A Knight Before Christmas: Historical Romance Novella

by Laurel O'Donnell

  For a long time, she stared at his raised hand. Perfect. Strong. What she wouldn’t give to have all her fingers. She lifted her fingers and placed them over his thumb for a long moment. It was admitting her fault, showing him what was wrong with her. She carefully eased it back behind his palm. Her fingers held the rounded portion of palm for a moment. His hand was so much bigger than hers. A scar stretched from between his forefinger and second finger to his wrist. She traced it with her middle finger. “Does it hurt?”

  A low rumbling laughter issued from Gabriel.

  Eve swiveled her head to look at him.

  “I’d forgotten about that. It was during sword practice. I wasn’t very good at the time, but thought I was.” He shook his head. “No. It no longer hurts.”

  She looked back at his hand.

  “I guess we all have our imperfections,” Gabe admitted with a somber tone. “Even Michael.”

  Eve looked at Gabriel again and wondered at his words. Michael was not imperfect. She wondered what he meant by that. What did he know?

  “Your thumb. Any others?” His voice was quiet, patient.

  She eased his forefinger down at the first knuckle.

  Gabriel studied the hand in silence for a moment. “We can work with this. Wrap the reins around your two fingers. Like this.” He opened his right hand and laced the rein around his two middle fingers.

  Eve took the reins from his hand and paused. She didn’t want him to see her hand. She looked at him to find him gazing out over the pond, away from her. Warmth and tenderness blossomed inside her. She hurriedly followed his instructions and tucked her hand back into her sleeve.

  “I will sit here, behind you, as you maneuver the horse like I did.”

  Eve clutched the reins and the horse backed.

  “Relax,” Gabriel advised. “Don’t pull back on the reins. You don’t want to hurt her.”

  She sighed, trying to let her nervousness dissolve. But she was very aware of Gabriel behind her. His strength, the way his thighs pressed against hers. She could even hear his gentle breathing.

  “Relax,” he whispered against her ear.

  Oh, Lord, she wished she could. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

  He kicked the horse and it started forward.

  Eve panicked for a moment and tugged the reins to the right. The horse moved in that direction.

  “She’ll follow where you lead. If you want her to go into the pond, pull the reins that way.”

  “No!” She tugged in the other direction.

  “I don’t think she’ll like the forest with all the branches scratching her. She’ll go for a while, but eventually she’ll get stuck.”

  Anxious, Eve turned the horse. It walked in a tight circle.

  Gabriel put his hands on her shoulders.

  Eve felt tingles through her entire body.

  “Just relax. Go straight. You’ve got the entire clearing to maneuver her in. I won’t let anything happen.”

  His hands were gentle, and his confidence was infectious. He wouldn’t let anything happen. Eve settled her elbows against her waist. The horse walked in a straight line.

  “You see?” he whispered. “Nothing to be frightened of.” His hands slid to her arms. “Keep your hands at hip level. Good.”

  A flood of warmth filled Eve that had nothing to do with guiding the horse. She was very aware of his strong hands on her arms at her elbows.

  You like him!

  The words startled Eve and she jerked. The horse reared slightly.

  Gabriel reached around her to grab the pommel. “Easy,” he whispered as the horse tossed her head.

  Eve shuddered in fear. “I can’t do this.”

  “Turn her in a circle like you were before. Let her walk it off.”

  That was easy. She pulled to the side and the horse circled.

  “That’s it,” Gabriel said softly. “Keep your elbows at your side. Hold the reins loosely, but not too loose.”

  Eve looked down at her hands. Both were resting at her hip height. Both were plainly visible. She was holding the reins! She eased the reins to the side and the horse followed her movement, continuing to circle. She straightened the reins, holding them before her. The horse began to move in a straight line. A slow grin spread across her lips. She was doing it! She was actually doing it!

  “I feel it,” she said with victory. “I feel the rhythm!”

  “Next time, we’ll saddle a horse for you. My stirrups are probably too long or I would let you ride this one.”

