“Are you certain?”
“Yes!”
He lifted the lead reins and placed them along Eve’s horse’s neck, giving up all control.
Eve moved the horse around the field in a circle. Her confidence grew as she maneuvered the horse and it followed her instructions.
Gabe rode beside her. “Relax. That’s it.”
Eve tried to relax. She concentrated on pulling the reins without tugging them too hard. She didn’t want to startle the horse. When she looked, she saw that Gabriel was no longer beside her. He was on the other side of the clearing! She was riding the horse by herself! Gabriel was right. She could do it. She gently moved the reins to the side to turn the horse.
You’re riding a horse! Eve!
Eve smiled at her sister’s enthusiasm.
Suddenly, the horse tensed beneath her, her legs spread in fear and she veered to the side.
Eve gasped. She tried to stop the horse by tugging on the reins.
The horse lifted onto her two back legs and the next thing Eve knew she was falling, tumbling backward through the air. She landed on the ground hard.
Gabe saw Eve’s horse spook and charged his horse toward her. “Eve!” He was halfway across the clearing, when her horse rose onto its hind legs and Eve fell backward off the horse. Dread clenched Gabe’s heart. He couldn’t reach her fast enough. He spurred his horse, but it wasn’t fast enough, and he watched her land on her back on the ground.
He dismounted, flinging his leg over the horse and dropped to the ground before his palfrey had completely stopped and rushed to her side.
Eve lay on her back on the ground, her dark hair spread out below her head like a pillow.
Gabe dropped to his knees at her side. “Eve! Eve!” he called.
Her eyes were closed, but she turned her head, groaning.
“Eve,” he pleaded, hovering over her. “Are you alright?” He clutched her shoulders desperately, his hand sweeping over her forehead, her cheeks. “Please open your eyes,” he begged. He didn’t see any wounds, but if she had hit her head it could be bad. “Please. I’ll tell you a story. A most amazing story, if you do.”
Her eyes snapped open and locked on his.
He stared down at her, at her sparkling blue eyes, her smooth skin, her luscious lips. The powerful fear gave way to an incredible relief. It raced through every nerve in his body, consuming him. What if she had been harmed because of him? What if she had been hurt because she was not ready to ride alone, because of something he had suggested!
The first flake of snow fell from the sky.
“It’s you,” she whispered.
He began to smile an uneasy grin. “Of course it’s me.”
She lunged upward, pressing her lips to his.
Startled, Gabe froze. Her lips were warm and soft against his. It was all he had ever wanted. This moment. Her. Gabe melted and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him, kissing her in relief and desperation. She was everything he had wanted. Just Eve. From the moment he had picked her up when he was a child. She was his destiny. “Oh Eve,” he whispered against her lips.
She sighed slightly as he pulled back to look down into her lidded eyes.
He gently brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. “Are you alright?”
“It was Eden,” she whispered. “She spooked the horse.”
Gabriel chuckled slightly and eased her to a sitting position. “Looks like you bumped your head.”
She was staring at him as if the sun rose and fell with him.
His gaze swept her face. “Go slow,” he warned. “Just take a moment.”
“I can take all day just to look at you.”
Her profession startled him. He grinned warmly. “You must have bumped your head harder than I thought.”
“No,” she admitted, her gaze soft and focused on him. She pushed her lips against his again. “I don’t think I hit my head at all.”
Gabe’s skin tingled beneath her soft touch, her affection, her kiss. And while every one of his senses, every one of his desires wanted to continue the kiss, deepen it, explore every inch of her amazing body, she was still betrothed to his brother.
He pulled back, holding onto her hand to help her stand.
She weaved for a moment and Gabe steadied her with a firm hand to her arm. She gasped.
For a moment panic set in and Gabe grabbed her arms. “What is it? Are you hurt?”
She looked at the sky, turning her face upward. “It’s snowing!”
Gabe smiled partly in relief, partly because he was enamored of her. She made the simplest things amazing. Snow. He had never found snow so excitingly powerful.
