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

forward, she noticed the man he called Edward had captured her own pathetic beast, and now followed them.
    She yawned loudly, bit her lip and gazed up at the metal face to see if he’d caught her unladylike behavior. He didn’t look at her, but he did push her head back onto his chest which he’d covered with a cape to protect her skin from his chain mail.
    “Sleep,” he ordered.
    She had a mind to argue, but another yawn took over. Exhaustion won out.
    Some time later she was jostled awake. Lifting her head she took careful note of her surroundings. Night had fallen, the skies sprinkled with stars. They’d come to another village surrounded by a looming shadow of a high thick stone wall. Its height had to be at least twenty feet. How long had she slept? At the far end of the village a vast castle peeked above the overwhelming stonework.
    A lord lived here.
    “My village, Hardwyck,” he said proudly. Strength emanated in his words.
    This was his village? Who was he? With his reference to the village as his, she could only hope against hope this wasn’t the lord. Perhaps instead it was just an overzealous knight. She didn’t want to bring attention to herself as it was. She had a new identity now, and could never reveal who she truly was, on pain of death.
    The horses followed the rutty dirt road up and over the drawbridge covering a moat, to the heavy wooden doors that formed the gate. The doors were closed and forbidding. The portcullis was already lifted—she shuddered imagining it wrenching loose and crushing them to death as they entered.
    “Welcome home, my lord,” came a shout from atop the gate tower.
    My lord. Fate had dealt her another blow.
    The gate doors slowly swung wide. Two men held the doors, peering out the opening at group and then beyond, perhaps making sure there were no stragglers lurking in the distance. Always cautious, always aware.
    When they entered, the two men hurriedly pushed the heavy wooden doors closed, replacing the large thick beam.
    She looked around at the village with its deep rutted dirt streets and the hastily put together wooden buildings. All with cracks so wide between the planks she could see men and women at their tables, eating, some singing—and every so often, the sounds of carnal pleasures wafted into the air. The sounds played with her newfound awareness, and made sitting on the lap of the most delicious man she’d ever seen, quite distracting. She imagined she was one of those women, spread out beneath him as he ran his fingers up and down her limbs.
    What did he look like beneath his suit of armor? Would his skin be golden, shadowed with crisp hair? Were his limbs as sinewy to look at as they felt? His skin, rough or soft? Her face flushed hot, and if she’d had a fan she would have waved it frantically in front of her face.
    She couldn’t help the horrified expression of how this man affected her, as she took in her new surroundings. She was only too glad no one looked her way to gauge her reaction. Her lips moved in silent prayer for the Lord to forgive her, her lascivious thoughts.
    Soon the stench of garbage and human refuse in the village overwhelmed her, and whatever sensual thoughts she might have had dissipated. It was so different from the lifestyle she was used to. She’d been kept well guarded at the French court, and even before leaving Scotland, it was rare for her parents to let her venture out to any of the surrounding villages which housed their people.
    Occasionally they would attend a fair or a tournament, but there she mingled with other nobles, and never was she as scared as she was now. No more going to court, no more fancy feasts and no more attending fairs, gazing and purchasing the goods merchants offered. No more sitting in the stands to watch the brave knights knock each other from their horses with their lances, and then bowing to her, hoping for a few stolen kisses.
    They passed people who bumped into each other and cursed loudly.