The Shattered Rose Page 0,81

with me?"

Jehanne looked anxiously at Donata, who wailed again. "Oh, I don't seem able to help her, and she won't feed Perhaps she'll be better without me."

She gave the baby to Aline and left.

* * * * * Jehanne picked her way around the edge of the muddy manor yard, trying to sense her husband's mood. She had nearly killed him, and he must know it.

He led her out onto the grassy meadow near the river. Peace had returned now that the men were back at their tasks, but the water was still muddy from their games.

"I'm not hurt," he said.

"I can see you are."

He touched his brow. "This is nothing. I've bruises to match it in various spots."

She was determined to make him face the truth. "You could have been hurt.

And it would have been my fault."

He smiled reassurance. "Of course not. A baby cried."

"That baby wouldn't exist if not for my folly!"

His humor faded. "So you accept blame for everything? If so, you can accept my thanks."

"Thanks?"

He sat on the grass and tugged her into his lap. She struggled. "Am I to be cuddled out of my concerns like a child?"

With a sigh he tightened his hold. "I am merely trying to save your gown from the damp grass, frugal husband that I am."

She stopped struggling and surrendered, even daring to tease. "So you really have no wish to have me in your arms?"

"None at all," he teased back. "It makes it hard not to ravish you."

She relaxed against his chest. "Oh, Galeran, I couldn't bear to think that I'd caused you more pain."

He stroked her hair. "Don't grow foolish on me, love. You've stitched wounds, dug out bits of wood and metal, and poulticed my twisted limbs.

I'm a fighting man when I have to be."

She tilted her head to look up at him. "But I could always feel sure those fights were silly men's affairs. This one is mine."

"We wouldn't be on this tedious journey if men didn't have their silly fingers in it somewhere. Which brings me to thanks." He appeared serious.

"What do you mean?"

"I want to thank you for causing that distraction. The purpose of a training fight is to find weaknesses so they can be worked on and eliminated. Next time I'll know better than to look away when Donata - or any baby - cries."

"I would hope so!"

"So you see" - he kissed her soundly - "it was excellent that it happened as it did."

"It still terrified me."

He met her eyes seriously. "If it does, you must hide it. Don't weaken me, Jehanne."

"I never used to weaken you."

"No, you didn't."

"Have I changed, then?" She ran over it in her mind, trying to contrast herself now with herself two years or more ago. "Perhaps it's motherhood that's turned me soft."

He slid a hand down her side. "You seem firm enough to me." Then he touched her breasts. "Especially here." Then his hand stilled.

"Sweet Savior. Are you all right?"

She moved his hand off her rock-hard, tender breast. "Donata was too fretful to feed properly. I should go back and try her again."

He rose and set her on her feet. "Does it hurt to be like that?"

She touched the bulge in the front of his braies. "Does it hurt to be like that?"

He laughed. "Somewhat, yes."

"I suspect it may feel the same, though the relief won't."

With rueful laughter they hurried back across the sheep-scattered field to the manor house, and Jehanne knew Galeran must be thinking of making love as much as she was. But the small manor house offered no privacy, and they weren't of a mind to couple in a crowded room.

Penance and votive offering, she reminded herself. And anyway, at the moment her milk would flood the house.

By the open hall doors, just before they parted, Galeran said, "Jehanne, watch Aline."

"Aline? Why?"

"She's playing some game with Raoul, which means she's playing with a sharp-edged knife."

"Control your friend, then!"

"I trust him, within limits. You might want to explain to Aline that throwing out challenges to men can be foolhardy."

Jehanne stared at him. "What on earth do you mean?"

"Just ask her about the river."

Pondering that, Jehanne went to Donata, but found her at last asleep. The poor infant still looked flushed from her crying, and it would be cruel to waken her.

Being in some pain, Jehanne squeezed out enough milk to relieve the pressure. She couldn't help wondering if Galeran might be relieving himself in a similar way.

As she expressed the milk, she pondered Aline's