She stepped away from him and spread out her arms as if to catch all the snow before it hit the ground. She closed her eyes and kept her face to the sky.
The tiny flakes of snow fell onto her skin and melted. Likes rays of frozen sunshine. Like kisses from Heaven.
Standing in the middle of the clearing, she looked like a goddess. The small snowflakes falling around her, showering her with white. The flakes stuck to her hair, peppering white throughout.
Gabe could not take his gaze from her. She was… achingly beautiful. So much more than he deserved. Which was good, because she was not his. Still, he could imagine holding her, remember her warm, wet kiss. Oh, he was in trouble.
She opened her eyes and looked at him with a smile that grew into glorious joy. It drew him in and he could not deny his feelings for her. “Eve,” he called, wanting to tell her how much she meant to him, wanting to tell her everything.
She bowed her head and opened her eyes.
But the last thing he wanted to see was disappointment in her eyes. What had he to offer her? A life of waiting for him while he participated in the circuit of tournaments? What did he have to offer her except for his love? Love? Yes. It was love. He was in love with his brother’s betrothed. He sighed softly. “We should get back.”
“I love you, Gabe,” she whispered.
For a moment, Gabe could not move. At first, he thought he had imagined the words whispered on a soft breeze. But when his heart answered with an aching longing, he knew what he had heard. Had he led her to think this? He winced and shook his head. “Eve.”
“I was meant to be yours. I belong to you, not to Michael. I don’t love Michael.” She approached him.
“You are betrothed to my brother,” Gabe said softly, full of anguish.
“That doesn’t matter.” She ducked her head to capture his gaze. “The only thing that matters is our feelings. You do have feelings for me, I know it.”
Gabe wanted desperately to tell her the truth, that she was more beautiful than any woman he had been with. Lovelier than the sun. More tempting than a delicious cream tart. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t tell her because he had given her up a long time ago and he had no right to her now. “No.”
The crestfallen look that entered her eyes was devasting. “No, our feelings don’t matter?” she asked, still hoping.
Lord, he loved her perseverance. He hated doing this to her. He hated himself. “Eve,” he pleaded. Don’t make me do this to you. “You will make a fine wife for my brother.”
Tears welled in her eyes, pooling with agony, and she turned quickly away. “Yes.” It was the only word she could mutter before her throat was choked off.
“We’ll head back now.” Gabe started for the horse across the clearing near the pond. When he turned back to her, she was already moving through the forest on foot toward the castle.
That evening, Eve watched the snow fall in large flakes from her open chamber window. Small flakes had given way to a full-fledged snow storm. The wind howled, blowing in through her window and encircling her in cold. But she didn’t feel the frosty touch. She was numb with grief. How could she have thought Gabriel cared for her? How could she have fooled herself? Because it is him, a voice in the back of her mind argued. The one with the blue eyes. She banished the voice. She wished… she wished she was young a
gain and saw the angel flying over the pond. She wished she believed in angels. She wished she could trade places with Eden.
“Oh, my lady!” Mary cried as she entered the room. She rushed to the window and closed the shutters. “You’ll catch your death!”
“Did you see the snow?”
“How could I miss it? Luckily all your guests have arrived. There is a big celebration in the Great Hall. Why aren’t you there?”
Eve sighed. There was nothing to celebrate. Even the Yuletide no longer held appeal for her. The Yule log would be burned that night and the longest night would go on for the rest of her life when she married Michael.
“It’s Solstice Night,” Mary said softly. “Tonight is Christ’s Mass. Tomorrow you are to be married! Go and enjoy the evening.”
Eve inhaled a deep, steadying breath.
“They are waiting for you, m’lady.”
Eve felt the crushing weight of misery and responsibility. She looked down at her hands, at her deformed hand hidden beneath her blue velvet sleeve. She would be forever unwhole, deformed, a monster. She could never please Michael. She nodded. “I’ll be down in a moment.”
Mary nodded, curtsied and left the room.
