Above all her duties, Isabel spent as much of her time as possible in the company of her mother, to become better acquainted with her after all this time apart. Isabel had told her about her life in St Jean de Cole and in return her mother filled in all the missing details about her brothers and what life had been like at Castle de Clancey. Which had, sadly, not been good.
Her mother inhaled before continuing to speak. Her hand shook as she reached out to cradle her daughter’s cheek. ‘We have both suffered so much pain, Isabel, but I hope that we can move forward together. I hope we can put the past behind us.’
‘Yes,’ Isabel whispered as her mother kissed her forehead. ‘I would like that.’
‘And I hope in time you’ll realise how much it means to me to be reunited with you. How much peace and happiness you’ve afforded me at this time of my life.’
‘I do and must tell you that I feel the same.’
‘I’m glad. My only wish is for you to be truly happy, Isabel.’
‘But I am.’
‘I hope so, because that very same happiness can sometimes be much closer than you know. You just have to open your eyes, look outside and find it.’ Her mother smiled as she moved away. ‘And when you do, grasp it with both hands.’
Frowning in confusion, Isabel meandered to the small square window that her mother had nodded to and opened the wooden shutters. What had she meant? She turned back around to ask, but her mother had left her chamber.
Strange…
The cool air whipped through the window, reminding her that it wouldn’t be long until the arrival of winter, slipping into Advent…with the joys of Christmas and Twelfth Night ready to be savoured. She inhaled the cold air into her chest.
Dusk was settling like a slumbering blanket over the vista. Though not yet. No, it hung to the daylight, causing a vivid splendour in the night sky. It was that moment in between, when night and day kissed only briefly before going their separate ways. There was something enchanting about the twilight hour, casting an alluring spell that made her wistful for things she could not have.
Isabel shuddered and was about to close the shutter again when something caught her eye in the inner bailey. There were clusters of light creating a pattern on the ground below. How odd…
What on earth could it be?
Her brows furrowed before she made the decision to investigate further. Fetching her woollen cloak that Will had bought for her in Southampton, she dashed out of her chamber with Perdu in tow. She grabbed a torch from a nearby sconce to light the way down the stone spiral staircase from the solar and hurried down. Stepping out on to the ground outside the inner bailey, Isabel rubbed her hands together, blowing hot air into them, and blinked in surprise. Small metal dishes with flat tallow candles lit a patterned path on the ground from the inner bailey through the arch and beyond. And there was more… Beside the trail of little lights was a scattering of…but, no, it couldn’t be! She bent down and picked a few up, rubbing the feathery petals between her fingers before bringing them to her nose.
Hyssop petals? What in God’s name did this mean?
Isabel rushed along, following the trail lit by the dispersed dishes of tallow candles, stopping only to collect more of the strewn hyssop petals. She continued along, bemused at the absurdity of it all, her cloak folded out to help collect the purple mass of hyssop, its scent perfuming the cool air. She vaguely registered that the castle was uncharacteristically quiet, without a soul in sight. That in itself should have alarmed her, but her interest was piqued far too much to stop now. With her heart pounding, she hurried along, wandering through every winding path into the outer bailey, around the castle. Eventually she reached the last few lit dishes, which came to an abrupt halt outside the entrance of the chapel.
Just then, a man stepped out from the shadow of the arched porch. A ripple of awareness ran through her.
Will?
She rubbed her eyes. Could it be?
Her stomach flipped over itself as she realised that it was indeed William Geraint looking ever so handsome in a dark blue tunic and dark braes and hose beneath a leather gambeson. He smiled, inclining his head as she approached him.
‘Will?’ she said in a shaky voice. ‘What…what are you doing here?’
‘Good evening, my lady.’ His midnight-blue eyes glittered at her with such warmth that her breath stuck in her throat. ‘I came to the realisation—albeit a little late—that despite your excellent progress acquiring important defensive moves, there may still be much to learn. So, I have come to offer my services.’
Her lips twitched despite herself. ‘I see.’
‘Indeed, and I also came to ask something else.’ He dragged his fingers through his hair. He seemed a little nervous. ‘You see, after bringing you back home, I felt a little lost…’
Lost?
Was it an accident that Will had used a sentiment describing her situation when he had first met her?
‘I’m sorry for that. Have you resolved the situation?’
‘Not quite.’ His lips quirked. ‘You see, I decided that I wanted desperately to come home.’
Her heart thumped even harder in her chest. ‘Home?’
‘To you, Isabel,’ he whispered softly, moving towards her. ‘I belong anywhere you do. If…if you’ll have me.’
Her knees felt weak, making standing a little difficult.
‘What has brought about this change?’
