The Border Vixen (19 page)

The invitation was more than welcome. It was a relief, for his cock was throbbing mightily. Now he needed to take her without spilling his seed too quickly. Nudging her thighs apart with a knee, he covered her body with his. Slowly he guided his aching need into her. First its head, then inch by slow inch until he reached the barrier of her innocence. It was tight, and she winced visibly as his manhood touched it. There was only one way of doing this, Fin knew. Looking into her face, he saw her eyes were squeezed tightly shut. He almost smiled with the sweetness of it. “I’m sorry, lass,” he told her, pulling back slightly, then driving himself fully into her sheath.

The shock of it, the burning pain that filled her, caused Maggie to scream. She began to beat at him, her fists thrashing beneath him in an attempt to dislodge him.

And when she couldn’t, Maggie, to her embarrassment, began to cry.

Fin kissed the tears from her cheeks, murmuring soothing sounds. “ ’Tis done now and ’twill not hurt ever again, Maggie mine,” he assured her. Did no one tell her it would hurt? Her maidenhead had been lodged tightly. He continued kissing her tears, which, to his relief, had now ceased. He kept himself very still for a few brief moments.

“I knew it would hurt,” she whispered, “but not like it did. Are we done?” She did not open her eyes to look at him.

Fin laughed softly, brushing her lips with his. “Nay, love, we’ve but begun.” Then he began to move gently upon her, struggling to hold back the explosion of passion that was threatening to overcome him.

The pain had disappeared almost as quickly as it had come. Now the sensation of his cock thick and hot within her engulfed Maggie. Her whole body seemed to be deluged with sensation as he thrust to and fro. She was overwhelmed with languor. Her body, so tense but a few short moments ago, was alive with a plethora of new sensations.

She could divine that he was being careful, gentle with her. Would another man have been so? She couldn’t imagine Ewan Hay taking such care with her.

Maggie suddenly wrapped her arms about Fin, drawing him closer to her. His rhythm began to increase. His strength made her absolutely breathless with what she suddenly realized was her own excitement. “
Yes!
” she breathed into his ear.

Fin groaned as her hot breath whispered against his flesh. He wanted her to know some pleasure from this first coupling, but it was becoming more and more difficult to hold back the lust boiling inside him. Then he heard her make a small mewling sound, and looking at her face, he saw the touch of ecstasy glowing. “Aah, Maggie mine,” he cried out as his body stiffened, then jerked hard several times.

Somewhere in the delicious haze that had briefly overcome her Maggie felt his cock spasming, and she knew he was releasing his seed into her. Would it take root tonight, or would they have more nights to create an heir for Brae Aisir? She hoped the latter as he fell away from her, lying upon his back and breathing hard.

“I meant for ye to have more pleasure,” he said, his tone filled with regret. “I wanted yer first time in my arms to be something ye would remember, but God’s toenail, lass, I was like a lad unable to control my lust for ye.”

“But I liked it, Fin,” Maggie told him. “Except, of course, for the pain. Ye made me feel as I never had before. I know I will enjoy our future couplings.”

He laughed low, rolling onto his side to look at her. “Ye found a bit of delight, for I saw it momentarily in yer face,” he told her. “But one day perhaps I will be able to make ye cry out with joy as we couple. I want that for ye, Maggie mine. I never cared about it with the women I used to slack my lust. Their bodies were for my delectation. I paid for them, and while I liked giving them pleasure, it didn’t matter if it was nothing more than a quick coupling. But with ye, my wife, ’tis different. I want perfection for ye, and I shall keep trying to attain it until I can give it to ye.” Leaning over, he kissed her mouth, pleased that she eagerly kissed him back.

She was surprised by his revelation. Was it possible if she used her body to please him that she would hold a certain small power over him? He had said something similar earlier, but she had not understood it then. Now she thought she did. Reaching out, she caressed his face. “Ye were careful with me, and I thank ye for it.”

