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When Reginald&039;s lips covered hers, Madelyne stilled She neither moved closer nor further from the man whose arms slid around her shoulders, and whose mouth pressed to hers
&039;Twas a soft kiss-nothing like the one she&039;d shared with Gavin in the wood-and Madelyne felt as though she waited for soinald pulled her closer to hi his head and drawing her face toward hih her and she allowed her hand to reach tentatively to touch his shoulder It was pleasant, she thought di, she realized with relief He would be her husband, and it did not alarm her when he kissed her Nor did it cause her veins to jump and her body to soften into a mass of war night would be different, she kneith entle kiss to occur Would she feel the sainald&039;s touch ht and her skin juers brushed the side of her face as he pulled sloay "Madelyne," he whispered, "I would that you are mine"
Then he drew her to hiainst hers so fiercely that her breath caught Her heart raced now, as she tried to assimilate this new experience, and deterinald pulled away, allowing her to settle back into her place on the bench
"I beg your pardon for interrupting, D&039;Orrais" caid
Madelyne&039;s stoure-Gavin-standing with his back to the sun, looking down at theht and it shadowed his countenance, but his stance bespoke of the barest of control
"His majesty has just returned fro that he wishes to speak with you," he continued in that cool voice
Reginald, who had not removed his attention from Gavin, stood immediately "My thanks, Mal Verne" He turned to Madelyne, taking her hand and bringing it swiftly to his lips Pressing against theainst her skin, "Mayhap &039;tis the news I have been waiting for I shall find you at supper, then,her voice Had she expected Gavin to be angry with Reginald for kissing her? Why would she have assumed he&039;d feel the sa hiry at all-instead, he caht left her einald started off
"Nay," Gavin corasp her wrist He directed her back to her seat "I wish to speak with you"
Now she saw it, as he sat next to her on the bench: the darkness s in eyes the color of te his cheek and the dirt streaks along the side of his face and ar automatically to touch the dirt on his sleeve "Have you been hurt?"
"&039;Tis naught of your concern," he responded, pulling back as her fingers brushed the rough fabric of his tunic She saw him wince as he moved, and kneas in pain
"Gavin, you are hurt-"
"Madelyne, do not attempt to sway er balm at this time-"
"Your purpose?" Her interruption surprised him, Madelyne observed with satisfaction-she was not so much the shy little nun she once had been, thanks to his own actions "Your purpose was to infor wished to see him, and now that task is completed-"
"&039;Twas a falsehood," Gavin said flatly "The king does not wish to see hiive him the news that he may wed you"
Emptiness swelled within her, but she pushed it aside in favor of growing irritation "What then is your great and lofty purpose, Lord Mal Verne, that you should interrupt er and annoyance?"
"Ahyes, I did interrupt, did I not I cannot in truth apologize to you, e your reputation" Anger flashed anew in his gray eyes "Do you not know he only wishes to brand you as his own? &039;Tis why he kisses you in the public garden where any may see it-and thus wonder about your virtue"
Madelyne recoiled, and then annoyance surged through her "&039;Twas only a har that she ently, and never atte before today"
"Madelyne, I-do you love hih
"Love him?" She had not expected such a question&039;twas almost as if he had some care for her MayhapResolve built within her "Why would I not love hientle and treats me with respectand he is most certainly not hard upon the eyes! What woman would not love such a ht of a man&039;s world?"
She tilted her head to look at hi upon his beautiful mouth: the only part of his face that appeared pliable
Now, as he returned her stare, Madelyne felt surrounded by his presence Gavin&039;s body so close to hers on the bench suddenly h they touched-when they did not His thigh rested just next to hers, thick and ridged withbelow the knee