  “Can we go back to the castle and get one?” Eve asked with excitement and a newfound confidence.

  “Tomorrow. You have my word. We need to give this palfrey time to rest. Pull back on the reins and get her to halt so I can dismount.”

  Eve did as he told her, and Gabe swung his leg over the horse to dismount. Eve followed his lead and slid from the horse, a huge smile on her lips. “I did it!” She ran into the field, twirling around. “I rode a horse.”

  “There really is nothing you cannot do if you put your mind to it.”

  She ran back to him and threw her arms around his neck, laughing with exhilaration. She pressed a kiss to his cheek.

  He pulled back, startled.

  She gazed at him with sparkling sincere and excited eyes. “I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you.”

  Gabriel melted beneath the honesty and gratitude he saw in her gaze. He lifted a hand and carefully wiped a dark curl from her cheek. “I could do no less.”

  Her gaze swept over his face, and a line of confusion etched into her brow. “Why didn’t you visit?” she wondered.

  “You mean Castle Chandos?” He shrugged, thinking back on all the times he had refused to visit. He had not wanted to be around Michael, but he couldn’t tell her that. “I was training. For the joust.”

  Something crossed her eyes and for a moment, he could have sworn it was disappointment. She stepped back. “And you’ve been winning.”

  He nodded.

  “So, you must be using the training you’ve acquired.”

  “It is helping.”

  Her gaze swept him as if she were trying to figure something out. She opened her mouth and then closed it. She grinned and swept a hand across the palfrey’s back. “She’s a beautiful horse. I’m honored to have ridden her.”

  Gabriel patted her nose. “She’s my palfrey. She goes everywhere with me.”

  Eve looked to the side as if she had seen something. Then, she turned and faced him. “How do you know about this clearing?”

  Gabe knew that he couldn’t tell her the truth, not without betraying his brother. Part of him wanted to, but he lived by a code… and, well, Michael was his brother no matter what he had done. He was as guilty now as Michael was. He had kept the secret for as long as his brother. He looked away from her. He hated lying; it only got one into trouble. But he couldn’t tell her the truth. “Michael must have told me about it. I just knew it was here.”

  “Have you ever been here before?”

  He looked at her. There was such hope and anticipation in her bright orbs and was that suspicion? I could have been betrothed to her, Gabe thought. For the first time, he hated Michael, truly hated him. “No,” he lied, looking away.

  “It’s a magical spot,” Eve admitted. “Magical and sad.”

  “Sad?” Gabe echoed.

  She nodded but didn’t elaborate. Still, he knew what she meant. She had lost her twin sister here. “It is magical if it got you to ride a horse.”

  She chuckled. “You got me to ride your horse.”

  His smile faded as he stared at her. So beautiful and innocent. “I wish I had visited,” he said sincerely.

  She turned to him, startled.

  “You would have been riding much sooner.”

  Eve nodded. She placed a hand on his arm. “Please don’t tell Michael. He would never understand how much this means to me. He might even try to stop us.”

  Gabriel nodded
in agreement. “What do you suggest we tell him we were doing?”

  She smiled slyly at him and Gabriel’s heart beat faster.

  “We could tell him we were searching for angels.”

  There was only one angel here he could see, and he was looking at her. “Aye,” he agreed, unable to take his gaze from her. “That we could.”

  Michael paced the hallway, clenching and unclenching his fists. He looked out the large open window into the courtyard below, but there was no sign of Gabe and Eve’s return. He should have gone after them. What was Gabriel telling her? He didn’t trust him.

  “Michael!”

  He turned to see Henry lumbering toward him. For such a big man, Henry was spry on his feet and quick. However, now was not the time to be catching up with his old friend. “Where did he go?” he snapped.

  Henry pulled back, startled and confused. He looked at the window and then back to Michael. “Gabe?” Henry shrugged. “You know Gabe. He tells me nothing. He’s probably with a lovely lady.”

  Michael ground his teeth. “He left with my future wife.”

