Iliana’s eyes became great, round holes in her head as they removed his plaid and then the long shirt he had worn beneath it. Her mother had prepared Iliana well for her wedding night and had even given her an idea of what to expect a naked man to look like, but the body exposed to her now was a bit more than she had ever imagined.

Truth to tell, it was a lot more, she thought faintly, her gaze finding and fixing on his manhood. There was no way in heaven that that thing was going to fit inside her, she thought with dismay. By God! ’Twould rip her to shreds. ’Twould—

Iliana reined her thoughts in viciously, reminding herself that ’twas not a worry. She wore the belt of chastity. The key was hidden and would remain so until her husband bathed. But what if he did bathe?

She was forced from that worry to more immediate ones as the men hurried her husband to the bed and drew the linens back to put him in beside her.

For a moment, her scanty gown was revealed to one and all, then Iliana tugged the linens back over herself, fearing they might see the leather of the belt through the thin material of her gown.

Iliana waited as Ebba followed the men out, catching the worried glance the woman threw over her shoulder. Then the door closed, leaving her alone with her husband. It was not until she turned to peer at him solemnly that she realized why the men had had to carry him. Her husband was thoroughly sotted and now that the men who had supported him were gone, he could hardly sit upright.

“Get out of this bed.”

Duncan blinked, the meaning of her words slow to weave their way through the ale pickling his brain. “Get out?”

“Aye. You will not sleep in this bed until you have taken a bath.”

“Bath?” He appeared to catch on to the last word and shook his head as she shifted until she sat facing him. Her knees drawn up under the linens, she rested her feet beside his body, and contemplated him grimly.

“Nay,” Duncan said finally. “I do no bathe ’til July.”

“Then you do not sleep here until July,” she announced primly.

He was still trying to absorb her words when she suddenly slid her feet forward, rested them on the hip facing her, and gave him a push that sent him toppling off the bed.

Iliana fully expected him to rise up from the floor, furious and ready for a fight. Taking a deep breath, she tried to prepare herself for the battle ahead, but after several moments of silence, she began to worry her lip nervously. After several more moments, she managed to gather the courage necessary to move hesitantly to the edge of the bed and peer cautiously down at him.