"

Jollivet stopped dead as he spotted the death blow that had felled the cook. He knelt quickly at her side, checking for signs of life that obviously weren't there.

"Hugh!" Lucan crossed the great hall toward him as Hugh jogged down the last of the steps leading to the upper chambers. He'd rushed back into the castle, chasing after Willa. He'd passed through the kitchens, then the great hall, ignoring Lucan's shout as he'd run up the stairs.

It had occurred to him that just moments ago he'd been the one angry and she the one in the wrong. The tables had turned, however. And all because he could not control his lust around her.

To be fair, Willa had not helped matters. In fact, she'd deliberately incited his passions, undoubtedly to distract him. And she'd done a damned fine job of it. Just the memory of her kneeling before him and taking his erection into her mouth was enough to reawaken the passion he'd just spent. Perhaps he could offer his wife more than apologies to ease her frustrations. Then he'd opened the bedchamber door to find their room empty. She'd not returned to their chamber as he'd assumed.

After a brief glance into his uncle's chamber to see that she'd not returned there, he'd started back down the stairs. Now, as he reached the bottom step where Lucan awaited him, he forestalled whatever the man would have said by demanding, "Where is my wife?"

Lucan appeared surprised at the question. "She was outside with you, last I saw."

"Aye. But she came back in... did she not?" he asked with a little less certainty.

"Nay. She did not come through the great hall, and Lord Wynekyn and I have been sitting here since I found the two of you outside."

"God's teeth!" Hugh exploded with exasperation. The woman would drive him mad. She had no difficulty obeying Eada, or his uncle when he'd still lived. Why could she not obey him, just a little? From the first time they had met, she had seemed to be forever slipping out of his presence, or sneaking away from his guard.

"What happened?" Lucan asked.

"We had a... er... disagreement," Hugh told him evasively, starting for the doors to the kitchens. "She stalked off. I thought she had returned inside. Obviously I thought wrong. She must still be out in the garden."

"Oh." Lucan was following him. "What was the disagreement about?"

"None of your - "

"Damn business," Lucan finished with a laugh that grated on Hugh's nerves. "Never mind. I can guess."

Hugh grunted at that as he pushed through the kitchen door. "So you think."

"You think not?" Lucan asked with an amusement that made Hugh scowl. Then he asked, "Where is your sword belt?"

Hugh glanced down sharply, his hand reaching automatically for his waist. When he felt nothing but his untucked tunic, he stopped dead in the center of the kitchen and cursed more volubly. Lucan merely laughed and sauntered to the door leading out into the gardens. Pushing it open, he gestured with one hand for Hugh to lead the way. His friend had a far too confident smirk on his face, Hugh decided as he stormed past him.

He'd barely taken more than a half dozen steps when Jollivet came racing out of the trees. Hugh took one look at his cousin's face and rushed to meet him. "What is it? What has happened?"

Out of breath, Jollivet grabbed Hugh's arm with one hand, gesturing back the way he'd come with the other, and panted, "Gawain attacked Willa!"

Hugh didn't wait to hear more. Bursting into a run, he raced toward the trees. What he found made his heart stop. At first, all he saw was a woman lying in a pool of blood. Then he realized that the blonde hair that had spilled around the woman's head wasn't peppered with fiery red as Willa's was, but speckled with gray. "Alsneta."

"Aye," Jollivet wheezed, leaning weakly against the tree Hugh had earlier been trying to climb in his excitement.

"Where is Willa? Was she hurt?"

"Nay," Jollivet assured him quickly. "She is fine. Alsneta pushed Willa out of the way and took the blow meant for her. I was too far back to help Alsneta, but I arrived in time to dispatch Gawain before he could harm Willa."

"Too far back? How did you all come to be here?" Hugh asked with bewilderment.

