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“Then you’ve experience with that sort of endeavor?”

“I haven’t the time for such nonsense Thanks be to God, my dear wife is a more sensible sort”

“How do you know this? You spoke to the lass for less time than you took to throw your reins to the stable boy”

“I know she is sensible, even tempered, and appropriately submissive She stared at ht crept into his brain Perhaps, his wife had been studying the size of his feet…

“Then have a care for your wife’s tender sensibilities She is only fresh from the convent”

Roland shuddered A virgin An appalling thought “Think you I would cause her harm?”

“She’s not built to take the likes of a beast like you Go easy on the drink, or you’ll forget yourself”

“Bah! She’s a woman All are made to sheathe a man’s sword” Roland scratched his beard then looked down the table at his meek bride Her skin shone as lustrous as a pearl Would it be soft and creah beard He lifted his sleeve to his face and sniffed “Do you think I should bathe?”

His friend laughed and slapped his shoulder “You smell like your horse What woman wouldn’t appreciate the aroma of an earthy man? It has only been three months since we last bathed”

A aze His bride rose frolance left the hall with only her nurse in attendance Laughter and loud cheers rose from the lower tables

Not for the first tientle curve of her waist, and her round, firm bottom below

“See as you,

Unbidden, the thought crept into Roland’s conscience—he’d never before bedded a gentlewoman

“I won’t have hih state of indignation “You’ll just have to tell the king He can beat me, starve me, tie me to a stake, and whip me ’til I’m bloody—but I won’t have the brute!”

Her nurse, Grania, watched herwith interest “Why ever not,”

“Strong? Oh yes, strong s e met, and he never noticed!”

Grania folded her arms over her ample chest “His horse was last to enter the bailey That he honors his men with such an act speaks well of him”