Knight of Her Heart (Conquering the Heart) (7 page)

“You have no honour,” she bit out through clenched teeth. “You wouldn’t know the boundaries of honour if you fell over them.” When she would have pulled free of his hold, he released her. She expected his wrath, but he merely laughed.

“Any slight bruises on your fair skin from my fingers will pale into insignificance with the treatment you will receive at your husband’s hands for your viper’s tongue. And after this eve in your wedding bed, you’ll have bruises deep inside you that won’t be visible. All will know of them each time you try to take a step.” He laughed in crude anticipation.

Shuddering in revulsion, Lisette walked past her guardian. Lord Collins would not punish her—she would give him no reason to. As much as it would cost her to be meek, she would present herself as a dutiful, compliant wife. It had occurred to her that once she was the lady of his keep, she might be able to gather enough information from the servants to implicate Lord Collins in the murder of at least one of his wives. In that case she would petition the king with the facts she gathered and ensure the brutish lord received his punishment.

***

Standing outside the church doorway waiting for the priest to perform the marriage ceremony, Lisette could not bring herself to look again at the man standing on her right. Everything in her had recoiled as her guardian had placed her hand into that of her future husband. Until a few moments ago she’d only seen Lord Collins once, across a crowded banquet hall.

Collins was tall, but not well built, and his shoulders were rounded. His cheekbones were prominent, his lips—too thin—were pinched in an expression that reminded her of a weasel. The black eyes that examined her from head to toe like a man buying a brood mare, were completely devoid of any warmth. But, rather than appearing cruel, he actually struck her as being furtive and rather unsure of himself—a rather pathetic creature. Mayhap Lord Blake had exaggerated the suggestions of what she might suffer at his hands and in his bed. Surely Collins’ rod would not be as firm as the peasant she’d already coupled with.

The heat from a blush rose up her neck and Lisette lowered her head further. She could not let her thoughts wander back to that peasant.

Now she must play the part of innocent maiden and ensure she did not test her husband-to-be. The consequences for her, should he realise that she had no maidenhead to offer him, were surely too horrible to contemplate. If the priest found out she had lost her virtue...

Anxiety crawled across her skin. Lord Collins had already bedded many maidens. Could she fool him? Would he be able to sense that she was missing the membrane of resistance that was her maidenhead? Mayhap she should have waited until after her wedding night to go forth with her plan? Nay. There would have been no opportunity to proceed once she was at the Collins’ keep. None of her faithful servants would have been there to assist her.

Again she sent a prayer heavenward that she had been successful. ’Twas too early to tell. Her courses were not due for another sennight.

Now, standing next to Lord Collins, her slim hand cramping from the tight hold of his sweaty palm, Lisette willed herself to be calm—to merely exist, not to think or to feel. She forced herself to stand rooted to the spot when all that was in her screamed at her to break free and run as far away as possible. ’Twas better that she accepted this man as her husband than have sweet Genevieve betrothed to him.

The priest cleared his throat and began the ceremony. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God to join together this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony; which is an honourable estate, instituted of God in Paradise and into which holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined.”

Honourable estate
! There was nothing honourable about this union, Lisette scoffed inwardly. She was barely able to maintain the detachment she’d strived so hard to achieve. There was nothing honourable about Lord Collins either, if Ysabel’s suspicions were correct.

The sound of horses’ hooves drawing near hovered at the edge of her subconscious mind. Somewhere among the onlookers, a child cried and another coughed. She paid the sounds no heed. With firm resolve she willed her mind away from the scene around her and sought internal peace. She must maintain an air of detachment, adopt an expression of indifference rather than allowing her features to show her distaste for the man who was to be her husband. She must give him no hint as to her resistance, for ’twould serve no purpose and may only incur his wrath. He must believe she came to him willingly. ’Twas imperative that he believe she was devoted to him. If she swelled with child, he must be convinced the child was his. She must not show any discontent that might make him suspect she had taken a lover.

“Therefore,” the priest droned, “if any man can show any just cause why they may not lawfully be joined together, by God’s Law, or the Laws of the Realm; let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace.”

