The Velvet Promise by Jude Deveraux Read Free Book Online Page B

each of the guests was laughing.
    The marriage ceremony was performed outside the church so all could witness the joining, rather than the few who could squeeze inside the church. The priest asked Gavin if he would take Judith Revedoune for his wife. Gavin stared at the woman beside him, her hair unbound, flowing in thick, soft waves to her waist where it curled under perfectly. "I will," he replied.
    Then the priest asked Judith as she stared just as openly at Gavin. He wore gray from head to foot. The doublet and the broad-shouldered jacket were of soft Italian velvet. The jacket was fully lined with a dark mink that formed a wide collar, the fur narrowly edging the front of the garment. His only ornament was the sword slung low about his hips, its hilt embedded with a large diamond that flashed in the sunlight.
    Her maids had said Gavin was handsome, but Judith had no idea that she would see a man with such an air of strength about him. She had expected some blond and delicate young man. Instead, she looked at his thick black hair curling along his neck, saw the lips that smiled at her and then the eyes that suddenly made chills run along her spine.
    To the joy of the crowd, the priest had to repeat his question. Judith felt her cheeks burning as she said, "Yes." Most definitely, she would take Gavin Montgomery.
    They gave promises to love, honor and obey, and when the rings were exchanged, the temporarily silent crowd let out another roar that threatened the church roof. As Judith's dowry was read to the guests and onlookers, it could hardly be heard. Judith and Gavin, a beautiful young woman and handsome young man, were a great favorite with them. The bride and groom were handed baskets of silver coins which they tossed to the people at the foot of the steps. Then the couple followed the priest into a quiet and relatively dark cathedral.
    Gavin and Judith were given places of honor in the choir, above the press of the guests below. The two were like children, stealing glances at one another throughout the long, solemn mass. The guests watched adoringly, enchanted by this marriage with its fairytale beginning. The jongleurs were already composing songs to be sung at the banquet later.
    The serfs and middle class were outside the church, comparing observations on the exquisite clothes of the guests and most of all on the beauty of the bride.

    But there was one person who was not happy. Alice Valence sat beside the fat, dozing figure of her husband-to-be, Edmund Chatworth, and stared at the bride with all the hatred in her soul. Gavin had made a fool of himself! Even the serfs had laughed at him when he bounded down the stairs after that woman like a boy running toward his first horse.
    How could anyone think that red-haired bitch was beautiful? Alice knew that freckles always accompanied red hair.
    She looked away from Judith to Gavin. Gavin was the one who made her angry. Alice knew him better than he knew himself. For all that a pretty face could send him somersaulting like a clown, she knew that his emotions ran deep. When he said he loved her, he did. And she would remind him of that as soon as possible. She would not allow him to forget her when he was bedded with that red-haired devil.
    Alice looked at her hands and smiled. There was a ring… Yes, she had it with her. She felt a little more secure as she looked back at the bride and groom, a plan forming in her mind.
    She saw Gavin take Judith's hand and kiss it, ignoring Raine who reminded him that they were in church. Alice shook her head. The silly woman didn't even know how to react. She should have lowered her lashes and blushed; Alice's blush was quite becoming. But Judith Revedoune merely stared at her husband, watching his every move as he pressed his lips to the back of her hand. Most unfeminine, Alice thought.
    At that moment Alice was not unobserved. Raine glanced down from the choir loft at Alice and saw the scowl that creased her perfect brow. He was