Free Courtly Love by Lynn M. Bartlett

listening to my simple-minded wife's empty chattering. You were told not to ride without a groom, yet you have deliberately disobeyed my order! I cannot spare the time to track you all over the countryside! Henceforth, when you ride you will take a groom or you shall not ride at all! Does that make any sense in that empty head of yours, m'lady?"
    Serena ground her teeth in mute anger. She would not allow herself to be provoked into an argument! "I am sorry if I have displeased you, m'lord, 'tis only that I sought a place where Alan and I might be free from prying eyes and sharp tongues." Serena spoke quietly and kept her eyes downcast, so Gyles could not see the flashing anger in them. "Since you so command, I shall bring a groom along whenever Alan and I decide to swim. We will not venture forth alone again."
    Gyles could have roared in sheer frustration. The last thing he wanted was his wife exposed as she was now to any man she would arbitrarily pick to accompany her! Did she have so little common sense? Or was it possible that since he hadn't consummated their marriage, Serena had decided to take a lover—any lover?
    Serena's changed attitude these past weeks had not escaped Gyles's notice, and he had wondered at the way she so boldly flaunted herself oeneath his gaze. Gyles's knights had taken note of the change as well, and his temper flared whenever he chanced to intercept the admiring glances and compliments that were directed at Serena. Serena herself appeared totally unaware of this as she continued to chat with the knights and laugh at their rough jests. There was little Gyles could do to discourage Serena's behavior short of forbidding her to leave her chamber, and that action would make Gyles the brunt of many a derisive comment. But he would see to it that she welcomed no other man to her bed.
    Visions of Serena's delicate body being invaded by a common servant swirled through Gyles's mind. He could picture all too well rough hands touching that smooth flesh, a calloused hand reaching upward to cup a small breast, Serena's thighs being brutally parted as she thrashed beneath a gigantic, hairy body....
    "M'lord?"
    Gyles wrenched himself free from his imaginings to find Serena gazing up at him questioningly. Of their own volition, his hands had clenched themselves into fists and Gyles's face had contorted into an angry mask. Even the bravest of his men would have quailed in the face of his rage, but Serena looked at him quite calmly. Why wasn't she shrinking from him in fear, begging his forgiveness for what he knew she was planning? Slut! Whore! For all her pretended affection for Alan, Serena was no different than the others. He would see her game foiled—take a lover would she! When he finally regained enough control to speak, Gyles's tone should have frozen Serena where she stood.
    "When you desire to ride, Lady Serena, tell me, and I shall accompany you," he said tersely. " Tis not my wish that you should brazenly display yourself to every man of Camden like a strumpet displays her wares—no matter how much you would enjoy doing so."
    Serena gave Gyles an innocent smile. "Your pardon, rtflord, I meant only to obey your wishes, not upset you." Her satisfaction deepened as Gyles's jaw began to work. He might not want her as his wife, but Gyles was not about to allow any man to encroach on one of his possessions; that much Serena had known and played upon. And it had worked—far better than she could have hoped for, in fact. Serena let his biting words pass; Gyles was a proud, arrogant man and for some reason she could not fathom, he seemed to have a violent dislike of women—especially her. Gyles still remained astride his horse, anxious, it appeared, to be off. But Serena hadn't finished with him yet. Being sure to keep her eyes demurely lowered, she said, "May Alan and I complete our swim, m'lord? I fear the day is far too warm for me, and I would enjoy passing the afternoon here."
    Alan joined Serena