A Lady's Charade (Medieval Romance Novel) by Eliza Knight Read Free Book Online

through her teeth and onto her tongue. Vomit rose in her throat at the taste of his skin in her mouth. The man screamed.
    Oh Lord, please help me!
    In an instant he threw her to the ground and began kicking her. She rolled away from his kicks, screaming and spitting his blood onto the ground. Her ribs ached where his feet landed blows. Her heart pounded in her ears, all thoughts of food, shelter and warmth escaped her. Now all she knew was she needed to survive. She needed to get away from this barbarian. Somehow she managed to rise to her feet amidst his blows. Then his kicking ceased and she felt herself rise higher into the air, her feet no longer touching the ground.
    Had she died and was now cascading up to Heaven?
    A strong arm grasped her about the waist. The cold armor that covered the arm bit through her clothes. Her senses screamed, she wanted to cry out for mercy. She turned to see who it was, but could only make out a helmet. Her eyes were heavy, her mouth slack. She was close to fainting, and welcomed the darkness, begged it to consume her.
    But her savior wouldn’t let her. A knight, a large, fierce looking knight. He scooped her up like she was a feather and plopped her on his horse in front of him. Oh, Dear God in Heaven! Don’t let him hurt me!
    Her buttocks hit hard muscled thighs—the warmth of which were in strong contrast to the metal on his arms. Tingles of pleasure and pain shot from her bottom through her thighs as his warmth seeped into her skin. She wiggled closer, wishing she could melt into his warm body, feeling foolish at the same time. How did she know this man didn’t plan a similar fate for her that the vile man had? The other knights? She didn’t know… but her instincts were not on alert. She felt safe, almost comforted.
    As he settled her in front of him, strong arms wound around her middle. Her back pressed against the chain mail on his chest. She was overwhelmed by the sheer mass and strength of this man. Nipples tightened of their own accord, throwing her into vast confusion. No longer did she feel pain and revulsion. Quite the opposite. Sensations ripped through her body—she at once wanted to kiss this man, let him stroke her skin. Take her. Good lord, what was she thinking?
    He shouted down to the disgusting man. “Cease and desist! What the devil do you think you are doing?”
    Several armed men held their swords at her attacker’s throat. He held his arms up in surrender.
    “She has attacked me! I will have her hanged for this!” he swiped at his bloody cheek.
    Chloe shuddered and could still feel the remnants of vomit threatening to escape. Would they believe him, would she have escaped this vile creature just to feel a bristly rope squeezed tight against the tender flesh of her neck? She took deep breaths to keep herself from letting the liquid contents of her stomach go right onto her protector’s horse. Her savior’s strong arms held fast. He would protect her. Somehow she knew that. She leaned back, limp, utterly fatigued. It was all too much for her. She began to sob quietly so as not to let the knight hear her. She tried to peek at him, but all she could see was shiny metal.
    “You’ll not be having anyone hanged stranger. Tie him to one of the ash trees,” he ordered. The lousy man kicked and shouted as the knights gripped him by his limbs and dragged him to a tree. They tied him to it tightly, another strip of rope gagging him. “Spending the night in the cold and defenseless will teach you to prey on innocents.” The knight’s voice was like steel, smooth and cold.
    The man protested, but his words were muffled and Chloe couldn’t make out what he said. She sunk deeper into her rescuer’s lap.
    “Thank you sir, for saving me,” she whispered. She kept her face cast downward, scared and too embarrassed to have him see how dirty she was.
    “The rules of chivalry say it is a knight’s duty to save a damsel in distress, or so I am told.” He chuckled