  “Oh.” Henry’s congenial demeanor vanished in guilt and he looked at the window. “You have nothing to worry about. Gabe is honorable. He is probably…” But he couldn’t come up with an answer. “He’s as honorable as you. You have nothing to worry about!” Henry slapped him on the back.

  Michael had never considered Gabe honorable. He considered him disloyal and untrustworthy. And now, now, he was out in the country with his future wife. This could only end badly. “We have to find them.”

  Henry scratched his neck, confused.

  “She could be hurt.”

  Henry began to shake his head, then stopped and looked at the courtyard below. “She looks fine to me.”

  Michael slapped the edge of the window in his hurry to see them. They walked through the courtyard, leading the brown palfrey, talking. A radiant smile the likes of which Michael had never seen spread across Eve’s face. Rage and jealousy burned within him and he hurried from the window toward the courtyard.

  Chapter Four

  Gabriel listened to Eve’s description of the tapestry her aunt had sent her and nodded. “I would like to see it.”

  “I would love to show it to you,” Eve said as they walked through the courtyard. The sun was beginning to set and many of the merchants were leaving the castle, carrying empty baskets and steering wagons toward the gatehouse. “It’s just so lovely with the image of a jousting scene and –”

  “Jousting isn’t lovely.”

  They looked up to see Michael coming toward them like a storm cloud. His dark gaze swung from Eve to Gabriel and then back to Eve.

  Gabriel had never seen this furious look on Michael’s face, but his guard rose immediately in preparation for a battle.

  “Where have you been?” Michael demanded.

  Eve cast Gabriel a sideways conspiratorial glance. “We were searching for angels.”

  Gabriel grinned at her lightheartedness, of the plan they had hatched to keep the horseback riding lessons a secret.

  “Isn’t that the way your sister died?”

  Eve’s smile vanished.

  Horror and sympathy swirled inside of Gabriel. He watched as she fought to keep her hurt inside.

  “Excuse me,” she murmured to Gabriel before racing off toward the keep.

  “Eve!” Gabriel called. He instinctively moved to go after her, but Michael stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

  “I want you to leave.”

  Gabriel jerked away from his brother’s hand and whirled on him, just as angry as he was. “How can you be so callous?”

  “Find an angel with another woman. This one is mine,” Michael warned.

  “Are you certain?” Gabriel couldn’t help but taunt.

  Michael’s eyes widened in fury and he glared hot rage at him, anger snarling his lips.

  “Be careful of your answer, brother. It might be a lie.” Gabriel shoved by him, knocking into his shoulder as he led the palfrey to the stables. His fist was tight with fury around the reins. Not that his brother dared to threaten him, but it was the way he treated Eve. She deserved better. It should be him, he thought. But he quickly pushed the thought aside. He hadn’t fought for her when it had first happened, he had no right to her now. Michael was his blood, after all. And with the approaching Yuletide and the preparations for the wedding, Gabe felt misplaced. He rounded the corner of the stables to find Henry leaning against the wall.

  “Tsk tsk tsk,” Henry greeted.

  Gabriel walked by him, leading the palfrey to her stall. A stable boy quickly rushed over and took the reins from him to lead her away.

  “I’ve seen that look before.”

  There were times that Henry was more of a pain than a friend. Gabriel left the stables and Henry followed.

  “But mostly the man ended up on the ground after one of your blows.”

  “He’s my brother. What would you have me do?”

  “Leave. He asked you to leave.”

  “We’re not here because of his invitation. It turns out Lady Eve invited us,” he called over his shoulder.

  “If we’re not leaving, how are you going to hide your jealousy?”

  “I’m not jealous,” Gabriel insisted, whirling on him. He looked around quickly to see if others had heard. The blacksmith wiped a hand across his forehead in his shop, but he did not look up. “I’m not jealous,” he repeated in a softer voice. “The way he treats Eve is no way to treat your future wife.”

  “How would you know? You have no wife.”

  “It’s no way to treat any lady!” Gabriel shook his head. “You’re her friend. Am I wrong? Does he treat her with disrespect?”

