“It has long been said that a woman weds once for duty and once for love,” Vivienne said. “To be wed twice for duty is beyond expectation.”
“And against my every desire!” the woman said, her eyes flashing. “I have done all that I can to avoid such a fate. I have left my old abode with only the garb upon my back, I have abandoned what should be my own, but it is not sufficient for them. They pursue me, like hounds at the hunt. Indeed, I dare not confess the name of that holding to any soul lest they find me again.” Her lips tightened with a quiver that rent Madeline’s heart.
“You have need of protection, not further flight,” Madeline said.
“Who would be so fool as to protect me?”
“A new husband would defend you,” Vivienne said.
“One of your own choice!” Elizabeth interjected.
“Impossible.” The woman shook her head. “I am sorry. I should not have burdened you with my woes.”
“But where will you go?” Elizabeth asked.
“As far as I must,” she said, and gathered her cloak about herself as she hastened down the aisle. “I dare not linger here longer. Only as far as Kinfairlie,” she whispered, almost to herself. “They will be fast behind me.” She drew up her hood and reached for the handle upon the heavy wood door.
“We cannot let her go,” Madeline said and her sisters nodded agreement. “She will never flee further than they can follow.”
“Surely her fears are overwrought,” Vivienne said. “Her husband’s kin might have threatened her, and they might even follow her, but as soon as she wed another man, they would abandon the chase. It would not be reasonable to do otherwise, especially if they already hold her dowry.”
“Doubtless she has had little chance to muster her thoughts,” Madeline mused, feeling sympathy for the woman. “I wonder when last she ate a meal.”
“Or slept, without fearing that her avaricious kin would pounce upon her in the night.” Vivienne shivered at the prospect.
“She has need of a stalwart defender,” Elizabeth said with gusto. “Like a valiant knight in an old tale, one who will vanquish all of her enemies.”
“It will be a rare and honorable man who takes her cause,” Annelise agreed.
“It will be a bold man, unafraid to face any foe to see his lady’s safety assured,” Elizabeth said, her love of tales evident. “He will slaughter dragons for her and send evil flying from the gates!”
“There are no dragons to be bested,” Isabella said wryly. “Only greedy kin.”
Madeline exchanged a smile with Vivienne as an idea apparently came to them both of one accord. “Hmmm,” Madeline mused. “A brave knight, unwed but in possession of his inheritance so entitled to wed.”
“A man with a reputation for ensuring justice is served,” Vivienne said as her smile broadened.
“A man who would court the lady’s favor, and treat her with the honor she is due,” Annelise contributed, as she clearly discerned Madeline’s thoughts.
“Would it not be perfect if we knew such a man?” Madeline said.
“Especially if the nuptial vows of such a man would ensure that his debt against his own sisters is paid in full?” Vivienne said.
Elizabeth began to laugh, though Isabella still appeared to be confused.
“Alexander found husbands for us when we had no desire of them,” Madeline explained. “I say we return the favor and aid this beleaguered noblewoman at the same time.”
“It would serve Alexander well to taste his own dish,” Elizabeth said with some heat. “Though I think her too fine for him.”
“The lady herself must agree,” Vivienne said, ignoring this. Elizabeth had become quite vexed with Alexander of late and was increasingly inclined to voice her unflattering opinion of him.
“Lady!” Madeline cried and the sisters gave chase as one. “Stay your flight!”
They burst out of the chapel in pursuit. The woman paused in the bailey, the fresh snow as high as her ankles. She glanced back, as if afraid to hope that any soul might assist her.
“My brother, Laird of Kinfairlie, has need of a bride,” Madeline said. The sisters surrounded the woman once again, their eyes alight with the perfection of their scheme.
“He is a man of honor,” Vivienne said, “and one who will see you protected. He is not so hard upon the eyes and can be charming.”
“He is a bit mischievous,” Isabella felt obliged to warn the woman.
“But he takes his responsibilities most seriously and serves Kinfairlie well as its laird,” Annelise said.
“But you cannot expect him to wed me. You scarce know me and he does not know me at all.”
“Marriages are arranged all the time,” Vivienne said with a smile and Elizabeth laughed. The woman looked between them, not understanding the reference. Vivienne stepped forward and looped her arm through the other woman’s elbow. “Come and look upon him. If he meets with your favor and wedding him seems to you a suitable scheme…”
Madeline took the woman’s other arm. “Then you may rely upon us to arrange the details.”
“There will be guests aplenty in the hall this night,” Vivienne said. “No one will note another, and if you decide against this course, you can travel onward on the morrow.”
The stranger nodded at this plan, but Madeline was not fooled by her apparent reserve. There was new vigor in her step, just for having a choice, and Madeline knew that Alexander would be at his amiable best this night. Her brother might try to delay his duty to wed, he might even protest the sisters’ interference, but once this beauty was in his bed, once he had a child to bounce upon his own knee, he would thank her and Vivienne for their aid in finding him such a bride.
Madeline was certain of it.
The Snow White Bride
#3 of the Jewels of Kinfairlie
Available Now!
The Warrior’s Prize
The True Love Brides #4
The maiden was just another treasure to be won—until she stole his heart and changed his life forever.
