was well on the way to being in trouble.
William stormed from the room and she slumped into a chair, thankful for the reprieve. But a little part of her felt bereft that he would not reach out the hand of friendship or that she could not control her temper whenever around him.
They seemed destined to be enemies forever.
*
Mewling fool, there was something wrong with him. ’Twas not like him to be like this. He needed Madeline like he needed warmth on the coldest winter night. William reached the hall, and continued outside, wondering why the one woman who vexed and irritated him with every word she uttered had become the one woman he looked and listened for at every moment. She had looked so delightfully young and carefree as she participated in that absurd water fight with the village women. He had savored every moment of her joy, before his being there was noticed and halted the game.
He summoned his horse from the stables and galloped from the compound. He needed to clear his head. Needed to decide what he would do. After what he had put his wife through these past months, could he make this marriage work? A marriage he was once determined to shatter in any way he could, except legally. And would, or more to the point, could Madeline forgive him his actions and come to care for him? Was that what plagued him? That he now cared for her, and she did not reciprocate the feeling?
William swore aloud as the horse’s hooves ate up the miles beneath him. What was he thinking? He detested himself for the feelings she evoked. He’d sworn to always hate any blood of the Vincent’s. He could not be attracted to her.
William clenched his jaw and ignored the slice of pain as a tree branch whipped across his cheek. He would not give in to a man’s weakness for female flesh. There were plenty of other comely wenches to bed and they would have to suffice until he could get her out of his blood. He would not fall for his own wife! Stalwart in his determination, he spurred his steed even faster along the snow-covered track.
*
The winter solstice festival was in full swing by noon the following day. The weather had continued to be clement for the event. The castle cook had outdone herself with the prizes to be given out for the events planned. Toffee apples were also a hit and Maddie smiled as every child was given one, just for being there.
As lady of the manor, Maddie presented the winning prize in the archery contest. Much to her horror, the winner was her husband, who demanded a kiss from his wife. She was ashamed now to admit that she was still recovering from it. Maddie had walked up to William, about to bestow a sweet kiss upon his cheek when he took control of the contact altogether. Careless of their public display, he pulled her up against him, ran his hands through her hair and kissed her. Hard. Their breath mingled and when his tongue sought hers, she’d melted like the snow does in sunlight.
Maddie took a cooling sip of her mead, her face uncomfortably warm when she remembered the loud catcalls from the villagers. It seemed whenever William became passionate he forgot his hatred of her. And vice versa. He had treated her, since then, with all the cordiality expected from a husband. It had made her not only nervous, but put her on her guard.
She stood next to Beth and Annie and laughed as the men attempted to grasp bobbing apples with their teeth. The water in the wooden tubs had frozen at the top overnight, and was bitterly cold. Sir Alex, who agreed to help her, bestowed the winning prize upon the town smithy before summoning the women to try their luck.
Maddie pulled her hair back into a ponytail and fastened it with a ribbon. She walked toward the barrels and ignored the gasps of delight and shock, which ran through the crowd at her participation in the game.
“M’lady, are you entering this competition?” Sir Alex asked, an amused twist to his lips.
“Absolutely; I didn’t fill all these barrels
William stormed from the room and she slumped into a chair, thankful for the reprieve. But a little part of her felt bereft that he would not reach out the hand of friendship or that she could not control her temper whenever around him.
They seemed destined to be enemies forever.
*
Mewling fool, there was something wrong with him. ’Twas not like him to be like this. He needed Madeline like he needed warmth on the coldest winter night. William reached the hall, and continued outside, wondering why the one woman who vexed and irritated him with every word she uttered had become the one woman he looked and listened for at every moment. She had looked so delightfully young and carefree as she participated in that absurd water fight with the village women. He had savored every moment of her joy, before his being there was noticed and halted the game.
He summoned his horse from the stables and galloped from the compound. He needed to clear his head. Needed to decide what he would do. After what he had put his wife through these past months, could he make this marriage work? A marriage he was once determined to shatter in any way he could, except legally. And would, or more to the point, could Madeline forgive him his actions and come to care for him? Was that what plagued him? That he now cared for her, and she did not reciprocate the feeling?
William swore aloud as the horse’s hooves ate up the miles beneath him. What was he thinking? He detested himself for the feelings she evoked. He’d sworn to always hate any blood of the Vincent’s. He could not be attracted to her.
William clenched his jaw and ignored the slice of pain as a tree branch whipped across his cheek. He would not give in to a man’s weakness for female flesh. There were plenty of other comely wenches to bed and they would have to suffice until he could get her out of his blood. He would not fall for his own wife! Stalwart in his determination, he spurred his steed even faster along the snow-covered track.
*
The winter solstice festival was in full swing by noon the following day. The weather had continued to be clement for the event. The castle cook had outdone herself with the prizes to be given out for the events planned. Toffee apples were also a hit and Maddie smiled as every child was given one, just for being there.
As lady of the manor, Maddie presented the winning prize in the archery contest. Much to her horror, the winner was her husband, who demanded a kiss from his wife. She was ashamed now to admit that she was still recovering from it. Maddie had walked up to William, about to bestow a sweet kiss upon his cheek when he took control of the contact altogether. Careless of their public display, he pulled her up against him, ran his hands through her hair and kissed her. Hard. Their breath mingled and when his tongue sought hers, she’d melted like the snow does in sunlight.
Maddie took a cooling sip of her mead, her face uncomfortably warm when she remembered the loud catcalls from the villagers. It seemed whenever William became passionate he forgot his hatred of her. And vice versa. He had treated her, since then, with all the cordiality expected from a husband. It had made her not only nervous, but put her on her guard.
She stood next to Beth and Annie and laughed as the men attempted to grasp bobbing apples with their teeth. The water in the wooden tubs had frozen at the top overnight, and was bitterly cold. Sir Alex, who agreed to help her, bestowed the winning prize upon the town smithy before summoning the women to try their luck.
Maddie pulled her hair back into a ponytail and fastened it with a ribbon. She walked toward the barrels and ignored the gasps of delight and shock, which ran through the crowd at her participation in the game.
“M’lady, are you entering this competition?” Sir Alex asked, an amused twist to his lips.
“Absolutely; I didn’t fill all these barrels
Similar Books