  Henry inhaled. “As her future husband, it is his right to treat her any way he likes.”

  Gabriel ground his teeth and shook his head.

  Henry put a hand on Gabe’s shoulder. “You’re going to have to come to terms with it or do something about it.”

  “What would you have me do?”

  “That’s not for me to decide.”

  Gabriel cursed silently. “There’s nothing I can do.”

  Eve sat in her chambers near the hearth, staring down at her one good hand. The flames of the hearth did not warm her soul or ease the guilt of Michael’s words. Why had Michael said that? Did he want to remind her of Eden’s death? Did he want to remind her that they all thought it was her fault?

  A knock came at her door.

  Her lady’s maid, Mary, a small, thin young woman with brown hair, rose from her seat opposite of Eve where she was stitching one of Eve’s dresses, and opened the door. She looked back at Eve and announced quietly, “It’s Lord Michael.”

  Eve scowled. She wanted to tell Mary to send him away. The last thing she wanted was to see Michael. She wanted to be alone. But Michael wouldn’t like that, and neither would her father. She relented with a nod.

  Mary opened the door to allow Michael entrance and moved to a corner of the room to continue her sewing.

  Michael crossed the room and stood behind Eve. “You missed dinner. I was worried.”

  No apology. No acknowledgement that what he had said had wounded her. Eve got the impression he wanted her to apologize.

  “Imagine what our guests thought.”

  Still, she did not turn to him.

  “Eve,” he said softly. “I’m trying to protect you.”

  “From whom? Gabriel was a gentleman. We had fun. He made me laugh which is more than you do.”

  Michael pulled back, startled.

  Guilt immediately settled on her shoulders. She was harsh, and she shouldn’t be. “I’m sorry,” she conceded with a sigh. “I didn’t mean that.”

  “Eve,” he whispered. “Gabe is… well, he is not dependable. He won’t be here for you like I will. Like I’ve always been. I rescued you from the woods when we were young, and I visited you every summer. We had fun. We got to know each other. I have waited until y
ou were ready to marry you on the Yuletide. On the same night I rescued you all those years ago. A new beginning for us.” He reached for her hand.

  She wanted to pull it away from his touch but knew she shouldn’t. He was trying. But she knew the truth about him. He saw her as a monster. How could they have a future together?

  He covered her good hand with his. “I don’t want to see you hurt.”

  She wasn’t sure that marrying him wouldn’t be the perfect way to hurt her. She wasn’t sure any longer if it was the right thing to do. He didn’t love her. But what choice did she have? Her father had promised her to him years ago.

  “There,” he said and patted her head as if she were a dog. “All better.” He stood and moved to the door. “Your best option would be to stay away from Gabriel. For your own good.” He glanced at Mary and then departed the room.

  Mary didn’t glance up from her sewing. She was a good maid, minding her own business, even though she heard everything. She continued her chore of mending the dress, pushing the needle through the fabric and pulling it through on the other side.

  Eve watched her for a moment, the strokes of her hand sure and exact. In, out. It was similar to embroidery. “Mary,” Eve called.

  Mary set her sewing on the bed and rose to come to Eve’s side. “Yes, m’lady.”

  “Do you think you could aid me in…” She drew in her breath. “Do you think you could help me create a simple, small tapestry?”

  “Embroidery, m’lady?”

  Eve nodded.

  “Aye,” Mary said.

  Eve captured her arm. “You mustn’t tell anyone else.”

  Mary shook her head. “No, m’lady.”

  The next day, Eve hurried through the hallway toward the Great Hall and the morning meal. She had never been so excited about her accomplishments as she had these past two days. She was quite proud of the small tapestry she had created the night before. It was very small, but she had done it by herself.

  As she moved by the large double doors leading to the inner ward, she heard a small whistling as the wind found a crack at the base of the doors to enter the castle. The air in front of the double doors was colder than the upstairs hallway. The weather must have gotten colder, but Eve didn’t care. She was flush with excitement and she wasn’t certain whether it was from her accomplishments or seeing Gabe.