Eve opened the shutters again and looked out beyond the castle at the forest. Her angel would never appear to her and her teary eyes blurred the landscape of white snow.
Gabe stared down at the tapestry Eve had given him. His thumb stroked the angel softly.
“You are mad!” Henry proclaimed, entering the stables. He shook the snow from his large shoulders. “We will not get two villages from here before we freeze to death! And that is if we can tell where the road is!” He dropped the bags at Gabriel’s feet. “I have to disagree with you this time, my friend. We should stay.”
“I can’t.”
“Can’t or don’t want to?” Gabe shook his head and Henry continued, “It’s not like you to run from a fight. What are you afraid of?”
“He’s my brother. And as much as I hate him, he is all I have.”
“Is he? There’s a girl in there whose heart you have broken.”
Gabe looked at him, shocked.
“I know. I have eyes. She is as miserable as you.”
Gabe shook his head. “What have I to offer her?”
“You think you have anything less to offer her than Michael has?”
Gabriel scowled, staring at the angel in his hands.
Henry took a deep breath and held up his hands. “Far be it from me to argue with you. But if I had a brother who made me half as miserable as Michael makes you, I would have knocked him on his arse long ago.” Henry headed for the stable door. “If you want to leave, go. But I’m going nowhere in this storm.”
Gabriel watched his friend leave the stables, a gust of wind churning into the stables as he opened the door. Speckles of sparkling snowflakes entered until the door was slammed shut. He looked down at the tapestry again. She had done what others said she couldn’t do. Rode the horse, embroidered the tapestry. An angel. His angel.
Henry was right. He never turned his back on a fight. Never. Not at inns, not at tournament. Every worthwhile prize was worth fighting for, whether it was his pride, his friends or coin. And now, with the most important prize ready to be claimed by another how could he turn his back and walk away? How could he not fight? He tucked the tapestry into his jupon and straightened his shoulders.
He was in for the hardest fight of his life.
Her father roared with laughter. Duke Clarendon, an elderly man with white hair and kind eyes, sat beside him at the head table, smiling at the fable he had just told.
Eve didn’t even grin. She stared down at her untouched trencher. Around her the sounds of celebration echoed through the Great Hall. Singing, laughter, loud conversation. Her father sat on one side of her and Michael the other. She felt trapped. Like the caged bear in the center of the room that Michael had insisted on for entertainment. Poor animal. She lifted her gaze to the small cage in the middle of the aisle in time to see his trainer poke it with a stick. It howled a deep a roar. Poor miserable beast. No one was poking her, and she knew how it felt.
Her father and Michael spoke over her head, as if she weren’t there. She wished she wasn’t. She dropped her gaze to her lap and the blue velvet sleeve covering her hand. She couldn’t stop thinking of Gabe. Of the gentle way he touched her hand. Of the way he smiled. Of the way he kissed her. With each thought came a tidal wave of anguish, each larger than the other. She was drowning. She could barely breathe. She had been so sure it was him; so sure he was as happy with her as he made her feel. How could she have been so wrong?
It was a heartbeat longer when she realized her father was clenching his fists on the table top. And Michael had risen to his feet. She lifted her head.
At first, she thought she was dreaming. Gabriel was moving up the center aisle with purpose. In his wake, silence stretched. He walked by the caged bear. Even the animal was silent.
Confused, refusing to hope, Eve watched him with a scowl.
He stopped before the table to address her father. “You betrothed Lady Eve to Michael because he saved her life.” His voice rang throughout the silent Great Hall like a bell. “But you were wrong. He didn’t save her life. I did. I want what is rightfully mine. I want Lady Eve’s hand in marriage.”
Chapter Six
Behind Gabe, the room erupted in surprised murmuring and hushed talking.
Eve’s lovely mouth dropped open.
