"You have had a long, tiring day, and I have kept you far too late into the night. Perhaps you would like to retire to your chamber?"

"I'm far from tired, Arthur, but if you would like to hit the hay, I understand."

He shook his head, chuckling. "Betimes I feel that we speak different languages. I assure you that the beds in the upper chambers are made of down and very comfortable. At least I hope you find yourself comfortable."

Images of them testing the comfort of the bed together bloomed bright in her mind. And by the glitter in his eyes, she had the feeling they were pretty much on the same page, fantasy-wise.

Isabel cleared her throat. "And are you ready to retire, sir king?"

"I feel as if I could talk to you the entire night, Isabel. Why is that, do you think?"

Now how did she answer that? Because we wanted to jump each other from the moment our eyes met? She opted for a more demure response. "I believe, sir, that we have much in common. Many would envy our stations in life, but truly, it is often lonely at the top." Oh, Lord, did she just say that? "What I mean is, we understand one another."

"You are a good woman, Countess."

"Besides," she said, trying to bring back a little levity, "on the ride to Camelot you laughed at al of my knock-knock jokes."

He had the most heart-thumping grin. "I ne'er heard such things afore. I must say that I would most enjoy to travel to Dumont some day. It must be a happy place."

How the hel would she know? "Laughter is the best medicine," she said, then nearly groaned. Platitudes were pouring out of her mouth at an alarming rate. Some shrink she'd make. "You and the queen are welcome at my castle anytime."

His eyes clouded, which reminded her of what they'd just been discussing.

She grabbed his hand. "My apologies, Arthur. You and your men are also welcome anytime. You can do the bachelor thing."

"The ba-"

"Never mind. What I mean to say is that my doors are always open to you." Did she have doors to open?

She swal owed another groan. Shoot me now before I choke on my own slippered foot.

"I thank you for the offer of hospitality. And shal most definitely take you up on your kind invitation one day."

They stared at each other for several heartbeats. During those silent seconds, Isabel knew exactly which road she was going to travel. Heaven help her.

She let go of his hand-albeit reluctantly. "Now before we retire, you have yet to answer my question, Arthur."

CHAPTER EIGHT.

"MY apologies, "MIsabel. I have forgotten the question."

So had she.

And I quote. "Wow. Does she happen to be aware of that little bylaw?" Thanks, Viviane!

"I believe I asked if Gwen is guilty of this indiscretion, is she aware of the consequences of her actions?"

"What saddens me is that she is. And she is wil ing to risk this. As is Lancelot."

"Doesn't seem like true love to me if Lancelot is wil ing to put Gwen in that kind of danger."

"I believe they cannot help how they feel. I am understanding it more and more with every moment I am in your company. There is a phrase my mother told to me as a kidling. 'The heart wants what it wants.' I can no more direct the wants of Gwen's heart as I can explain how I managed to remove Excalibur. As I cannot explain this ... feeling for you."

Isabel wasn't just flattered, she was on fire. Or, at least, her hormones were. But even as she knew the path she'd chosen, she had to play devil's advocate. Because adultery went against her fast-and-loose moral code. "Arthur, is it possible that this is a retaliation of sorts? Are you playing tit for tat? To hurt her as she's hurt you?"

"I know not of the tit-for-tat thing, but I understand retaliation. Should that have been the case, I would have chosen to take up with any number of women long afore now. 'Tis not in my nature to even events this way."

Isabel knew this. She didn't know how, but she did. Arthur wouldn't jump into the sheets, or in this case bed furs, with another just to get back at his cheating wife. He could even have gone further, were he a vengeful jerk. He could have exposed Gwen at any moment, have her judged, found guilty and kil ed. Instead, he continued to protect her, no matter how much it hurt him, day in and out.

"You stil love her very much," Isabel said softly.

"That I do. But not as afore. Not in the same way. 'Tis not easy to look at your wife, play the dutiful and loving husband, when you know that she yearns for another."

Isabel suddenly realized that she was total y sober, even after the delicious cognac. Her earlier overindulgence was gone, her mind clear. Which should have made her earlier clouded judgment return to practical reality. And yet she stil wanted that one kiss, and she wasn't drunkenly fal ing in temporary love.

Permanent lust was already a given.

She was fal ing, hard, but with a completely clear understanding of what this al meant. Wel , shit. She had to fal back in time centuries to find the one? Fate wasn't necessarily cruel, but it had a real y warped sense of humor.

"Is there no such thing as divorce in Camelot?"

"Divorce?"

"Dissolution of marriage? Annulment? Bye-bye?"

"Between a king and his queen?"

"Sure! I mean, certainly. In Dumont we al ow for bad marriages to be annul ed. So that the partners are free to remarry."

"Without cause? Does not one partner have to admit to wrongdoing?"

She wasn't certain how to word it, but then just went for the big one. "It's cal ed irreconcilable differences. No one is to blame, it just ... is. The marriage is no longer palatable to either partner."

He seemed to ponder that for quite a while. "I have not heard of this. When there are grievances within the bonds, I am of course faced with the task of assigning blame. The aggrieved man wil then-"

"Hold it. Don't tel me it's always the man who has been aggrieved."

"Should the woman lie with another, there is cause-"

"What if it's the man who's been cheating?"

His laughter almost echoed off the wal s of the castle. "Isabel, I know not the laws in Dumont, but in al other lands of Briton, men are-"

"Held to a different standard. Of course."

