The Warrior's Wife by Denise Domning Read Free Book Online Page A

Kate’s face just beyond her sire’s shoulder. With her cap yet held in her hands, the torchlight found deep red highlights in her hair. The light’s golden glow outlined the gentle curves of her profile. Could she truly be the innocent Amicia claimed?
    “Turn your eyes away, sir knight,” Amicia snapped, her voice hard. “I read your face well enough to see where your thoughts drift. She’s not for you, and you know it. Worse, your attention will only lead to tragedy.”
    “What harm can there be in looking?” Rafe started to protest, only to be interrupted by Josce FitzBaldwin.
    “Why Rafe, here you are at last,” Josce called from a few feet distant. “I’ve been looking all over Haydon for you.”
    Rafe glanced at Josce then snorted. Josce was lying; it wasn’t him his friend sought. Rafe’s foster-brother’s gaze was fixed on Amicia. Amicia watched the tall, fair-haired knight no less intently in return.
    “Now that you’ve found me, what is it you want?” Rafe asked, glancing from one to the other. Josce found Amicia endlessly interesting, mostly because he knew Amicia had formed an affection for him. He wasn’t one to refuse a woman’s attention, even if he didn’t return that affection.
    If there had been anything Rafe could have done to win Amicia for Josce, even if it meant turning his own back on her wealth, he’d have done it, such was his love for his friend. More than any other men at court, he and Josce were irrevocably bound to each other. Between Rafe’s poverty and Josce’s bastardy, the two of them were the least among men of their rank. Only on the tilting field, mounted on their warhorses with lances in hand, did they escape that lowly estate. He and Josce were accorded the most powerful jousters among the king’s men, some said in all England, now that the earl of Pembroke was an old man.
    Josce’s gaze never shifted from Amicia. He smiled. Lady Amicia blushed prettily. “Mary, but I seem to have forgotten, Rafe,” Josce said.
    Rafe loosed a quiet laugh. “Is that so?”
    His words stirred Amicia into finally offering the newcomer the appropriate quick bob. "Good even to you, Sir Josce. It’s a fine wedding your lord father stages for your lady sister." Her voice was soft now, all sign of shrewishness gone.
    “Indeed, it is,” Josce said, catching the widow’s hand to bow low over it. “I shall convey your compliments to Lady Haydon.”
    Rafe grinned at such courtly posturing. As Josce straightened, he shifted to stand beside the widow. She tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and once more gazed up at him, fair moonstruck. It was a triumphant grin Josce sent Rafe’s way before he again looked at the sheriff’s widow.
    “My lady, since it seems my friend has failed to ask you, I won’t be shy. Will you share this dance with me?”
    Lady Amicia’s smile could have melted wax. “It will be my pleasure.” She caught herself to throw a chiding glance in Rafe’s direction. “But I won’t go until you tell yon Godsol I’ll be watching to see he behaves himself over the next days.”
    Rafe’s brows lifted. There was no misunderstanding the warning. Amicia thought he meant to seduce Kate and would not stand for her new friend’s misuse. There’d be no ally for him here, not that he expected one.
    Josce bent a pitying look in Rafe’s direction. “My lady, I fear any scold you send in his direction is wasted effort. Years I’ve lectured our Rafe over his behavior, all to no avail.”
    That made Rafe laugh out loud. “The blind leading the blind, my friend,” he said.
    Josce’s haughty sniff at the jab was all pretense. “Come, my lady, we’re already late joining the dance.”
    “Then we’ll just have to dance a second time to make up for what we’ve missed,” the widow said, leaning coyly against her escort’s arm as he led her away from Rafe.
    With their departure, Rafe’s attention returned to Kate where she stood with her sire near the door.