The Wife Test by Betina Krahn Read Free Book Online Page B

ushered to the center of the ruin. There, a number of small fires lighted a military camp in which some men wore rags and others wore armor.
    “It’s about time.” A short, stocky man in elegant velvets rose from the center of the camp and glared at the arrival. “What news have you?”
    “They made camp,
seigneur.
I waited to be sure. The women … one was injured or overcome, and they would go no further.”
    “And the man they took prisoner?” the lord demanded.
    “Has not yet come to his senses. They have posted no sentries.”
    “So they do not yet know …” The nobleman scowled and paced away, then back, rubbing his hands together, thinking. “There is still time to prevent the little tarts from reaching the coast and boarding a boat bound for London.” He turned a fierce look on the captain of his guards. “If you cannot steal them away, then you must at least render them unfit for matrimony. Do you understand what I am saying, Valoir?”
    “Oui, seigneur.”
The knight Valoir’s face twisted into a smirk. “I understand.”
    The lord took a deep breath and looked to the east, scanning the moonlit ridge of the horizon, calculating their best odds of success.
    “Dawn would be the best time to catch them unawares.”

Chapter Four
    Their camp that evening was a modest victory, as victories go, but a significant one in Chloe’s eyes. She had gone toe-to-toe with the arrogant knight and, in the end, gotten what she wanted. It meant that even if she could not control what happened to them, she could at least influence it. More important, it put a seal on her leadership for the other maids, who had been badly shaken by the attack. Their first experiences in the world outside the cloister wails were proving to be somewhat harrowing.
    “I had no idea what was happening. I didn’t see or hear anything before they grabbed me,” Helen said as they huddled together inside the makeshift tent.
    “Nor did I.” Alaina pushed up her sleeve and inspected her wrist with blooming indignation. “I think the wretches may have
bruised
me.”
    “I’ll never go in the woods again,” Margarete said fervently, glancing over her shoulder in the direction of the trees. “No matter how badly I have to
go.”
    “It does no good to dwell on it,” Chloe said, putting her arm around Margarete and reaching over to squeeze Helen’s hand. “There are guards ringing the wagons … we’re safe now. Let’s talk about something else.”
    “Oui,
something else, please,” Lisette said, glancing at the slice of golden firelight coming through the tent opening. “Did you see how he fought? Our knight protector.” She gave a low whistle.
“Mon Dieu,
what a swordsman!”
    “Lisette, your language,” Chloe said, unconsciously mimicking Sister Archibald and achieving the same dismal result: Lisette’s smile contained not a trace of repentance.
    “Then let us talk of his long, muscular legs and broad shoulders.” There was a giggle of response. “And his hands … such big, powerful ones …”
    “He is so very strong,” Helen put in with an admiring roll of her eyes. “Did you see how easily he lifted Chloe?”
    “And so awfully tall,” Margarete put in, not quite catching the spirit of the others’ comments. “It hurts my neck to have to look up at him.”
    “It is not his size or power that draws
my
eye,” Alaina pronounced her judgment. “Have you not noticed the way he moves? Long, sure strides … as if with each step he measures the world for conquest.”
    “And those eyes.” Lisette’s gaze drifted to some internal vision. “So dark and searing. They glow like hot coals at the center. I swear—”
    “Don’t swear,” Chloe said by reflex, even as she was plunged by Lisette’s words into a steamy swirl of memory.
    “Sometimes I can feel his gaze all the way through my habit and gown … reaching inside my skin.” Lisette shivered eloquently, and the others giggled.
    Searing eyes. Long, powerful