The Perfect Wife(19)
Author: Lynsay Sands

"Aye, he was wro – " Paen came to a sudden halt as he realized he would be lying. He could consummate the marriagewith her, Of course. Itwould be difficult but not impossible. While his hands wereuseless,his manhood was notand had let himknow itseveraltimessince the fire. He couldn’t sit on a horsebehind herwithout ending upas stiff as a sword, andwhen he’d had totakeher to bathein the river… Dear God, he hadn’teven had to see her, just the sounds of her disrobing and splashing inthe waterwereenough to have him erect asa post.

Paenhad avoidedsleeping next to her at nightbecausethe ideaofbeingclose enough to smell her and reach out and touch her, but still unable to, had been unpalatable. He’d had no choice the night they’d stayedat Hargrove – Paen would never have humiliatedher by asking for hisownroom – but other thanthat,he’d slept as far away from herashe could and had intendedto do so untilhe was recovered enough to finally doall thethings he’d been fantasizingabout.

Apparently, that decision hadled his wife to believe he couldn’t bear to benear her. He’d merely added to the poor image her cousins had worked so hardto instill in her.

Sighing, he tried to explain. "Without my hands to help, it would be uncomfortable for you, but aye,itwould be possible to consummate the marriage.

We could not doit inthenormal way, Of course. You would have toperhaps siton the window ledge,or bend over something…"

Paen’s words slowed as his mind was immediately filled with images of the possibilities. Avelynsitting on the windowledge, him urging herlegsapartwith his body, then movingbetween them, his body brushing againsthers as he kissed her, then drovehimselfinto her. This picturewasquickly followed by an image ofher bendingover the ledge as hedroveinto her from behind.

"Are you saying you have neglected to consummate our marriage out of consideration formydiscomfort?"

Avelyn’s voice drewhim from his imaginings and Paen scowled at her. Muchto his annoyance, shedidn’tsound asif she believed him. "Well, aye, of course,and ’tis whyIhavenot been joining youin our bed. Did youreally thinkI preferredthe hard-packed earth to the softwarm fursin ourtent?"

"Nay, of course not," she said, and her voice too was becoming impatient.

"Which is why I assumedyou prefer the hard-packed earthtomycompany. "

Paen opened his mouth, then closed it again. He could understand that her cousins had affected her confidence, but he thought his desire for her on their weddingnight had been pretty obvious. He’d been asstiff asa sword andeager as a lad his first time out. How could she have missed that?

Paen pursed hislips ashe considered one reason she might have missed it. "Were you sottedonour wedding night?"

"No!" Avelynsaid,appearing shocked at the question.

"Well, then surely you noticed my" – Paen paused, seeking an alternate term for the crude one that came to mindtodescribehis erection – "eagerness. "

WhenAvelyn juststaredathim, Paen heaved his breath out on an exasperated sigh. "Trust me, wife,if my hands werenot injuredI would be consummating our marriageevery chance I could. ButI will not cause you unneeded pain. "

Avelyn bither lowerlip and paused a moment before responding. "Well, my mother did warn me of what to expect, and shesaid that the first time could be quite uncomfortable and evenpainful. I appreciateyour concern, but if you wish to – "

"Avelyn," Paeninterrupted. "You donot know what youare asking. The firsttime is notalwayspleasant for the woman,but without my hands it could bedownright unpleasant. "

"I see," Avelyn murmured,then jumped at a knock onthe door. Turning, she openedit to findDavid standingthere, looking uncertain.

The boy glanced fromher toPaen. "Did you still want yourbath,my lord? Or shall I – ?".

"Iwill leaveyou to yourbath," Avelyn murmuredandslipped outof theroom.

With a sinkingheart,Paen watchedher go. He was sure he’d seen the sheen of tearsin her eyesbefore she’d turned away, and knew hehadn’t managed toconvince herof thetruth. Nor did he know what to doabout it.

Realizing David was still standing in thedoor,hewaved him in. Paen hadbeen overseeingthe practice fieldtoday and hadtaken a tumble whenone of the menhad bumped into him. The fieldhad been muddyafter last night’s rain,and while David had used arag to wipe the worst of the mudawayat the time, he needed a bathto removeall of it. However, Paen hadn’t been willing to trouble the kitchen staff to heat upwater forhim, sohaddecidedtowait until after thesup.

Paen pondered the problem of what to do about his wife as his bath was prepared. He found himselfonlyhalf listening to thelad’s chatterasthe tub was carried inand filled for his bath. Hehad alreadynoticed the boyhad a great deal in common with his wife. Aside from showing a propensity to clumsiness, the lad could carry on whole conversations without anyone else contributingtoit.