“I present just cause.”

There was a collective gasp from the crowd at the confidently delivered words. Indeed, Lisette heard her own sharp intake of breath.

Lord Collins stiffened beside her and dropped her hand. “What is the meaning of this outrage?”

“Identify yourself,” the priest commanded.

Lisette turned. The crowd parted just as though Moses was parting the red sea.

A knight in a full suit of armour sat astride a mighty black destrier and walked his mount forward toward the people standing at the back of the crowd. As he lifted his arm in signal, a half a dozen more knights rode forth surrounding the crowd.

The horses she’d heard!

People grew restless. Fearful.

“What is your business here?” Collins challenged the leader of the knights, but Lisette was close enough to observe the uncertainty in his features. “Who are you and from where do you hail?”

The knight swung down in a smooth, lithe action from his steed and removed his helmet.

There were some exclamations and sounds of feminine approval from the assembly.

Lisette’s heart jumped in her chest then seemed to do a series of acrobatic tumbles as she looked at him. A finer man she’d never seen. Even dismounted, he stood head and shoulders above everyone. His clean-shaven face—in the style of King Henry—was exceedingly attractive with a strong jaw and high, chiselled cheekbones. However his manner and expression were menacing. His gaze skewered through Collins as surely as if he’d speared him with a lance.

“I am Lord Rowan, Earl of Romsey and first knight of King Henry.”

A great chain of
oohs
and
aahs
rippled out like waves from those around her.

For some strange reason the deep, authoritative voice had Lisette’s pulse quickening and made her weak at the knees. Via travellers to Bridlemere Keep, she’d heard of Henry’s first knight, Sir Rowan. It appeared he’d been granted the new title Earl of Romsey, and that was little wonder given the reported value of his services to the king.

“You have no business here, Romsey,” Collins said forcefully, although he shifted from leg to leg thus detracting from the confident tone of his voice. “Get on your horse and ride on.”

Paying him no heed, the knight continued. “I object to this marriage, on two counts.”

The crowd jostled a little. Lisette could see that those on the edges vied for a better view of the handsome knight who dared to interrupt the marriage ceremony of a powerful local lord. Collins, after all, was highly feared by all who knew him.

Lisette stood absolutely statue-still as she hung on the knight’s words.

“Lord Collins, you are to be arrested on the charge of murder—”

Aye!
Lisette breathed out her relief.
She was free!
Her prayers had been answered. Finally, someone would deliver justice to the cruel man beside her.

“That’s preposterous!” Collins growled as his hand went for the hilt of his sword.

Those standing closest to Collins moved away quickly. Lisette understood the reason for their haste as it would not do to be in the way should Lord Collins draw his weapon.

Lisette sensed his hesitation as he weighed up the height and strength of the man who challenged him and cast a surreptitious glance at the company of knights who surrounded the gathering. Any chance of escape was blocked. Lord Collins may be fearless against lesser men, but she could see he was having second thoughts about crossing swords with the king’s first knight.

“You know not who you are dealing with!” Collins challenged, but his words were shaky. He blanched as white as a lily when Lord Rowan took a step toward him. Collins shrunk away even while he voiced his protest. “You have no proof!”

“My second objection to this marriage is that Lady Lisette of Bridlemere is my betrothed,” the knight continued.

What?
Lisette gaped at him as those gathered gasped in exclamation of their disbelief. Lord Romsey—the man proclaiming to be her betrothed—did not spare her so much as a sideways glance.

“On whose authority?” boomed her guardian. “This is nonsense. I am the girl’s guardian and she is betrothed to Lord Collins.” In stark contrast to Collins pallor, Lord Blake had puffed himself up and was bright beetroot-red.

As formidable a figure as her guardian was, he was no match for the knight who opposed him. The Earl of Romsey was younger and there was no doubt he was much stronger and fitter. As Blake moved toward him, Lord Rowan did not draw his sword but merely stopped him in his tracks with a firming of his mouth and a look of blistering contempt.