Jollivet straightened away from the tree. "I noticed Gawain in the great hall when we came below. When you hurried into the kitchens in search of Willa, he slipped out into the bailey. He was acting - " Jollivet shrugged. "Odd. I was suspicious after having just heard that he and Alsneta were the only ones Baldulf had told of your whereabouts before the fire. So I followed him. I trailed him around the castle to the gardens behind. He slid into the apple orchard and watched you two talk to Alsneta. When Alsneta left and you led Willa deeper into the trees, he again followed. Then Alsneta spotted him and began to shadow him and I was forced to follow her."

"Dear God, you mean to say all three of you were there when - " He bit the end off the sentence, coloring with mortification. It had not been his finest hour. If they had had to witness him enjoying his wife, could they not have picked a time when he had pleasured her in return? Realizing how petty that thought was, he shook his head and gestured for Jollivet to continue.

The fop was looking more like his taunting self, but said. "I was not there, cousin. At least, I could not see anything. I was more concerned with watching both Alsneta and Gawain. Though I am sure Gawain could see from his vantage point," he added.

" 'Tis good he is dead, else I would have to kill him myself," Hugh muttered, giving the dead man's leg a kick.

"Why? What happened?" Lucan asked, then raised his hands and laughed when Hugh turned on him. "Never mind. I know. 'Tis none of my damned business."

"Anyway," Jollivet said, drawing their attention back to him. "After the two of you finished... well, after you finished," he corrected himself.

Hugh's mouth thinned. "I thought you could not see?"

"Aye. I could hear most of it, though." He grinned, enjoying Hugh's discomfort, then went on, "Willa started toward the castle, then suddenly veered off into the trees. Once you got your braies untangled from around your ankles and gave chase - " Jollivet grinned as Lucan burst out laughing.

Hugh scowled and caught Jollivet by the shirt. Jerking the smaller man off his feet, he barked, "My wife?"

Jollivet cleared his throat when Hugh released him, then continued, "After you ran back into the castle, Willa walked back to where you had been together. Gawain started to move after her, Alsneta followed him and I trailed her. I was staying back a bit, trying not to give my presence away to Alsneta. I couldn't see what was happening ahead of her very well, but I knew it was trouble when she suddenly burst into a run. I gave up trying to move stealthily and hurried after her. When I got there, she had been struck down and Gawain had turned on Willa. I fought him and won." He shrugged. " 'Twasn't until then that I realized the extent of Alsneta's wound. I knelt to see if she was truly dead and while I did, Willa ran off."

"Ran off?" Hugh barked. "Why did you not say so at once?"

"Well, I assumed she ran inside..." His voice trailed away and he grimaced and added, "As you had when she first started back to the castle. I take it she did not return to the castle?"

"Nay." Hugh turned in a slow circle, searching the surrounding trees. When he didn't see any sign of his wife, he started back the way they had come.

"She may have gone back inside after we came out," Lucan suggested, falling in beside him.

Hugh grunted at the possibility, then stopped and suddenly turned back, nearly crashing into his cousin. Stepping around him, he let his gaze skate over the area around the tree. "Where is my sword?"

"She took it with her," Jollivet announced, then glanced down and smiled. "In fact, 'twas too heavy for her and she was dragging it."

Hugh followed Jollivet's gaze and relaxed when he saw the trail the end of the sword had left behind. The three men began to follow it.

"There you are!" Lord Wynekyn's call brought them to a halt as they emerged from the trees. All three men peered up from the trail to frown at the man. Lord Wynekyn blinked in surprise at their unanimous irritation. His expression turned wary as he said to Hugh and Lucan, "You rushed off through the kitchens without a word. I became worried that something was wrong."

"Gawain has killed Alsneta and attacked Willa," Jollivet told him. "I had to dispatch the fellow."

"You did?" Lord Wynekyn was clearly astonished.

"Despite being a fop, my cousin is - and always has been - quite handy with the great sword. He trained under my father," Hugh announced stoutly. It was true, of course, but he probably wouldn't have bothered defending the younger man if it were not for the fact that he'd just saved Willa's life. They'd been sparring all their lives... it was how they showed affection. Jollivet annoyed Hugh with taunts of his being an uncouth barbarian, and he responded with the dandy and fop comments. The two of them were very close.

