Elizabeth gazed at her husband as she sat on the altar. The spark he had come to know and love flickered in her eyes again.
He shook his head. "Oh, no, love, we can't. Your back, the cold."
She pulled him up onto the stone with a strength born of rampant desire, and flattened him, stretching out his arms as though he were a captive about to be sacrificed. Then she sat astride his huge throbbing manhood, and pressed her hips down hard.
"Gods above, Elizabeth!"
He had already begun to climax, but her hand reaching behind to grasp the tender flesh at the top of his thighs made him thrust up with a bellow until she was sure she was being impaled.
"Will! Give me all of you!"
He grasped her waist and pushed her down while he lunged even further. "You have all of me, forever."
He watched her climax as the dawn rose in the east. Her head was thrown back, her hair cascading out in the breeze and spilling down over her magnificent breasts and both their thighs. He reached out to touch it, stroking her rosy nipples through the long silky tresses. Her hair?
When he was finally able to move again, he kissed her petal-soft lips and stroked her ivory skin and raven locks. He felt no fear, no cold, nothing except the pure joy of the love they had shared. He stroked down her bare back, her arm, down to the wrist, and touched her bracelet. Touched the stone.
It was all real. Not a dream. She was his. They had loved each other all night, over and over in a blaze of glory.
Now it was dawn, and he knew with absolute certainty that this would be just the first night and morning of many. He felt peace within for the first time since he could remember, since…
"You were arrested and thrown in prison."
"That's right," he said in wonder.
"You're free now. Free to come out of the dark and into the light."
Will nodded and kissed her, his heart too full to speak.
Some time later, the rising wind began to nip at their bare flesh, and they ceased their wild lovemaking at last and rose from their granite couch.
They began to dress each other as carefully as they had undressed the night before. He tied her last bootlace and then he straightened and kissed her. She melted into his arms, and not for the first time he murmured, "You feel so wonderful. This is magical."
"It is indeed," she sighed.
"But we'll need to walk to Waterford to see if we can find a conveyance to take us back to Ardmore."
"I'm sure we'll be provided for. We have thus far."
"Yes, most remarkable. I've never—"
She put a finger to his lips, and he kissed it. "Some things should never, can never be talked about. Like the cave."
He nodded. He took her arm, and with one last look at the huge monument, which Vanessa Stone had told them was called a dolmen, they made their way back to the road.
Elizabeth had taken a few steps when she felt herself break out into a cold sweat, and her head swam.
"Are you all right, love?" Will gasped, holding her closely against him as he dropped to his knees with his tender burden.
"Fine. Fine." She smiled at him, and he kissed her, hearing her thoughts as surely as if she had spoken them aloud. I love you.
He helped her to her feet, and they strode down the road once more. They had only taken a few more steps when they heard a cart heading toward them, bound for Waterford. They were able to secure a lift, and arrived at The King's Arms just as the clock struck ten.
They found their driver Griffiths waiting for them, and so they left word they would be ready to leave at two.
They broke their fast in a small coffee house, devouring hot rolls and marmalade with coffee like two starving people.
There were few patrons about so early after the lashing storm of the previous night, and so they were not ashamed to show their affection. They kissed the marmalade from each other's lips and she stroked his golden hair which flowed down over his collar to his shoulders.
Will caught sight of himself in a shop window and started. "But I thought-"
She put one hand up to her own hair, which flowed down to her knees. "First on the list are some ribbons for both of us."
He kissed her left hand and touched her wedding ring. Eternal love. The circle completed. All restored to its former glory.
"All that's worth having, yes."
He looked down at her and nodded. "And Vevina and Parks, and the children?"
"We have to trust in the gods. Not tempt fate, or try to control it."
They strode through the old town, founded by the Vikings many centuries before. "And one of the first places the English ever invaded," Will told her.