Oddly enough,Paen found this tendency soothing. WithDavid,the chatter was generally about battles, weapons and horses. Of course, the firstnight he had served as Paen’s squire, David had asked if his handshadbeenburned during a battle with a dragon. He’dseemed mightily disappointedto learn that it wasn’ta dragon thathad wounded his master,then had gone on tolecture Paen about the dangerous and dastardly nature ofdragons.

He’d explained quite authoritatively that they had the very worst case of bad breath ever,andtended to eat ladiesandmakethem cry.

Thetub was full, the room empty. David helped Paen to disrobe before he said anything that actuallyrequired a response. "What do you dowhenyou bed a lady?"

Paen gaped at the lad, his mouth open for a moment before he gasped with amazement,"Why wouldyou ask about bedding?"

"Well, I heard Lady Helen telling one of the maids thatLady Avelynthinks you aredispleased with her becauseyou havenot yetbedded her," he explained,"Are you not tucking her in ofa night?"

"DearGod, the whole castle knows," Paen muttered as he stepped out of his braes and into the tub, then realized thatheshould have expectedas much. It was impossible to keepsecrets in a castle. He suggestedthe boy go below and ask the cook for a sweet treat to enjoywhile he waited for Paen to finish soaking.

Once the boywas gone, Paen sankintothe water and closed his eyes as he pondered what to do about hiswife. It seemed obvious he couldn’tleavethings as theywere, but hedidn’t know what to do. He was rather sure he wouldn’tbeableto convince her with simple verbalarguments. Paen had neverconsideredhimself very good at such things. He was more comfortable with taking action than merely discussingmatters. Hehadn’t a clue whathecould say to convince Avelynthat he reallydid find her attractiveand wished tobed her. Paen suspected he could say so untilhe wasbluein the face and she would not believe him. Probably theonly wayto convince her was to actuallybed her. He was mightily temptedto do so. However, she wouldn’t thankhimfor it afterward, despite what she said.

Avelynhad no cluewhat shewas askingfor, and Paen couldnotprepareher properly without his hands tocaress and hold her. Without his hands, he had only his mouth to work with –  Paensatup abruptly in the tub, sendingwatersplashing every which way as a wave of images andthoughtsassaultedhis mind. Avelyn nak*d before him. Him kissingandcaressing her with hismouthuntil shecried out with pleasure. Him rising upanddrivinghimself into her… "Damn, why did I not think ofthat before?" hemuttered, then shoutedfor his squire.

Chapter Twelve

Avelyn returnedtoherroom to find a tub half full of water andRunilda stoking a fireto life in thefireplace. She was surprised the servants had managed to heat enoughwater for twobaths, andalmostwished they hadn’t goneto all the trouble.

All shereallywanted wastogotobed.

Avelyn was discouraged after her talk with Paen, though not as depressed as she’d been before it. She didn’t believe his claim that he was refraining from consummating themarriageout of consideration for her. Even he had admitted that it was possible todo so despite the injuryto his hands, which, she supposed, meant he wasn’t consummating it because hecouldn’t bebothered. However, it was a relief toknow that hewasn’tso repulsed by her that he was avoiding the table atsup.

Avelyn rushed through herbath, thenwrapped herself in a linen andmoved to sit by the fireto dry her hair before the flames. She was still seated there several moments later when thechamber door suddenly opened and Paen entered.

"Husband?" Avelyn turnedon herchair and stared at him with surprise, noting that hetoo wore only aswath of linen, though his was much smallerand wrapped around his waist.

"Ihave figured itout," Paen announcedby way of greeting,and Avelyn stared at the wide smileon his face, unsure what to make of it. Her husband hadn’t smiled much since she’d knownhim; forsome reason his wide grin just made her nervous.

"You have figured what out,husband?"she asked with bewilderment.

Paen crossed the room to the window. "Comehere, wife. "

Avelyn felt her eyes squinching up with suspicion as she recalled his saying something abouthersitting on thewindowledge. Surely he didn’t intendto –  Nay, Avelyn told herselfas she got reluctantly to her feet. Theman had followed thatpictureupwithridiculous explanations about how it wouldhurt. He had goneon aboutdiscomfortshe’d already known she’d experience with orwithout his hands.

Her mother hadnot left herignorant ofthemarriage bed. Expecting the marriageto beconsummated on the weddingnight, she’dexplainedtheordealquite thoroughly, andhadsaid that,while painful the first time,it could be quite enjoyable afterward if Avelyn was fortunate enough to havea considerate husband.