‘A realisation that, without you, my life is worth nothing.’ He expelled a long breath. ‘And I’m tired, Isabel. I’m tired of withholding happiness that could so easily be ours, if we would just allow it.’
She shook her head. ‘I cannot believe this.’
‘Nevertheless, it is the truth, sweetheart.’
‘Is it?’ she muttered, still tugging at the ends of her cloak containing the hyssop petals.
‘Utterly and completely.’ He edged closer still. ‘You complete me, Isabel de Clancey.’
She gasped, unable to say anything for a moment, but she needed to. Words were needed here. ‘As do you, William Geraint,’ she murmured before a crease formed across her forehead. ‘But is it enough?’
‘It’s certainly a foundation to build our future on.’ He took a deep breath before continuing. ‘I want to spend the rest of my life with you, if you’ll have me. Would you do me the honour of becoming my wife, Isabel? I would pledge my life to you. And do everything I can to be the man worthy to stand beside you, protect you and love you.’
This felt so dreamlike, so unreal.
Was she, in fact, dreaming?
Before she could answer him, Isabel heard hushed voices from within the chapel. ‘Tell me, are there people in there?’
‘It’s of no matter, my love. This is a choice for you to make. If you decide to decline my offer, then we shall go in and attend mass as normal.’
‘Do you believe that I would decline you?’ She raised her brows as a slow smile spread across her face.
‘This is your choice, Isabel,’ he said again, evidently far more nervous than she had anticipated. ‘If you require more time to consider my offer, then I’ll wait. I realise that I have sprung this on you, yet I had hoped my surprise may be welcome. No matter, we’ll just explain that—’
Holding the edges of her cloak in one hand, she put her finger to his lips to silence him. ‘I do not need more time.’ Her teeth sunk into her lower lips. ‘Besides, since our family and friends are assembled here, we should really oblige them.’
‘What are you saying? Do you mean that you…you accept me?’
‘Yes.’ She chuckled softly. ‘Of course, I do.’
His shoulders sagged in apparent relief. ‘Thank God, because I forgot to mention that I brought my whole family with me and they are currently waiting in the chapel. Along with Hugh, Eleanor and my young godson, William.’
‘Ah, well, I would have showered you with verses and sonnets professing my undying love.’ He winked. ‘Failing that, I would have wept at your feet.’
‘It’s just as well we have been spared that.’
‘True, I’m not sure how I could provide the necessary verse to secure your hand.’
‘I think you’re much more capable than you believe, my knight.’
He leant forward. ‘Oh, I hope so. I am going to need a lifetime to practise on you, though.’ Will presented her with a bouquet of fresh and dried flowers and herbs, including long stems of blue-purple hyssop.
‘Thank you, they’re beautiful.’
Needing a free hand, she pulled her cloak up and watched the amassed petals rise into the air, as a sudden breeze whipped them away. The evening air, suffused in blue-purple, floated around them.
Ah, this night seemed to be filled with enchantment, after all. She reached out to take the bouquet, but noticed something dangling from the raffia string that was wrapped around the bouquet.
She held the small oval-shaped slate that bore Will’s beautiful carvings as well as her own rather crude ones and flicked her gaze back to him. ‘What is this?’
‘You once gifted me with something precious for saving your life. I’m merely returning the favour.’
‘But I have never saved your life.’
‘Haven’t you?’ he whispered in a low timbre that rippled through her.
She stared at him, as her eyes filled with tears. ‘I love you, William Geraint.’ Oh, God, she mustn’t weep now.
‘And I love you, Isabel de Clancey.’ Will removed a few stray petals from her shoulder before pulling her into his arms and kissing her with so much tenderness that Isabel almost swooned. He lifted his head and smiled against her lips. ‘Come, let’s go inside. Shall we?’
‘Oh yes.’ She beamed, returning his smile.
They entered the chapel, where they declared their solemn vows to one another, binding them together in front of their loved ones. And rather than exchange customary rings, they exchanged their pendants, signifying an everlasting love.
* * * * *
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ISBN-13: 9781488071737
Her Banished Knight’s Redemption
Copyright © 2021 by Maryam Oliver
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ISBN-13: 9781488071751
Copyright © 2021 by Harlequin Books S.A.
The publisher acknowledges the copyright holders of the individual works as follows:
The Viscount’s Unconventional Lady
Copyright © 2021 by Virginia Heath
Her Gallant Captain at Waterloo
Copyright © 2021 by Diane Gaston
Her Banished Knight’s Redemption
Copyright © 2021 by Melissa Oliver
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Harlequin Historical February 2021--Box Set 1 of 2 Page 71