“We are wed until death,” he responded. “I want us content with that. I want our bairns to grow to man- and womanhood in a happy home with parents who honor and respect each other. Had I simply satisfied my lust, ye should not have enjoyed this first coupling. Ye might have grown to fear our couplings, and I didn’t want that to happen.”

“I will not fear them now,” Maggie reassured him. “Will ye mount me again tonight? I still ache from our contest today, but I should not mind at all if ye wished to have me once again.”

Fin laughed again. Would he ever grow used to Maggie’s candid tongue? And it had proved a delicious tongue. Eventually he would teach that facile little tongue new uses that would surely surprise her at first. “Nay,” he said. “The deed has been done. On other nights I will enjoy making love to ye the night long, but tonight I think we both could use our rest. Look beneath ye, lass, and see the proof yer grandsire will be proud to display come the morrow.”

Maggie shifted herself, and was astounded to see beneath her the bloody stain of her virginity now turning brown upon the fine linen sheet. And she could see her thighs were smeared with dried blood too. She fixed her gaze on Fin. “Aye, we have done well, my lord, and Grandsire will not be shamed.”

He arose from her bed, gathering up their two night garments. Handing her hers, he put on his. Then he climbed back into bed with Maggie.

“Ye are not returning to yer own bed?” Many men preferred visiting their wives, and then sleeping in their own beds.

“Tonight I would be with ye,” he said as he gathered her into his arms. The delicious feel of her bottom pushing into him was intoxicating. Reaching around, he captured one of her breasts, and burying his face into her scented hair, sighed contentedly. Very quickly he was snoring lightly.

Maggie, however, remained awake a bit longer digesting this evening. This man she had been ordered to wed was turning out to be a better bargain than she had ever anticipated or even imagined. He was intelligent, and he was swiftly learning the ways of the Aisir nam Breug. He had quickly settled into the keep, and he had been easily accepted by all. The Kerr clan folk were usually not so quick to countenance strangers, but they had taken to Fingal Stewart as if he were one of them for all his life.

She snuggled against the sleeping man, enjoying the sensation of his hand clasping her breast. The coupling had been good. His restrained passion had opened a whole new world to her. Maggie could not help but wonder what that passion was going to be like when it was fully unleashed. And would she be able to match his ardor? She very much wanted to match it. Aye! She did! Her eyes were growing heavy, but before she fell into a contented sleep, Mad Maggie Kerr considered that she had never before pondered such a thing. Why was she contemplating it now? The coupling was for the purpose of creating heirs for Brae Aisir. That’s what the church taught. There certainly was nothing more to it than that.
Or was there?
She realized as she finally tumbled into sleep that she couldn’t wait to find out.

Chapter 7

T
o their mutual surprise they slept late, and no one came to disturb them. Maggie was amazed to find him still in her bed. His eyes were closed, his breathing even. She took the opportunity to look down at him. She had been correct in her observation the past night. He was handsome—not pretty like a lass, but in a masculine way, with his long straight nose, high cheekbones, and long thin mouth. He had shaved his face yesterday, but already a shadowy veil of black beard was beginning to show itself. His eyelashes were certainly thick for a man’s, Maggie thought. His eyes suddenly opened, and she found herself staring into molten silver.

“Oh!”

“May I assume ye like what ye observe, madam?” he teased, and the long mouth turned up in a smile.

“Aye, yer a bonnie lad, Fingal Stewart,” Maggie answered back pertly. She wasn’t going to blush and simper like some little fool, although his open eyes had surprised her.

“Yer a bonnie lass,” he responded. “We’ll make pretty bairns together.”

“The sun is way past dawn,” she said. “Why did no one come to awaken us?” She made no move to arise from the bed.

“I believe they were being discreet,” Fin replied. “They are giving me time to ravage ye again, for all here are eager for an heir.” The gray eyes were twinkling.

“Should we do
it
again now?” Maggie asked curiously. “ ’Tis morning, and the sun is shining brightly.”

“Aye, it is,” he said. “But yer newly opened, love. I think we may wait until tonight to continue with our endeavors, madam. Unless, of course, yer feeling particularly lustful for my body,” Fin teased her further.