"Oh." Lord Wynekyn sounded doubtful, but Hugh didn't have time to bother with the matter. Lowering his head, he found the trail and began to follow it again. Lucan and Jollivet immediately fell into step on either side of him.

"What are we doing?" Lord Wynekyn asked as they started around the corner of the castle and Hugh realized the man had fallen in line behind them.

"We are following Willa," Lucan told him.

"We are?" Lord Wynekyn again sounded doubtful. "Should we not be looking up then? It might be easier to find her that way."

"She was dragging Hugh's sword behind her," Jollivet explained. "We are following the trail to find Willa."

"She has Hugh's sword?" Lord Wynekyn asked. "If she had your sword, are you sure that 'twas Jollivet who saved her and not the other way around?"

"I am sure!" Jollivet growled and stopped abruptly. "Damn me! Display a few manners, and speak courteously and everyone thinks you are a - "

He halted abruptly as Hugh turned in surprise at his outburst. After a brief struggle that showed on his face, he relaxed. His usual smirk came to the fore. "Ah well..."

Jollivet turned his attention back to the trail and continued following it. The other three men exchanged glances, then joined him. None of them had ever before seen Jollivet lose his temper over the fop business. They all kept casting him curious glances, but no one said anything as they followed the trail along the side of the keep wall.

"Damn!" Hugh cursed when they reached the bailey in front of the keep and the trail suddenly ended. It had been trampled under carts and footprints and horses' hooves.

"What is going on there?" Lucan asked. Hugh followed his gaze to find a large crowd of soldiers and peasants gathered around the practice area.

His expression grim, Hugh strode forward. He had a feeling that Willa would be somehow involved in whatever spectacle held everyone's attention. She did seem to be at the center of things whenever there was trouble.

Aware that the other men were following, he pushed his way through the growing crowd. Hugh paused, however, when he reached the inner circle and saw that it was, indeed, his wife who had drawn this crowd. Willa had dragged his sword to the practice area and was presently hacking at a quintain. Which would be fine, except it was one used for jousting practice. The bag of sand on one end was swinging around with every hit. Not that she seemed to notice. She was simply following the shield on the other end, hacking away as she walked in circles. She appeared to be monstrous angry. It was the only explanation for her surprising show of strength.

"What is she doing?" Lord Wynekyn asked with alarm.

"You can see what she is doing," Hugh pointed out.

"Aye. But why?"

Hugh didn't know the answer to that. However, as her husband, he supposed it was his duty to find out. Moving forward, he began to follow his wife around the turning quintain.

"Wife?"

Her response was a grunt. Since no one was close enough to hear, Hugh decided it was sufficient acknowledgment of his presence. "What are you doing?"

"I am practicing."

"Practicing?" he repeated with disbelief. "Why?"

Much to his amazement a growl slid from her throat. Then she snarled, "Because not another life shall be lost for mine. If I'd had Baldulf and the others train me these last ten years, I could have saved Alsneta. But nay! " Her blows came faster and harder. "I let everyone else care for me. I must learn to care for myself!"

Hugh felt his heart turn painfully in his chest. She was now blaming herself for Alsneta's death as well as the others'. It was the seat of her present rage, a rage that had probably grown over the years as she had helplessly witnessed the deaths of those she loved. Hugh understood the ache and anger she was suffering. He wasn't sure how to help her ease it, though.

He started out trying the "Me warrior, you wife" tactic. "Nay, Willa," he said firmly. "I will care for you. I am your husband. I will keep you safe."

"As you did in the orchard?"

Aye, that had been the wrong approach, he thought as her words burned him. Damn. Willa had aimed her words well. He already felt a great deal of guilt over not keeping her safe and her words pointed out that he had failed her again. First he'd allowed her to be poisoned, then he'd nearly seen her burned alive, and now he had almost lost her to Gawain's sword.

Hugh was indulging in a nice round of self-recrimination when a knock to the head sent him stumbling. Cursing, he turned to glare at the turning sandbag that had crashed into him and nearly got popped again. Stepping quickly out of the way, he hurried after his wife.

