**********
"Did you see her? How is she?"
Rowan pounced on Kenneth and Wyeth the moment they were in the door. They were dusty and tired from the road but he cared not. He gestured them over to the table and poured them some ale.
"We did as you asked and stayed out of sight."
"There was no hope of laying eyes on her. The place is a fortress. It's walls rival even these."
Wyeth gestured to the high stone walls surrounding Fairhaven. Rowan sat back and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He'd been waiting three days for them to return. Three days of wondering if and how she would receive his message.
Peter had come back earlier in the day, but as usual Rowan avoided talking to the former master of the guard. He still bore a trace of jealousy toward him for all the years he'd spent by Emeline's side. It made little difference that there had been nothing between them, at least on her side. Rowan still could not find it in his heart to like the handsome guard.
"Where is she? Is it a castle? Some relation I know naught about?"
The men exchanged glances.
"I thought you knew that much. Nay my lord, Lady Emeline has entered a Nunnery."
"A what?"
"She's entered the sisterhood of perpetual solace my lord. Didn't the serving woman tell you?"
He cursed. Of course she'd gone to the one place he could not approach or attack. He'd lost his resolve to leave her be. He would have her back, the consequences be damned.
But how?
"Thank you. Rest and then send another contingent back there. I have more letters."
"More?"
"Aye."
Rowan poured himself some ale and set his mind to thinking. If he could not attack a place, what would he have done in the field to seize a treasure from within? He'd set it afire normally, but it would not do in this case. He might have sent something to tempt the treasure out- a loved one or something irrisistable…
What did Emeline care for enough to come outside for?
A grand vision filled his mind.
That was it.
He had his idea at last.
**********
Emeline sat on her bed wearing the clothes she had worn two weeks ago when she entered the nunnery. The Mother Superior knocked softly on the door and then entered.
"I see you've made your decision my child."
Emeline nodded shyly.
"I'm glad. You are a lovely young woman, but you fidget too much to be a nun."
Emeline smiled at the older woman's teasing.
"Of course you are always welcome here, particularly in the sewing room. They will be sorry to lose you."
"Thank you Mother."
"Well, I think there's something outside that you might like to see."
"Outside?"
"Yes, your escort has arrived. You must have written immediately, did you not?"
"No, it was only this morning."
Emeline frowned and followed the Nun to the outer courtyard. There was a commotion at the gate, with what looked like all the Sisters of Perpetual Solace crowding to see outside.
She stepped forward and they parted, allowing her to step up to the wrought iron door. Outside she saw something that took her breath away.
It was Fairhaven.
There was Magda, and Peter. The kitchen staff. The blacksmith, a throng of children, her guards, and even some of the serfs that worked the field. Well over a hundred people stood outside the nunnery waiting silently.
For her.
Her breath caught in her throat when she saw him.
In the back of the crowd, Rowan sat on his horse with something in his arms.
Bessie.
He'd brought her her goat.
With a soft cry she pushed through the gate and was soon engulfed in the crowd of people.
Her people.
Finally they stepped away and she was left facing him. Rowan smiled at her crookedly and handed the goat to Kenneth, who took it with ill grace. She laughed at the sour expression on his face as he tried to pass Bessie off the Wyeth, who held his hands up and backed away.
Then Rowan was before her. He asked her for the rings and one of the nuns approached shyly with her bag. He fished out the box and held it before her.
"Lady Emeline. For the second time in my life, I must ask you: will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
She nodded, too overcome to speak. He smiled tenderly and slid the thin gold ring onto one finger and the heavy ring onto another. Then he leaned toward her. She thought he was going to kiss her but instead he pressed his mouth close to her ear.
"It's a good thing you said yes, or I would have had to disguise myself as a woman and abduct you."
Her startled laugh was cut off by his lips.
Epilogue
Rowan sat on the grass, watching the little boy chase his big sister. Emeline was close behind, making sure their son Arthur did not fall. Cathryn was old enough to run without help her her brother's tubby little legs soon sent him sprawling. He sat up immediately and was off and running without so much as a whimper.
Rowan smiled and took a large bite of an apple. He lay back on the blanket and considered his good fortune.
He had been fantastically lucky to meet his lady twice. He was luckier still that he had managed to win her back the second time. Now they were long wed, with two beautiful children to show for it.
Speaking of beauty...
"Emeline, come quickly!"
She paused in the game of catch and hastened to his side.
"What is it?"
He smiled sheepishly and pulled her down to the blanket.
"I have dire need of- a kiss."
She was laughing as he pulled her closer and pressed his lips to hers. She intoxicated him still. More now than ever, now that he'd given into his fate and she to hers. They were destined to be partnered, that much was plain.
He felt his body react to her nearness and waved the nurse maid over to take over the care of the children. He whispered in Emeline's ear, only to have her blush and nod, as eager as he was to return to their chamber for an hour or two of pleasure.
Perhaps it was time to start working on making another child… after all, he wouldn't want their two children to be lonely.
Joanna Davis has always been the sort to get lost in a good book. She is an avid traveler and adores wandering through the old cities of Europe imagining herself in another time. Her first novel Haven is a collaboration with Indie publishing house Pincushion Press. Other than writing, her favorite pastimes include gardening and restoring her 100 year old home to it's former glory.
Joanna loves to hear from her readers. You can find her on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JoannaDavisRomance, or reach her directly at [email protected]. You may also join her mailing list for updates on new releases and special deals for book lovers!
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Table of Contents
Prologue
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Epilogue
Joanna Davis - Knights In Shining Armor Page 10
