Read Online The Marriage Bed (The Medieval Knights Series) by Claudia Dain - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Claudia Dain
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attentive, more cheerful? Nay, she had married Richard, and Richard was none of those, at least not with her.
Adam met them on the last stair, his smile wide and his posture open; in all ways he looked a man eager. She had never seen such a look on Richard. Adam, comely and winsome, meant nothing to her. In all her life, there had been only Richard.
When first she had come to Malton, she had entertained no dreams of love. Richard had been her friend, ready with encouragement when she muddled the tapestry or a grin when he bested her at chess. As they had grown, their relationship had changed, and she could well recall the exact moment when she had passed through friendship and into love. Watching him one day serving at table, the angle at which he held his head, the dark shadow of his lashes against his cheek, the pulse of blood at his throat, had ensnared her. Yet she was not taken, not completely. That had happened the next day, when she had strayed out of the hall to watch the men at their warplay. Richard had been wielding his sword, his face pulled into a frown of concentration, besting his mock foe. He was tall, taller than his opponent, and his reach greater. His fighting style had been graceful, even for a youth. At the knight's command, the battle ended. Richard pulled off his helm and ran a hand through his dark hair. A word was spoken, both squires turned to her, and Richard smiled. A hesitant smile, yet a smile.
In that moment, she was lost.
She had been lost in wanting Richard ever since.
Adam's charm in no way stood against the power of the memory of that one halting smile.
"Isabel," Adam said gently.
Isabel jerked her thoughts away from memories of Richard and onto the man who stood so attentively in front of her.
"Adam," she greeted, "have you come to escort us to Vespers?"
"Indeed I have, Lady. The wind is strong within the walls of Dornei, and I fear it may try to carry you off."
Indeed, Adam was playful today. Never had she known him to be so frivolous in his speech. Perhaps he merely celebrated her wedding day. He was of a certain more cheerful than her husband.
"What will you do, then," she teased, "hold us all within your grasp? Can one man protect four women from a wind so fierce?"
"He shall have no occasion to protect me," Joan said, "for even the wind respects women of my years. Also, I wanted to wear my new wimple for Vespers, in honor of the day. Do not wait upon me. I shall not be late," she said in parting, turning to reascend the stair.
Aelis was not there to answer Adam and his offer of protection. Aelis had seen Edmund across the wide width of hall and was in pursuit of him, her hips undulating under the soft weight of her bliaut. A shaft of sunlight from the wind hole caught the gold of her hair before she disappeared.
"It seems there are but two women who need male protection," Adam said, looking askance at Elsbeth.
Look he may, but Elsbeth was not leaving.
"You have nothing hindering you from going to chapel?" he said hopefully.
"Nay, I am prepared," she said evenly.
"No need which calls you?" he pressed.
"None," Elsbeth answered without the softening courtesy of a smile. Isabel would not be left alone with Adam, of that Elsbeth was determined. Adam she did not trust. He was too handsome and his charm too bright. Elsbeth did not trust him and she never had. Isabel being married did not change that.
"Then I shall escort you both to Vespers," he said with a slight stiffening of his smile.
Elsbeth answered with a stiff smile of her own. Isabel paid scant attention to either of them.
The wind was strong within the walls, swirling down in frigid blasts, carrying last autumn's leaves in its grip. It was winter's last effort to retain sovereignty over the earth, yet spring had come; winter, no matter its erratic attempts, had lost the battle. Isabel placed her hand on Adam's arm in chivalric courtesy, her thoughts wholly occupied by Richard and his stubborn will as she shivered
Adam met them on the last stair, his smile wide and his posture open; in all ways he looked a man eager. She had never seen such a look on Richard. Adam, comely and winsome, meant nothing to her. In all her life, there had been only Richard.
When first she had come to Malton, she had entertained no dreams of love. Richard had been her friend, ready with encouragement when she muddled the tapestry or a grin when he bested her at chess. As they had grown, their relationship had changed, and she could well recall the exact moment when she had passed through friendship and into love. Watching him one day serving at table, the angle at which he held his head, the dark shadow of his lashes against his cheek, the pulse of blood at his throat, had ensnared her. Yet she was not taken, not completely. That had happened the next day, when she had strayed out of the hall to watch the men at their warplay. Richard had been wielding his sword, his face pulled into a frown of concentration, besting his mock foe. He was tall, taller than his opponent, and his reach greater. His fighting style had been graceful, even for a youth. At the knight's command, the battle ended. Richard pulled off his helm and ran a hand through his dark hair. A word was spoken, both squires turned to her, and Richard smiled. A hesitant smile, yet a smile.
In that moment, she was lost.
She had been lost in wanting Richard ever since.
Adam's charm in no way stood against the power of the memory of that one halting smile.
"Isabel," Adam said gently.
Isabel jerked her thoughts away from memories of Richard and onto the man who stood so attentively in front of her.
"Adam," she greeted, "have you come to escort us to Vespers?"
"Indeed I have, Lady. The wind is strong within the walls of Dornei, and I fear it may try to carry you off."
Indeed, Adam was playful today. Never had she known him to be so frivolous in his speech. Perhaps he merely celebrated her wedding day. He was of a certain more cheerful than her husband.
"What will you do, then," she teased, "hold us all within your grasp? Can one man protect four women from a wind so fierce?"
"He shall have no occasion to protect me," Joan said, "for even the wind respects women of my years. Also, I wanted to wear my new wimple for Vespers, in honor of the day. Do not wait upon me. I shall not be late," she said in parting, turning to reascend the stair.
Aelis was not there to answer Adam and his offer of protection. Aelis had seen Edmund across the wide width of hall and was in pursuit of him, her hips undulating under the soft weight of her bliaut. A shaft of sunlight from the wind hole caught the gold of her hair before she disappeared.
"It seems there are but two women who need male protection," Adam said, looking askance at Elsbeth.
Look he may, but Elsbeth was not leaving.
"You have nothing hindering you from going to chapel?" he said hopefully.
"Nay, I am prepared," she said evenly.
"No need which calls you?" he pressed.
"None," Elsbeth answered without the softening courtesy of a smile. Isabel would not be left alone with Adam, of that Elsbeth was determined. Adam she did not trust. He was too handsome and his charm too bright. Elsbeth did not trust him and she never had. Isabel being married did not change that.
"Then I shall escort you both to Vespers," he said with a slight stiffening of his smile.
Elsbeth answered with a stiff smile of her own. Isabel paid scant attention to either of them.
The wind was strong within the walls, swirling down in frigid blasts, carrying last autumn's leaves in its grip. It was winter's last effort to retain sovereignty over the earth, yet spring had come; winter, no matter its erratic attempts, had lost the battle. Isabel placed her hand on Adam's arm in chivalric courtesy, her thoughts wholly occupied by Richard and his stubborn will as she shivered
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