Gabe kept his focus on Eve’s father. He didn’t look at his brother, nor at Eve, because he knew he had to keep his wits about him for this battle. He was hoping Michael would admit the truth, but since he had covered it up for so long, Gabe wasn’t certain he would do the honorable thing. He wasn’t certain of anything anymore, except for his love of Eve. And he did. He loved her and couldn’t bear to see her unhappy.
“What is this?” Lord Chandos demanded. He looked at Michael.
“I found her and carried her and Eden back to the castle,” Gabe clarified. “Michael snatched them away from me.”
“Is this true?” Lord Chandos asked Michael.
A moment passed and then another. “No,” Michael finally said. “I found the girls huddled together, freezing.”
Eve stood, her mouth agape, staring at Michael.
“Your fingers were not numb from the cold!” Gabriel accused. “You had no snow on your boots. How could you have found them?”
“I did have snow on me. I was soaked through from searching for them.”
“Liar!” Gabriel charged.
“You just want the castle and lands. You’ve always wanted what I’ve had.”
Disbelief erupted inside Gabe. How could his brother accuse him of that? He wanted nothing that Michael had! Until now. Lands and castles meant nothing to him.
“Stop it!” Lord Chandos rose to his feet. “It is Yuletide. The one that is lying must tell the truth. Now.”
“I believe Sir Gabriel!”
Gabe turned to see Henry standing at a table with a raised mug. He nodded his gratitude to him.
“I believe Sir Michael!” a voice chimed. Sides split the room as knights cried their allegiances.
“Ask Eve,” Gabe said, stepping up to the table. He locked eyes with her. “Ask her who she remembers.”
Eve opened her mouth to reply, but her father cut her off.
“She was a child. She doesn’t remember.”
“She does remember!” Gabe exclaimed.
“She can’t remember!” Michael stated. “Her memory is flawed.”
Eve shook her head and then raced from the Great Hall.
“Eve!” Gabe called.
Behind him, the Great Hall was in chaos. Voices rose, men pushed others. The hiss of someone drawing a sword sounded, fighting broke out.
“Guards!” Lord Chandos called, pointing into the Great Hall at the disorder.
Gabe rushed around the table to follow Eve, but Michael stepped
into his path.
“How can you do this to me?” Michael demanded, his face twisted with fierce rage.
“I allowed you to live this lie for far too long. Eve belongs with me.”
“I did this for you!” Michael growled. “I certainly could have done much better than a deformed lady. I was willing to marry her, so you wouldn’t have to!”
“For me?” Gabe demanded. “You’ve done nothing for me. It’s all been for you. You couldn’t stand the fact that I had found the girls before you. You wanted to be the hero. You took that away. You literally took them from my arms!”
“That’s not true. I took them because you were exhausted. You couldn’t take another step and the girls needed attention.”
“Then why didn’t you tell everyone it was me? Why did you let them betroth you to Eve?”
Michael shook his head. “It had gotten out of hand by then. I was embarrassed. They thought it was me and I couldn’t let them down.”
“You let me down. Make it right, Michael. Tell Lord Chandos the truth.”
Michael’s eyes shifted to Lord Chandos. He was arguing with one of the other Lords. His face was red.
Michael shook his head. “What would I do then?” He looked down. “No. It’s too late now. It was what father would have wanted.”
“Because you lied! It would all have been different if you told the truth!”
Michael scowled. “It’s too late now.”
Gabe grabbed his shirt, shaking him. “It doesn’t have to be! Be the hero now! Tell the truth!”
Michael shook his head. “I can’t.”
Disgusted, Gabe shoved him away and stepped around him, intent on following Eve. He had to explain to her, explain how foolish he had been, what a mistake he had made. He had to tell her he loved her. He rushed up the stone stairway and down the long cold corridor. He raced to Eve’s door and knocked. The seconds moved by and he knocked again. “Eve!”
Finally, the door opened, and a thin, dark-haired maid stood in the doorway.
“Lady Eve. Where is she?” Gabe demanded.
“She is not here. I haven’t seen her since she left for the feast.”
A Knight Before Christmas: Historical Romance Novella Page 6