"Willa, I realize I have failed you - " That got her attention. She stopped abruptly and turned to gape at him.

"What? Nay, my lord! You have never failed me."

Hugh would have been more reassured if he didn't know it was a lie... and if she didn't have the sword upraised and wavering in her trembling hands. He watched it warily and opened his mouth to speak, but she wasn't finished.

"Why, you have saved my life many times. You killed the attacker in the clearing ere he could get into the cottage."

"The wolves killed him," he pointed out dryly.

"You slowed him down until the wolves could help you," she argued. "Then you saved my life when I was poisoned, too."

"Eada saved you with her potions. I merely held your head as you... purged."

"You let me purge in your lap, too," she said stoutly. They both grimaced at that, and she rushed on, "Then you saved my life today and got me out of that fire."

"I - " Hugh closed his mouth. He couldn't argue with that one. He'd finally done something right. Then his gaze moved over her soot-streaked face, and down over the singed ends of her hair to the scorched gown she still wore. She was beautiful.

"My lord husband." Willa let the sword fall. Hugh was forced to leap to the side to avoid being cleaved in half. Hardly seeming to notice, she stepped forward and touched his cheek in the same affectionate gesture he'd been jealous of Baldulf receiving earlier. Hugh felt warmth seep through him. Her expression held the same warmth he'd yearned for when she'd looked at the soldier.

"You are a strong and brave husband. You will keep me safe to the best of your abilities, I know. But there will be times when you are not near and I will have to rely on myself."

"I will have guards - "

"I do not wish to spend the rest of my life imprisoned by my own guards. Besides, Baldulf was guarding me today. All it took was a candle holder to the head to make him useless. Had she wished to kill me, Alsneta probably could have done so then. You cannot be with me at all times. I must learn to defend myself."

"She is right, Hugh."

He turned a startled glance to find that Lucan had joined them. As had Jollivet and Lord Wynekyn. The crowd had also pressed closer. Hugh's gaze moved back to his wife. He contemplated her for a moment, then gave in and stepped forward to take her hands and shift them on the sword.

"If you must do this, you shall do it right. This is how you hold a sword," he instructed and Willa cast him a smile that made his stomach roll.

"She is improving."

Hugh grunted at that approving comment from Jollivet as they watched Willa and Lucan spar. It had been a month since Alsneta had died saving Willa's life. The time had passed without incident and the days had taken on a pattern. The pattern was that Willa got up in the morning, grabbed a crust of bread, downed a mug of meade and harried Hugh out to the practice field. She then spent the whole day there until the evening meal.

Hugh grimaced. It had been worse when they had first started this routine. When Hugh had insisted on being the one to train her. That had proven to be the most frustrating chore he had ever taken on. He still didn't understand why the activity had chafed so much. Hugh was a good trainer of warriors. He'd learned from the best, his father, and had proven himself the most patient of men over the years. However, Willa had managed to drive him mad several times before Lucan had suggested that he take over the chore.

As much as he hated to admit it, that arrangement had worked out much better. At least there was less friction between Willa and himself. Now he went about the daily business of running Hillcrest and Claymorgan, occasionally stopping to watch as she worked in the practice field with Lucan and, lately, Jollivet. His cousin had not gotten involved in the training at first. He'd devoted himself to Hugh's request that he aid Willa with her wardrobe. Jollivet had spent the first few weeks overseeing Eada and several other women who had proven themselves handy with a needle. It was only this last week that Jollivet had decided her wardrobe was moving along nicely and he could turn his attention to other things. Since then, he'd joined Lucan in training Willa. Now Hugh and his cousin stood watching Willa slam her sword against Lucan's and wince as her arm vibrated with the impact. She was starting to look weary.

Hugh glanced toward the sky, not surprised to see that the sun was still high. It was not yet time to lead his weary wife in to the evening meal. No matter how much she hurt after her practice, Willa would follow him to the table and suffer through the meal in silence. Tiny winces were the only sign of the aching muscles she suffered as she lifted the food and drink to her mouth.

