The Brat Page 0,39

carried as if he were a prisoner of war. Osgoode and Reginald were among the men who immediately began stripping him, and Murie watched wide-eyed as her new husband was denuded before her.

He really was an impressive sight, with his wide strong shoulders and muscular chest tapering to a flat stomach. Mary swallowed as her eyes dropped lower, then quickly turned her gaze away and tried to pretend she was anywhere but there. The men finished stripping her husband and then pulled the linens away, briefly revealing her own nudity as they slipped him into the bed at her side.

Murie was in such a state, she hardly heard the ribald jests and approving comments before the linens were replaced and the room began to empty out.

Balan watched the last of the people vacate the room before turning to peer at his wife. Murie looked like a deer spotting danger: eyes wide, body seemingly frozen stiff.

He sighed to himself. This was going to be a long night. He would have to handle her most delicately, ease her into this business of the marital bed. She would be a virgin after all, with a virgin's sensibilities and no doubt all sorts of ridiculous beliefs put into her head by the church, beliefs about the relations between a husband and wife and all that they should and shouldn't do. Shaking his head, he turned carefully in the bed so as not to startle or frighten her, intending only to assure her all would be well; but before he could speak, she threw herself at him, plastering her mouth to his. After the briefest startlement, Balan shrugged and slid his arms around his wife, using one hand to hold her head at an angle he liked, and began to teach her how to kiss properly.

Chapter Seven

Murie moaned in relief as her husband kissed her back. She'd sat there worried and anxious and . .. well... really, terrified of what was to come, but then she'd recalled her dream and knew that if he would just kiss her, all would be well. However, he'd not hurried to accomplish the task, and finally, panicked to the point that she was ready to hop out of bed and flee the room, when he'd turned to her, she'd simply taken the matter into her own hands and kissed him herself. Fortunately, he'd not been offended and after a brief pause, slid his arms around her. She felt his tongue slide insistently along her lips, and she opened for him as she recalled that dream kiss. As in the dream, his tongue immediately slid inside, and Murie moaned as it rasped over hers. Balan tasted of ale and the beef they'd had at the feast, and she quite liked the combination, but then she forgot all about it as his hand found her breast under the linens.

Gasping, Murie found herself arching into his touch as excitement tingled through her.

"Oh, husband," she breathed as he broke the kiss to run his mouth to her ear. Her eyes popped open with surprise at the heat this caress unfolded within her. She'd never thought of her ears as good for anything but hearing. Apparently, that wasn't so. She tilted her head slightly to give him better access, and her gaze landed on the chest across the room. She blinked with surprise as she recalled the horseshoe and rabbit's foot she'd collected for the wedding night.

Murie immediately tugged free of her husband's embrace, probably only managing to do so because she took him by surprise.

"What - ?" Balan's question ended on an oomph as she unintentionally kneed him in her scramble to get out of the bed. Realizing what she'd done, she removed her knee, ending up straddling his hips over the furs as she eyed him with concern.

"I am sorry, my lord. Did I hurt you?"

Balan released a small whimper but shook his head. Relieved, she smiled and continued her rush over to the chest. Dropping to her knees in the rushes, she threw it open and began to dig under the clothing for the items she sought. She'd hidden them under her gowns so Cecily wouldn't see them.

"What are you doing?"

Murie glanced to the side with surprise when she realized he'd followed and now stood beside her, a frown on his face as he watched her digging frantically through the chest.

"I put... Oh dear," she murmured as her gaze got caught on the appendage jutting out from between his legs.