Having listened withbated breath to her mother’s descriptionsofwhat exactly wouldtakeplace, Avelynhad found it difficult to imagineanyof it beingenjoyable.

Still,her mother was notprone tolie to her,so she’d given her the benefit of the doubt before the wedding night. Andeven though they’d never completed theact, Avelyn had experienced more thanalittle pleasure inher marriage bed underher husband’skisses and caresses… at least until theroom had gone up inflames.

Avelyn pausedbeside her husband at the window and waited curiously.

Paen smiled at her brilliantly and then suddenly nudged at his linen with his bandaged hand. The covering dropped to the rushes with aplop.

Avelyn gaped. Hismanhood was hardas a rock and standing up like a pole sticking out ofthe ground. Shemanagedto tear her eyes fromhis hugestaff andlift them to his face for half a second, then let them drop down to hismanhood again.

She hadseen it before, of course, on their weddingnight. Only Avelyn didn’t recallit being quiteso big then… or… well… solid.

Avelyn was suddenly gratefulthat he’d decided to waituntil recovering from his burns beforeconsummating their marriage. Shedidn’t even mindso much ifhe had a disgust of her… And whatwasso wrong with aman having amistress?Why did men not just stabwomen with their swords?It surely couldn’t be any worsethan having those great huge thingsimpaling them.

Realizing she was becoming alittle hysterical over somethingshe needn’t yet fear, Avelyn again forced her gaze upward andmanagedwhat she hopedwasa pleasant smile ofenquiry.

"Why are you grimacing?" Paenasked, and Avelyn supposedshe hadn’t managed a very good smile after all.

"I…"She sought a viableexcuse, but nothingwascoming tomind, and after a moment Avelyn gave it up andinstead asked,"You said youhad figured something out?"

"Oh, aye. " Turning,he drew the fur away from the window and forced it to the side,allowing moonlight into the room.

Avelyn turnedto peer curiouslydown intothe bailey below,but couldsee very little. The ledge wasa good three feet deep,andshe would havehadto practically lie on itto get her head nearthe window itself, so she peeredatthe glass insteadand tried for asuitably interestedexpression. Glass was veryexpensive,such a rarity. It really wasimpressive that thewindows actually had glass in them. If she hadn’t known she’d marriedinto a wealthy family, this wouldhave told her.

"Well, this isa veryfine window, mylordhusband. Thank you for showing itto  –  Awk!"Avelyn squealed insurprise and grabbed athis shoulders ashesuddenly turnedhertofacehim, then caughther under the armpits and set her onto the ledge.

"What areyou – "

Avelyn’s questiondied aquickdeath,silenced by Paen’slips ashegrabbedher by both knees, pushed themapart andstepped betweenthem to press a kiss toher mouth. Atfirst, she wastoo startled totry to pullawayand sayanything, but within moments ofhis mouthcovering hers,his tonguehad slid out tourge her lips apart andshe quite forgot what shewould have said as histongue danced with hers.

By the time Paen ended the kiss, Avelyn had melted against him, her mind incapable ofholdinga thought.

"Ihave sorted it all out,"he whispered,his mouth moving to herearas he triedto nudge her hands fromwhere they were clutching thelinen to her chest.

"That is nice,"Avelyn breathedon a sigh,turning her headfor him and pressing the side of her face intohis lips like acat under a caress.

"Since I cannot use my hands to prepare you, I shall use my mouth," he explained. "But first you shallhave to let go of the linen. "

"Mmm hmm. " Avelyn smiled. "Doyou think you could kissme again?"

A slow,purely male smile curved his lips as he noted herexpression. "Do you like itwhenI kiss you?"

Despitehaving asked the question, he looked as if he already knew the answer.

Avelyn didn’tcare. Taking one hand away from the linens, she reached out to slide it into his hair and urgedhishead down foranother kiss. Paen obligedher, thistime starting slow and tender, then deepening it until it became almosta battleto see who could devour theother first. They were both panting when he finally moved his mouthaway and again kissed a trail across her cheek to her ear.

Ashudder ran through Avelynas his tongue sweptoverand around her earand she turned her head to make iteasier for him, thensuddenly twistedher face backto catch his mouth with her own. Paen obliged her and kissed her again. The sensations hestirred inher made her arch mindlesslyagainst him, responding to herbody’s demands. She wantedtobe closer to him, all of her seemedto ache to pressagainst him, and she shifted her bottom forward on the ledgeuntil shewas plasteredagainst him. The momentshe did, Paen brokethekiss andfollowed the length of herthroat withhis lips, forcinghertolean back so that hecould find and nibble atthesensitive hollow ofhercollar bone.