Once she'd managed to swallow the last of her food, Willa would drag her exhausted body up to their chamber. Hugh would follow close on her heels to massage liniment into her sore muscles, taking liberties along the way. If she were not too tired, those liberties would arouse Willa, and they would make love. Hugh contemplated the chances of that happening tonight, but didn't think they were good. She looked more exhausted than he had seen her since the start of her training a month ago.

"Lucan must have worked her harder than usual," he commented.

Jollivet shook his head. "No more than customary. There is no need. She improves daily. 'Tis as if she were born to it. She should have been a man."

"Dear God, Jollivet," Hugh growled. "She is not a man. And she is mine. Stop looking at her like a leg of mutton. Why are you still here, anyway?"

"I have been asking myself that question much of late. Unfortunately, I promised to help outfit Willa." He pursed his lips with displeasure. "Equally unfortunate, your wife has more interest in fighting than in gowns lately. 'Tis terribly tough going. I can barely make her stand still long enough for a fitting. Other than that, she has left everything up to me." He brightened. "Of course, I have magnificent taste. And Eada and a couple of the other women around here are marvelous seamstresses. The wardrobe is coming along nicely. There are already several gowns done and more nearly finished."

"Then why has she not worn one of them?" Hugh asked with irritation.

"She says they will just get ruined at practice," Jollivet announced with disgust.

Hugh grunted at that.

"Have you heard back from Lackland?" Jollivet asked suddenly.

"King John, to you," Hugh said shortly, then shook his head. He'd sent a letter to the king the day after the attack in the orchard. He'd explained the contents of the letter from his uncle and the latest attempts on Willa's life. He'd stated that he should like to pledge his fealty as the new earl of Hillcrest at King John's earliest convenience, and would appreciate his aid in resolving this situation. Hugh would not have Willa's father and cousin continuing to try to kill her. Unfortunately, Jollivet had been forced to kill Gawain before Hugh could speak to him. Which meant he could not prove the man had been hired by Garrod or Lord D'Orland, but Hugh was hoping that just involving the king might end the attacks.

Perhaps it had, Hugh thought. There had been no further attacks on Willa since he'd sent the letter. But then Gawain, whom Hugh suspected had been paid off by Garrod to kill Willa, had been removed. Then, too, Hugh had stationed men at the gates to stop anyone who was not known to them from entering the bailey. He just wished the king would answer his missive. Surely enough time had passed for him to have received and responded to it?

The clash of metal against metal drew his gaze back to the battling couple. Hugh watched his wife attack Lucan. She was very aggressive in her assault and he found himself watching with fascination. Her arms strengthened daily, her body becoming more supple. He'd noticed newly developed muscles in bed as he'd smoothed the liniment into her naked flesh. His hands would move over the hard muscles, first making them relax, then causing them to tense for a different reason. Hugh would allow his fingers to brush the sides of her breasts as he worked on her back, or glance against the core of her as he worked on her legs. Then he would turn her and allow his hands to close over and cup her breasts, his -

"Enough!" he barked suddenly. " 'Tis time to stop."

Willa and Lucan turned to him with surprise, but it was Willa who spoke. " 'Tis not! 'Tis hours 'til supper."

"You are tired," Hugh said firmly. Moving forward, he removed her sword and handed it to Lucan.

"Nay. I am not tired," Willa denied as he took her arm to urge her toward the keep.

"Then I am," Hugh said.

"What is that to do with me?" Willa bounded up the steps to the keep at his side.

"A good wife helps her husband relax," Hugh announced arrogantly. Before she could protest further, he paused and scooped her into his arms. Then he pressed a kiss to her lips. It started out a firm "Be silent. I am the king of this castle" kiss, but ended an "I want you. I need you... now" kiss.

Willa's protests died as her passions stirred. One afternoon off wasn't so much, she decided as she began to kiss Hugh back.