Blake was out of his depth. Collins took a step backward like the coward he was and his eyes darted back and forward as though he searched for an avenue of escape.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Lisette’s lips twitched and she wanted to laugh with almost hysterical relief. ’Twas all she could do to stifle the impulse as her blustering guardian fell silent and she thought Collins might suffer a fit at any moment.

“Your charges against Lord Collins are most grave, Lord Romsey, and ’tis true what Lord Blake says,” the priest interjected. “He has consented to the marriage between his ward and Lord Collins. The banns have been posted. So, unless—”

The knight made another gesture with his hand and the priest stopped mid-sentence as a squire hurried to the earl’s side and handed him a scroll.

“This scroll bears the king’s seal.” Lord Romsey held the scroll up for all to see.

Again, the crowd jostled and there were exclamations of incredulity as all awaited the outcome of the knight’s allegations. The gossips would have a field day after these events.

“’Tis by King Henry’s authority that I arrest Lord Collins for the murder of his third wife, Lady Catherine of Lichfield, and for plotting the murder of Lady Aveline, daughter of the Duke of Devereux.” At his words, two knights from his party seized Lord Collins who was edging away from Lord Romsey. “Lord Collins, you will be tried by King Henry’s court.”

“I’m innocent,” the man protested with an expression of bitter hatred as he struggled fruitlessly against the knights. “Lady Catherine fell into the well—”

“There are two witnesses who will testify that you pushed her,” Lord Rowan told him in a tone that brooked no argument.

Ysabel’s suspicions had been right!

Lisette gave a silent cheer for the Earl of Romsey for seeing that this murderer was brought to justice.

Condemnation erupted from the crowd. A few people shouted out words of scorn for the man who was no longer a threat to them—a man who was now powerless against the mighty knights who held him.

Lisette found herself watching Lord Rowan. She was startled at the heated loathing that blazed from the knight. Any moment Lord Collins may well be incinerated on the spot, but she could find no pity for the evil man.

Collins reeled backward wearing a shocked expression. He stammered, “They..they are l-l-l-lying. Lady Aveline—”

“Fell from her horse after you paid a woodsman to hide along the track where she took her morning ride.” The knight’s eyes became like twin daggers, piercing into Collins with the same deadly accuracy as each word that condemned him. “At your instruction, the man startled her mount and the horse bolted along the path and headlong into an obstruction. You had placed the obstruction precisely so that Lady Aveline was violently and fatally dismounted.”

“Nay! These are all lies!” Collins cried, but his tone was weak and hardly carried over the furore of the crowd.

Lisette found it incredible to witness how a man with a reputation as a ruthless bully turned weak against a much stronger, more formidable opponent—and in the face of what was surely the truth.

“If these are lies, you have naught to fear when you stand before the king.” The knight’s response was bitten out through clenched teeth as Collins was escorted away.

A hushed silence fell upon the crowd. Through her shock at the turn of events Lisette was light-headed as bubbles of joy burst inside her bloodstream. Her marriage to the repugnant Lord Collins would not proceed. The man would stand trial for the murder of at least two of his wives, God rest their souls.

The Earl of Romsey lifted another scroll fixed with King Henry’s royal seal. “’Tis King Henry’s command that Lady Lisette of Bridlemere become my wedded wife.”

Lisette’s heart did another somersault. Surely, it could not be true?

“Give me that,” Lord Blake spluttered.

The king’s first knight ignored Lisette’s guardian and walked forward to extend the document to the priest. “My Liege commands the marriage take place immediately, without the reading of banns.”

While the priest read through the document, Lisette’s head spun. None of this made any sense. She’d arrived at the church expecting to marry Lord Collins. Now this dashing knight, her saviour, was to be her husband. Not an old man, but a young, strong knight. The king’s first knight. Never in her wildest imaginings had she considered that she would make such a match.

Her father had served as a knight in the former king’s army under the command of the current King Henry, but she had never met either monarch. Why was the king arranging her marriage, and why would he think her prize enough for his favourite knight when her dowry was relatively small?