Page 72 of Viking in Love

Not having intended to speak aloud, she waved a hand for him to continue.

Caedmon smothered a laugh, then took a long draw on his cup of ale, presumably to clear his throat.

“Thomas of Hexham has been wed to Maude for five years…”

His teary-eyed wife was more than thirty and a bit on the plump side, but comely.

Meanwhile Caedmon’s hand had released hers and was now entering forbidden territory. He nigh did a victory dance when he realized she wore no undergarments, then said in an undertone, still staring ahead, “Witch! You will pay.”

I am already paying, rogue.

“…but Eadgifu claims Thomas to be the father of her unborn bairn.” Eadgifu was a big-breasted, brazen hussy that Breanne had seen about the keep, flirting with one and all, as long as they had a male part. And the lackwit men had no problem swiving a very pregnant woman.

Caedmon’s fingertips brushed across her nether hair, and it took all her strength to keep from moaning and opening her legs to him. Truly, the man could make her knees sweat with a mere touch.

“Now, the question afore this court,” Gerard continued, “is whether Thomas will claim this new child? And if so, will he provide for the child and its mother, and will there be a penalty for adultery?”

“I contend this is a question for the church, not a shire court,” Caedmon said. Then, proving he could do more than one thing at a time, he managed to insert a foot behind her two, which were pressed close together, and yanked. In that second of surprise, her legs spread slightly, and he got a hand betwixt her legs. “Is that not so, m’lady?”

“Huh?” She had no idea what Caedmon was referring to as his fingers were already delving into her cleft.

“Should I hear this case, or pass it on to the church?”

“Begging your leave, m’lord,” Eadgifu said, “I be due in a few sennights. I cannot wait fer some church ta get around ta my situation.” She hefted her big stomach up for emphasis, which called attention to her big udders. In truth, the coarse woman could be the prow on a longship with all her protruding assets.

“What is it you want?” Breanne managed to ask, despite the fluttering exercise Caedmon was doing with his lewd fingertips. She blinked several times as blood drained from her head and rushed to other, more intimate parts.

“I want him ta take care of me and me babe.” Eadgifu shot a smug look at Thomas and his wife.

“He has four children of his own ta care for,” Maude protested. “I believe my Thomas is innocent, but if he has been strayin’, I will cut off his cock and give it ta yon harlot, wrapped in a riband.”

Breanne put a hand to her mouth to hide her smile. I do like this woman.

Thomas crossed his legs and cast his wife a sheepish glance. “I have ne’er lain with this woman,” he contended.

“Liar!” Eadgifu shouted.

Breanne was fast losing control with the rogue drawing circles around her nubbin of pleasure. She must leave soon or humiliate herself by peaking in front of one and all. Raising a hand, she said in a rush, “Thomas and Maude, you are to remain silent whilst I ask Eadgifu a question.”

“I do love a woman who gives orders,” Caedmon remarked low enough that only she could hear.

“Shut your teeth.”

“Methinks I may just swoon.”

Eadgifu preened, figuring she was about to win her case.

“Eadgifu,” Breanne said, “Thomas has a birthmark few people are aware of. Where is it located on his body?”

At first, Eadgifu’s eyes darted right and left, trapped like a doe in a bramble bush, but then she noticed Breanne staring at Thomas’s belly.

“On his gut,” Eadgifu announced.

Thomas grinned and before he could be told to halt, he unlaced and dropped his braies to show a stomach devoid of any birthmark. Of course, he also showed them a manpart, as well.

“Oh, good Lord!” Breanne put her hands to her eyes until he raised his braies back up.

Maude began to weep with relief and told her husband, “I believed ya the whole time, dearling.”