She felt herself jostled as he began to move again, but caught his head in her hands and refused to let him break the kiss when he tried. When Willa finally did let him lift his head away, they were inside and halfway across the great hall. Now that he could actually see where he was going, her husband began to move quickly again. He took the steps to the second floor at a jog and was soon kicking the bedchamber door closed behind them.

Willa glanced around the room that used to be Lord Richard's. She still wasn't use to thinking of it as theirs. They had only moved into the room the week before. Thanks to Willa's preoccupation with training, and Eada and the others being busy making her new gowns, it had taken longer than expected to clear out Lord Richard's things and move theirs in. Her attention was recaptured by Hugh when he set her on the floor and began tugging impatiently at her gown.

Laughing, Willa batted at his hands. "Husband, you will rip my gown."

Hugh paused to smile at her. "A brilliant idea, wife." In the next moment, he'd grasped the neckline of her gown and ripped it open to the waist. Willa sucked in a breath, then gaped at him.

"Jollivet has had several new gowns made for you." He reached out to touch one soft breast. "This ugly old one shall not be missed."

His head followed his hand and he latched on to her nipple. Willa swallowed thickly. She felt sure she should reprimand him for ruining a perfectly good gown. But it was ugly, and he was doing such delightful things to her that she couldn't seem to muster the energy to berate him. Instead, she caught his head in her hands and drew his mouth up for a kiss. The moment he began to kiss her back, she let her hands drop to work on his clothes.

She attacked his belt first. The sword hanging from it made a loud clatter as it hit the floor. Willa then began tugging at his shirt, forcing him to break the kiss she'd initiated so that she could drag it over his head. She chuckled happily, and ran her hands over his chest. He had such a lovely, wide and strong chest. It was a pleasure to be free to touch it. Willa had learned a lot this last month, and not all of it had been on the practice field. She'd learned not to be shy of touching her husband and now knew various ways to pleasure him.

She let one hand slide down inside the front of his braies to clasp him and smiled when he groaned. Oh yes, a break was definitely a good idea, Willa thought, as he claimed her lips again. She slipped her hand back out and set to work on the ties of his braies, undoing them quickly and smiling her satisfaction against his mouth as the cloth dropped away.

Hugh growled deep in his throat as she returned to fondling him, then pushed the remains of her gown off her shoulders so that she was naked, as well. He started to urge her back toward the bed then, but paused and broke their kiss with a curse. Following his gaze down, Willa allowed a chuckle to slip from her lips. The braies had tangled round his legs, impeding forward movement.

Hugh raised one eyebrow at her amusement, then pushed her back onto the bed. Still chuckling, Willa watched him struggle to remove his boots and braies and opened her arms to him as he came down on top of her. Then they began to kiss in earnest. Willa scraped her nails over his back and buttocks, before finding his manhood. She clasped him as he kissed her neck and caressed her breasts. Tension building within her, she caught her free hand in his hair and dragged his head up, demanding a kiss. Then she twisted suddenly, catching him by surprise and tumbling him onto his back. She immediately slithered atop him, straddled his thighs, then sat up to smile triumphantly.

Willa had just taken his hardness into her when a knock sounded at the door. Both of them froze briefly, then irritation flickered on Hugh's face and he snapped, "Go away."

"Er...'tis Lord Wynekyn," came the announcement through the door.

Hugh rolled his eyes, then gritted his teeth as Willa shifted, taking him deeper into her. His voice was harsh when he asked, "What is it? Can it not wait?"

"Nay, well... nay. A messenger from the king has arrived."

Hugh cursed. Willa felt like joining him, but merely slid off to sit on the bed.

"I shall be right down," Hugh called and sat up to kiss her. It was a quick, hard kiss; then he stood and began to dress.

Feeling chill without his heat to warm her, Willa slid under the furs and watched him don his braies and boots again. He then bent over the bed to give her another quick kiss and said, "Wait here. I shall be back directly. We can then continue this... discussion."

They shared a grin, and Hugh grabbed up his tunic. He donned it as he left the room.

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