One True Knight (The Knights of Honor Trilogy) by Dana D'Angelo Page A
Authors: Dana D'Angelo
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any promise of love or happiness.
Rowena felt a little disheartened that no one else seemed to hold love or her happiness in high regard. It was partly her mother’s doing, she realized. Her mother was the one who gave her a glimpse of what a marriage could be. “Few women in your station are able to marry for the sake of love,” her mother had told her. “I want you to find happiness and love, just as I did in my own marriage.”
Maybe if the troubadours and minstrels never sang about the love and romances of great men and women, she might have dismissed her mother’s musing and dutifully married any man that her father chose for her. But she grew up listening to the Arthurian romances. And even though her father stayed true to his word and banished the love songs and stories at supper, many of those old stories were already entrenched into her heart and mind.
She leaned her head against the pillar, and let out a soft sigh. Then there was also what she witnessed. The love and happiness that her parents shared was not falsified for anyone’s benefit. She was convinced that if Rosalid lived, warmth and joy would still radiate throughout Ravenhearth.
***
Jonathan looked broodingly at the servants cleaning up, annoyed at the direction of his thoughts. All he could think of was Rowena. It didn’t help that the man next to him kept talking about her attributes. As if he didn’t know all about them. His gaze returned to the raven haired beauty just as she got up from her seat. She left the table at a hurried pace, almost as if she was heeding the call of nature, but at the last moment, she veered off into the corner of the hall that was hidden in shadows. His heart skipped a beat. Glancing at the men surrounding him, he saw that no one else seemed to notice her disappearance. He got up from his seat, causing the man beside him to look up in surprise. But Jonathan paid little notice to him since his attention was focused elsewhere.
When he finally found her, she was deep in thought. “You are looking entirely too serious,” he said, interrupting her. “What are you thinking of?”
She turned at the sound of his voice.
He stared at her now, struck by her round, glittering grey eyes. And at once, he regretted his decision to approach her. The spark of desire he felt since this morning grew larger and he fought hard to keep the raw hunger at bay. Every move, every gesture she made bespoke of grace and elegance. There was no denying it — she was the most desirable woman in the great hall. The light burning in the hearth blazed in the middle of the hall, its golden glow glancing off of Rowena’s dark tresses. He opened his mouth to say more, but his attention was drawn to her breasts where they pressed boldly against the rich fabric of her gown. His mouth went dry all of a sudden as he became aware of how endowed she was. And how tiny. If he reached over, his large hands could encase her waist and settle on the gently rounded swell of her hips. Being so near her again, he felt intoxicated, remembering all too well the sweet passion that passed between them.
She seemed unaware of how her presence affected him. “You are following me,” she said, her tone sounding accusatory.
“Nay,” he said sardonically. “I’m actually standing beside you.”
Rowena frowned at him as if she didn’t know what to make of him. “And so you are,” she said. Then she shrugged, and turned her face away as if she was dismissing an unwanted suitor.
“You’re evading my question, my fair lady,” Jonathan said, unperturbed by her coldness.
His accusation caused her to face him again. “‘Tis my right,” she said, arching one delicate eyebrow.
Rowena turned to leave when he caught her slender arm. Her smoky gaze settled on his hand, a large and strong hand that seemed to engulf her. He could feel the heat of her skin through the thin satin fabric of her sleeve. Slowly, she raised her eyes to meet his.
When he returned her
Rowena felt a little disheartened that no one else seemed to hold love or her happiness in high regard. It was partly her mother’s doing, she realized. Her mother was the one who gave her a glimpse of what a marriage could be. “Few women in your station are able to marry for the sake of love,” her mother had told her. “I want you to find happiness and love, just as I did in my own marriage.”
Maybe if the troubadours and minstrels never sang about the love and romances of great men and women, she might have dismissed her mother’s musing and dutifully married any man that her father chose for her. But she grew up listening to the Arthurian romances. And even though her father stayed true to his word and banished the love songs and stories at supper, many of those old stories were already entrenched into her heart and mind.
She leaned her head against the pillar, and let out a soft sigh. Then there was also what she witnessed. The love and happiness that her parents shared was not falsified for anyone’s benefit. She was convinced that if Rosalid lived, warmth and joy would still radiate throughout Ravenhearth.
***
Jonathan looked broodingly at the servants cleaning up, annoyed at the direction of his thoughts. All he could think of was Rowena. It didn’t help that the man next to him kept talking about her attributes. As if he didn’t know all about them. His gaze returned to the raven haired beauty just as she got up from her seat. She left the table at a hurried pace, almost as if she was heeding the call of nature, but at the last moment, she veered off into the corner of the hall that was hidden in shadows. His heart skipped a beat. Glancing at the men surrounding him, he saw that no one else seemed to notice her disappearance. He got up from his seat, causing the man beside him to look up in surprise. But Jonathan paid little notice to him since his attention was focused elsewhere.
When he finally found her, she was deep in thought. “You are looking entirely too serious,” he said, interrupting her. “What are you thinking of?”
She turned at the sound of his voice.
He stared at her now, struck by her round, glittering grey eyes. And at once, he regretted his decision to approach her. The spark of desire he felt since this morning grew larger and he fought hard to keep the raw hunger at bay. Every move, every gesture she made bespoke of grace and elegance. There was no denying it — she was the most desirable woman in the great hall. The light burning in the hearth blazed in the middle of the hall, its golden glow glancing off of Rowena’s dark tresses. He opened his mouth to say more, but his attention was drawn to her breasts where they pressed boldly against the rich fabric of her gown. His mouth went dry all of a sudden as he became aware of how endowed she was. And how tiny. If he reached over, his large hands could encase her waist and settle on the gently rounded swell of her hips. Being so near her again, he felt intoxicated, remembering all too well the sweet passion that passed between them.
She seemed unaware of how her presence affected him. “You are following me,” she said, her tone sounding accusatory.
“Nay,” he said sardonically. “I’m actually standing beside you.”
Rowena frowned at him as if she didn’t know what to make of him. “And so you are,” she said. Then she shrugged, and turned her face away as if she was dismissing an unwanted suitor.
“You’re evading my question, my fair lady,” Jonathan said, unperturbed by her coldness.
His accusation caused her to face him again. “‘Tis my right,” she said, arching one delicate eyebrow.
Rowena turned to leave when he caught her slender arm. Her smoky gaze settled on his hand, a large and strong hand that seemed to engulf her. He could feel the heat of her skin through the thin satin fabric of her sleeve. Slowly, she raised her eyes to meet his.
When he returned her
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