He frowned at her. "I am confounded by your sudden aggravation."

"I'm sorry, Arthur. I just find the double standard upsetting. But I should not be surprised. And I should not be taking my irritation out on you. It is what it is."

"Nonetheless, I apologize for upsetting you at al ."

Isabel, stop. Make his day. You are one who may teach him another way.

"No, you have been nothing but gracious. It's my fault for feeling so strongly about something that you cannot understand."

He shook his head, chuckling. "But I wish to take up this topic again at a later date. You intrigue me, Isabel. I look forward to many more conversations with you."

"And I, you." She didn't know what drove her to say it, but she added, "Arthur, before we do something that we both might regret, it's time to talk to Gwen. Tel her your feelings."

"She knows naught of my awareness."

Isabel shrugged. "So tel her you know. Ask her to choose. After al , the heart wants what it wants."

"At this moment, I do not know which answer I would prefer, Isabel."

She curtsied, a little better than before. "I look forward to those future conversations, Arthur." And, man, she looked forward to a kiss. And more.

But not tonight. His attraction to her was heady, but she wasn't about to kiss a married man if he was only kissing her, or more, to show his wife that he, too, was capable of cheating in the marriage.

Arthur bowed, then straightened and looked her in the eyes. "I wanted you tonight. But I understand your reluctance. And accept your decision."

"I appreciate that, sir. My honest advice? Talk to Gwen."

"I admit to not wanting to hear her answers."

"Man up, King Arthur."

CHAPTER NINE.

ARTHUR entered his bedchamber, and Gwen was already there, waiting for him.

Her dressing gown was open, her auburn hair fal ing down over her shoulders.

There was a time when the sight of her would have him hard and ready to pick her up and take her straight to the bed furs. The truth was, even with what he had known, he most likely would stil have taken her. So it surprised him that for once the sight of her beautiful young body did not make his member hard as a bed post. In fact, his member couldn't have lifted a flea from a dog at the moment.

When had he stopped wanting his wife? When had he stopped desperately loving her? It was not before his suspicions had been confirmed. He had tried to bring her back to him with lovemaking and romantic gestures.

But her response to his love gestures were obvious. She no longer desired him as afore. What was shocking to him was that at this moment, he no longer desired her. The blue eyes and blond hair of a woman with a smart mouth and smart ideas kept running through his mind. He could not get Isabel out of his head.

Gwen headed to him. She smel ed of sex already, and he wanted to back away and beg her to bathe. "Where have you been, Arthur?" she asked.

"I was debating with the countess," he said, figuring that was no lie. "We had so much to discuss about our lands."

'Twas true in a sense. He was so very intrigued with her thoughts on matters of laws and realms. He was eager to travel to Dumont at his earliest opportunity to see in practice many of the ways she had mentioned of how she ran her realm.

The lie was that he had wanted to be with the countess, in so many ways. In al of the ways he used to want his wife after a long day. Was not voicing this thought a lie of sorts? 'Twas another question he was eager to bring up to the countess the next time they had the chance to discuss such intriguing matters. He could not wait to delve further into her thoughts. And truth be told, delve into her in other ways, as wel .

Arthur began to undress, and Gwen came up behind him. "Shal we cal for bath water?" she asked.

Her touch used to bring him so much pleasure. At this moment he would have loved to throw her hand from his body. He thought of Isabel's words and his decision came to him in one blinding flash of clarity. This charade was over. "Gwen, I know."

"I do not ken. What do you know?"

He turned to face her. "About you and Lance."

Her mouth dropped open. "Arthur, please, of what do you speak?"

He stared down at the woman he had once loved with al of his being. "Denying it is sad and futile. His sex scent is on you even now. You would actual y invite me to bathe with you? Where is your al egiance, Gwen? Where is your love? Please, if you have even a glimmer of feelings for me left in you, do not lie to me, wife."

Her silver blue eyes fil ed with tears. "Oh, Arthur, I am so very sorry."

"Sorry that I learned of it?"

"I swear that I never meant for this to happen."

In his mind and heart he truly believed her. Gwen was one of the most caring, loving women he had ever met. She would not, ever, hurt a person, a flower, an animal on purpose. He loved her. He just no longer was in love with her. That passion had slowly withered as first his suspicions and then his absolute knowledge had taken root to choke it. It was the saddest part to this debacle.

"I wil end this al . This I promise."

He shook his head. "The heart cannot stop what it wants. You can no more end this than you can trample on your adored peonies."

"I do love you, Arthur," she said, wringing her nightgown.

"And I love you, Gwen. But please do not pretend to want me when you want another. I wil protect you with my life. But I wil not pretend in our bed.

And I cannot abide that you keep up the pretense. 'Tis not fair to me, nor to Lance." He sighed. "I do, indeed, want a bath. But not one we share.

Before I arrived here, I made preparations. My bath is being fil ed across the hal . Where I shal also be sleeping."

"Arthur!"

"You, my darling wife, have made the bed you wil now lie in. My only request, nay, demand, is absolute discretion. I cannot protect you if you do not protect yourself."

"And ... and, what of Lancelot?"

Even his trusted knight's name from her lips was a dagger to his heart. Gwen's infidelity had been nigh to unbearable. But learning with whom she was sharing a bed had nearly kil ed him. "I brought Lance here, Gwen. I took him under my wing, made him one of my most treasured soldiers.