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"Perhaps I will," Duncan answered "If I wish to," he added, s at the way she tried not to frown at him

"Then I'll have to look at you all night," Madelyne answered

"And why is that, Madelyne?" His voice was soft and husky

"If you think to take advantage of me while I sleep, you're mistaken, Baron"

She looked so indignant "And hoill I take advantage of you, Madelyne?"

He was srin it was, reflected in the depths of his eyes

Madelyne wished she'd kept silent Lord, she was putting obscene ideas into his head

"I'd rather not discuss this issue," she sta, if you please"

"But I don't please," Duncan answered "Do you think I'll satisfy ht and take you while you rest?"

Duncan lowered his head until he was just a scant breath away frorunted his approval

Madelyne was as still as a doe, trapped by her oorries

"You wouldn't touch me," she suddenly blurted out "Surely you're too tired to think of such… and we are camped out in the open… nay, you wouldn't touch me," she ended

"Perhaps"

And just what did thattrue pleasure over her obvious distress

She decided she wasn't going to be taken advantage of without giving hiht in ht eye Her ht she received more pain than he did She was the one who cried out in pain Duncan didn't even flinch Lord, she'd probably broken her hand and all for nothing

"You are made of stone," Madelyne muttered

"Why did you do that?" Duncan asked, his tone curious

"To let you know I'll fight you to the death if you try to have your ith ht it was a brave speech, but the force of it was ruined by her shaky voice She sighed, discouraged

Duncan sain "To the death, Madelyne?"

From the horrible look on his face, Madelyne decided he found the idea pleasing

"You jump to conclusions," Duncan commented " 'Tis a flaw, that"

"You threatened," Madelyne countered " 'Tis a bigger flaw, that"

"Nay," he argued "You suggested"

"I'm sister of your enemy," Madelyne reminded him, pleased by the frown her reood measure

The tension went right out of her shoulders She should have thought of that argument sooner

"But with my eyes closed, I'll not know if you're Louddon's sister or not," Duncan said "It's rumored that you lived with a defrocked priest and that you played the whore for him Yet in the dark, that wouldn't bother "

She wished she could hit hiossip, her eyes filled with tears She wanted to screa with his God and his church, and that he happened to be her uncle as well The priest was the only one who cared about her The only one who loved her How dare Duncan stain her uncle's reputation?

"Who told you these stories?" Madelyne asked, her voice a hoarse whisper

Duncan could see how his words wounded her He knew then that all the stories were just as he suspected False Madelyne couldn't hide her pain fronized her innocence

Madelyne was shattered by histo try to convince you that the gossip you've heard about ain, Baron Believe what you will If you think I'm a whore, then whore I am"

Her outburst was veheer Duncan had witnessed since taking her captive He found hi with such indignation Aye, she was innocent all right

He decided to end their conversation so that Madelyne would be saved further distress "Go to sleep," he commanded her

"How can I sleep with the fear you'll take advantage of ht?" she asked

"Do you actually think you'd be able to sleep-through it?" Duncan asked His voice sounded incredulous Lord, she'd insulted him, yet he realized she was too naive to know it Duncan shook his head "If I decide to take advantage of you, as you describe it, I proo to sleep"

He pulled Madelyne into his arainst his chest His arainst the swell of her breasts And then he threw the cloak over both of them, determined to dismiss her from his mind

It was easier said than done The scent of roses clung to Madelyne, and she felt so soft against him Her nearness all but intoxicated hi while before sleep claimed him

"What would you call it?" Madelyne's question came to hiht every word Duncan had to recount their conversation before he thought he understood what she was asking him

"Taking advantage?" he asked, clarifying her question

He felt her nod "Rape" Duncan ainst the top of her head

Madelyne jerked upward, hitting his chin in her haste Duncan's patience earing thin He decided he never should have spoken to her "I have never forced h Now, go to sleep"

"Never?" Madelyne whispered her question

"Never!" Duncan shouted his answer

Madelyne believed him Odd, but she felt safe now and kneouldn't har to coain

She was soon drugged sleepy by his warroan when she wiggled her backside against hi hirabbed hold of her hips and held the him awake

Her shoes had fallen off and she slowly slipped her feet between Duncan's calves to gain le too ain

His warm breath heated the side of her neck Madelyne closed her eyes and sighed She knew she should resist the temptation, but his warmth pulled at her, lulled her She remembered one of her favorite stories about Odysseus and his adventures with the Sirens Aye, Duncan's warical ny to lure Odysseus and his soldiers to certain destruction Odysseus had outwitted the Sirens by stuffing wax into the men's ears to block out the irresistible sound

Madelyne wished she were as clever and resourceful as the epic warrior

The histled and moaned a forlorn tune around her, but Madelyne ell protected, held tightly in the arms of her captor She closed her eyes and accepted the truth then The Siren's song had captured her

She awakened only once during the night The back of her ar Ever so slowly, so as not to disturb Duncan, Madelyne turned in his arms She cushioned the side of her cheek on his shoulder and slipped her hands beneath his shirt

She wasn't coainst her forehead, Madelyne sighed with contentled closer His whiskers tickled her nose Madelyne tilted her head back and slowly opened her eyes

Duncan atching her His expression was unguarded, so warh; she wondered what it would feel like if he kissed her

Neither said a word, but when Madelyne moved toward Duncan, he met her halfway