“It is finally done,” she said, then bit at her bottom lip in an attempt to stifle the discomfort.

“It is far from done, wife,” Torrance said, feeling the pain he saw in her eyes.

“Then finish it,” she urged, “and you will need to touch me no more.”

“We’ll see about that,” he said and began to move slowly in her.

At first, she felt discomfort, then it slowly faded, replaced by a lovely sensation like she had felt when she rested on his lap in her solar. And like then, it began to grow in pleasure and soon all pain was forgotten and all she could think about was how wonderful he felt inside her.”

“Does it hurt, Esme?”

“Nay. It feels quite pleasurable.” She shut her eyes and allowed herself to drift off in a haze of passion. And as his thrust took on a more forceful tempo her pleasure grew and she found herself instinctively responding, raising her hips to meet his rhythm.

Her moans came unbidden, natural, and felt so right, so good that she didn’t want it to end, didn’t want it to be the last time she felt such an exhilarating sensation that continued to build. She was sure she would burst or come to the end of her fall, and she did in the most explosive way, screaming out in pleasure she would not believe existed if she hadn’t felt it herself. And she found she took even more pleasure in seeing, hearing, Torrance do the same.

Torrance collapsed on her for a moment and whispered in her ear, “Now that you captured me between your legs, I intend to rest there often.” He raised his head, his eyes catching hers. “You are mine and nothing will change that.”

He said that so often to her that she wondered if he was trying to convince himself of it and not her.

He rolled off her onto his back and laid there silent for a few moments. Then he got off the bed and as he walked to the door, he said, “Sleep. We leave early in the morning.” And with that he walked out of the room.

Esme stared at the door. She hadn’t known what to expect afterwards when it was finally done, their vows sealed. She expected relief but instead got confusion. She simply did not know what to make of her husband. One moment, he seemed like Torrance and the next he felt like a stranger. One moment he showed concern, the next indifference.

At least her duty as a wife was done, though according to Torrance it would not be the last time they coupled. That she actually enjoyed coupling with him made her think he couldn’t be Torrance. She could never have enjoyed such pleasure with Torrance.

She shook her head. She would drive herself insane if she continued this guessing game. She needed to observe, pay close attention, and once and for all find out the truth.

A thought struck her. Not once upon entering the room had he called her wife.

Torrance satin the Great Hall at a table in front of the hearth that was burning bright, having just been fed for the night. Intimacy with Esme had not been part of the plan and yet heworried that it would be the most difficult part of the plan, to ignore her, resist her. That was something that had gotten more difficult to do.

He scrubbed his hand over his face, annoyed with himself. He shouldn’t have coupled with her. It was not the way he meant it to be. What way had he meant it? She was the thorn in his side that dug deeper and deeper into him just as he feared she would.

That thorn would forever jab at him if he refused to admit the truth… he loved her. And that was not going to change. He had loved her from the first moment he laid eyes on her and he would never stop loving her.

How to resolve this he had no idea, but one thing was for sure… she belonged to him now and he would never let her go.

He heard the footfalls that moved quietly into the room and said, “What brings you here so late, Brack?”

“My duty, my lord,” Brack said, stopping in front of the table. “I wanted to make sure the keep had no unwanted nightly visitors after today’s incident. But what brings you here? You should be?—”

“Do not remind me again of my duties to produce an heir. It has been seen to and news will not be long off,” Torrance said, realizing there now was a chance that she could be with child and if not now soon enough since he had every intention of resting between her legs again… only the next time would be far different from tonight.

“I am glad to hear that it goes well, my lord, and your wife has finally learned how to please you.”

He wanted to lash out at Brack, defend Esme, but that wouldn’t be wise, instead he asked, “Is all ready for tomorrow?”

Brack nodded. “Aye. The first troop will leave at dawn to ride ahead and clear the way. Another will trail behind to make certain no one dares follow. And ten of your finest warriors will remain close, guarding you and Lady Esme at all times.”

Torrance gave a curt nod, though his jaw remained clenched.

Brack studied him for a moment. “What do you expect to find when you get there?” he asked. “And what do you hope to accomplish?”

Torrance didn’t answer right away, his gaze drifting off as if he needed to give it thought.

“I expect truths,” he said finally, his voice low. “And I hope they don’t come at too high a cost.”

Brack raised a brow. “Truths that change what?”