“Yer a fool,” she told him, but she laughed.

“Did ye enjoy the coupling?” he asked candidly. She had said last night that she did, but he wanted to be certain now in the light of day that he had not repelled her.

“Aye,” she answered him. “I did. After the pain. I must ask ye, husband, for I have no knowledge of these things prior to last night, but there was something more than just the linking of our bodies, Fin. For a brief moment I sensed something I had never felt before. Do ye know what it was? Did ye feel it too?”

“ ’Twas pleasure, Maggie mine,” he said. “Virgins do not usually have much pleasure, if they have it at all. The sweetness of passion comes with time. As to men, if they are with a lover who pleases them, they too gain delight from their togetherness.”

Maggie nodded. “I suppose we should get up. Hopefully the Netherdale Kerrs are already gone into the pass.”

Flinging back the coverlet, he climbed from the bed. “I’ll see Grizel comes to ye,” Fin said as he pressed the little rose carving on the wall. The door sprang open, and he was gone through it, leaving her alone in the bed.

It was almost an hour before Grizel appeared. “Ye look rested,” she said brightly.

“His lordship has gone down to the hall. I’ve had the tub brought to his chamber so ye can bathe before going down. Come along with ye now, my lady.” She quickly helped Maggie from the bed, hurrying her through the hidden door and helping her into the tub.

“Now ye just soak a bit while I take the evidence of yer virtue lost to yer grandsire,” she told her mistress before she bustled out, leaving Maggie in the tub.

Returning to her mistress’s bedchamber, Grizel pulled back the coverlet and stared down at the stained bed linen. Nodding with satisfaction, she pulled it from the bed. Then she hurried down to the hall, the sheet gathered to her ample bosom. Dugald Kerr was still seated at the high board. He was engaged in conversation with Maggie’s new husband. Grizel stepped before the board. “My lord,” she said to the laird, curtsying.

Dugald Kerr looked up.

Grizel flung open the sheet to reveal the bloodstain.

The old laird looked, nodded, and then said, “Have Clennon Kerr fly it from the battlements, and tell my granddaughter she has done well.”

Grizel curtsied again. “Aye, my lord.” Then gathering the linen back up, she left the hall.

“She was braw,” Fingal Stewart told the laird.

Dugald Kerr nodded. “Aye, she’s always been a brave lass.” Then he looked closely at the younger man. “Ye like her, don’t ye?”

“Aye, I do,” Fingal answered without any hesitation. “She makes me laugh with that sharp tongue of hers. She has no fear of speaking her mind.”

“That’s why I let her have her way in this matter of marriage,” the laird responded. “Maggie has always known what she wants. I suspect if the king hadn’t sent ye, and ye had been a lesser man, my granddaughter would still be a maid.”

“If the king had sent another?” Fingal asked, curious as to what the laird would say to his query.

“She would have eventually killed him rather than wed him,” the old laird said bluntly. “Ye gained her respect quickly, but for the honor of the Kerrs, she had ye meet the challenge she had set forth for all of her suitors. And that has gained ye credibility with our neighbors, particularly as ye beat her.”

“We were equal in both races,” Fingal said, “and she would not have given up in the swordplay had ye not declared me the victor. I cannot say with complete honesty that I overcame her. I am frankly astounded at her skills.”

“Ye disarmed her fairly,” Dugald Kerr said. “She is a braw lass, Fingal, but in truth she could hardly stand any longer, let alone wield her claymore. My judgment was a fair one. Maggie knew it too, for if she had disagreed with me, she would have shouted it to the high heavens for all of Scotland, and not just the Borders, to hear.”

Fin laughed. “Aye,” he agreed with the older man, “she would have.”

Upstairs, Maggie soaked in her tub. The water felt wonderful, and the wretched soreness she had felt in her muscles the past night was almost gone as was the soreness between her thighs she had awakened with this morning. Would she be sore each time they coupled? He had promised her there would be no more pain after the first time. Well, she would learn if it was truth tonight, for he had said they would sleep together again each night until she was with child. It was fair.