The Ballad of Rosamunde by Claire Delacroix Read Free Book Online Page B

am glad to see you hale
again.” Padraig stared down at her, knowing his desire but afraid
to speak of it too soon.
    Rosamunde, as was typical of her, showed no
such restraint. She twined her arms around his neck, sliding her
fingers into his hair. “I am sorry, Padraig, that I erred so badly.
I love you, I think I have always loved you, but I wish I had seen
the truth of it sooner.”
    Padraig bent to touch his lips to hers, his
heart swelling that his dream should be his own. “I know that I
have always loved you,” he murmured against her mouth.
    Rosamunde laughed. “Then I shall have to
spend the rest of our lives atoning for my error.”
    “I do not think it will be so onerous.”
    “Nor do I!”
    Padraig laughed at the prospect, then he
sobered. Rosamunde’s eyes were richest green, filled with a
conviction that stole his breath away. “Marry me, Rosamunde. Marry
me and seal our bond for all to see. I have little to offer you but
myself.”
    “Your ship.”
    “ Your ship, and the contents yours as
well. I have only myself.”
    “And it is more than enough. I will wed you,
Padraig, and I will honor your love every day and night of my
life.
    It was everything he had ever wanted, and
yet more.
    Rosamunde’s kiss sent a welcome heat through
Padraig, a heat that her presence would never fail to kindle.
Padraig knew that whatever he had suffered had been worthwhile, for
he had gained his heart’s desire.
    When he lifted his head, her eyes were
sparkling and her cheeks were flushed. She glanced about herself
and shivered. “Tell me, though, that we can sail to warmer
climes.”
    “I thought Sicily,” Padraig said, smiling as
pleasure lit her expression. “With the morning tide. All is
prepared.”
    Rosamunde laughed. “A man of confidence, and
one in pursuit of my own heart.”
    “I thought I possessed that prize already,”
he teased, loving the sound of her answering laughter.
    “You do, you do.” Then Rosamunde raised a
hand to his cheek, as solemn as he had ever seen her. Her voice
dropped to a fervent whisper. “Oh, Padraig, never doubt that I am
yours.” A tear glistened in her eye, a tear that he knew was rare
for this bold woman. “I may have been late to see the truth, but I
shall never forget it now.”
    “I shall never let you forget it,” he
retorted, then winked. Rosamunde smiled and he swung her into his
arms, then strode from the lake. He had an idea of how they might
warm themselves before the walk back to town.
    One glance at his lady told him that their
thoughts were as one. Yet again, they would challenge convention.
Yet again they would follow their hearts. But from this day forth,
they would do so together.
    It was as close to heaven as Padraig Deane
ever expected to be.

    *

    “ Padraig gained his lady’s heart,
    She vowed they’d never be apart.

Rosamunde was a pirate queen
    With hair red gold and eyes of green.
    Her lover true did hold her fast,
    Showed all the fey his love would last.
    They ne’er forgot those of Faerie,
    And lived out their days most happily.”

    *

Dear Reader –
    As you might have guessed in reading this
short story, I’ve written about both Rosamunde and Padraig before.
The story of Rosamunde is linked to my Kinfairlie trilogy - in
fact, we first met Rosamunde as a child in the Ravensmuir series.
Those books are:

    The Rogues of Ravensmuir
Trilogy

The Rogue

The Scoundrel The Warrior

    The Jewels of Kinfairlie
Trilogy
    The Beauty Bride The Rose Red Bride The Snow White Bride
    Rosamunde was left in limbo when the
subsequent four books that I had planned for the Kinfairlie series
were not acquired by the publisher. I was very excited to have the
opportunity to tell her story – and give her an H.E.A.! – and am
even more excited to be able to offer the story in its entirety to
you here. (It was shortened considerably for including in the
Mammoth book.)

    Recently, I have been writing the books for
the other siblings at Kinfairlie. The Renegade’s