Outraged that her beloved brother’s soul is to be the Fae tithe to Hell, Elizabeth knows that she must save him. She is the only one in her family who can see the Fae, after all, and is already cursed by their king herself. Malcolm may have offered to replace his comrade out of honor, but Elizabeth knows who better deserves to live—and it is not the handsome rogue, Rafael, who is concerned with his own welfare alone. It should be easy to make a wager with a mercenary, especially as Elizabeth does not care about the cost to herself. To her surprise, though, Rafael proves to be the man who not only takes her dare, but banishes the Fae king’s curse with kisses that turn her blood to fire. Could this hardened warrior, who appears to have no heart, be the destined love she has awaited?
At first glimpse, Rafael believes Elizabeth to be an angel sent to judge him—and he knows what her verdict will be. He has made choices in order to survive, and is not proud of them. But Elizabeth dares him to change, with an audacity that awakens a nobility of purpose that Rafael has forgotten he possessed. Can this bold maiden heal the wounds of his past? Can Rafael earn the right to grant her the life she deserves—and do so before the Fae king springs his trap, making Elizabeth his captive forever?
The True Love Brides
Medieval Scottish Romances
The True Love Brides series features four of the eight siblings at Kinfairlie:
1. The Renegade’s Heart
(Isabella and Murdoch)
2. The Highlander’s Curse
(Annelise and Garrett)
3. The Frost Maiden’s Kiss
(Malcolm and Catriona)
4. The Warrior’s Prize
(Elizabeth and Rafael)
The Jewels of Kinfairlie series of medieval Scottish romances features the first three siblings at Kinfairlie.
1. The Beauty Bride
(Madeline and Rhys)
2. The Rose Red Bride
(Vivienne and Erik)
3.
The Snow White Bride
(Alexander and Eleanor)
4. The Ballad of Rosamunde
(Rosamunde and Padraig)
The story of Ross (the eighth sibling) is part of The Brides of Inverfyre series, which features the children of the Hawk of Inverfyre and Aileen. This series is in progress:
1. The Mercenary’s Bride
(Mhairi and Quentin)
2. The Runaway Bride
(Aiofe and Ross)
You can read about the previous generation at Ravensmuir, Kinfairlie and Inverfyre in my Rogues of Ravensmuir series:
1. The Rogue
(Merlyn and Isabella)
2. The Scoundrel
(Gawain and Evangeline)
3. The Warrior
(Michael - the Hawk - and Aileen)
There’s a Ravensmuir tab on my website with all of the books set in this world, as well as links to download free family trees.
Dear Reader
Welcome to Elizabeth’s story, the final book in my True Love Brides series and probably the one most requested by readers. This book is a little bit different from previous linked books I’ve written: although the majority of events in this book occur after those in The Frost Maiden’s Kiss, there is some overlap. Elizabeth and Rafael’s story begins when they meet, which is right before the climax of Malcolm and Catriona’s story. I wanted the book to stand alone, though, so you’ll see some of those scenes presented again here, but done a little differently. I had a wonderful time writing Elizabeth’s story—and helping Rafael to challenge her expectations—and I hope you enjoy reading it.
This brings us to the end of The True Love Brides series, which carried on the stories of the eight siblings at Kinfairlie first introduced in The Jewels of Kinfairlie trilogy. We have, however, only had the stories of seven of the brothers and sisters, a fact which many of you have noticed. It’s no spoiler to let you know that Ross is left without a partner or a true love at the end of Elizabeth’s story. We haven’t heard much from him in recent books. He has been at Inverfyre, completing his training in the service of his uncle, the Hawk of Inverfyre.
When the Hawk and Aileen were married in 1409 (the same year as Elizabeth’s birth), they hosted a family gathering at Inverfyre at Midsummer. This gathering was where we first met Roland, Catherine and their eight children from Kinfairlie. Roland and the Hawk were cousins and milk-brothers (which meant they shared a wet nurse) so the Hawk’s five children with Aileen are second cousins of the family at Kinfairlie we’ve come to know so well. They need their happy endings, too. There’s an excerpt in the back of this book from The Mercenary’s Bride, which is the first book of the Brides of Inverfyre series. Ross won’t be the only one to have his story told in that series!
You can download free family trees for Kinfairlie and Inverfyre on my website, right here.
All of the Jewels of Kinfairlie and True Love Brides medieval Scottish romances are also available in audio.
You can sign up for my free guided tour of all the books set in the fictional realm of Ravensmuir. Each week you'll receive an email featuring the next book set in the world of Ravensmuir. You'll get a peek behind the scenes of that book’s creation, learn more about the historical details and my research for the book, and meet the characters. There will be discounts for you to buy books in my online store, too, and we’ll talk about my inspiration, too. Sign up today, right here.
To learn about my new releases, sales and other news, please subscribe to my newsletter: Knights & Rogues.
Until next time, I hope you are well and have plenty of good books to read.
All my best,
Claire
http://delacroix.net
Monday, June 21, 1428
Feast Day of Saint Maine and Saint Eusebius, Bishop of Caesaria.
One
Ravensmuir, on the east coast of Scotland
Elizabeth had watched the Fae gather for Midsummer’s Eve and hasten toward the sister keep of Ravensmuir. She did not trust their actions a whit, and knew she had to go to Ravensmuir to discover the truth. Alexander had changed his thinking about escorting her there once a company of mercenaries traveled toward Malcolm’s keep, so Elizabeth had stolen out of Kinfairlie this very morning, with her beloved mare, Demoiselle.
To her surprise, she had met the Earl of Douglas on the road at such an early hour, with his niece Jeanne and a company of men escorting them. Jeanne was richly dressed, as if she meant to attend a coronation, though there was no other destination on the road than Ravensmuir.
Elizabeth recalled the earl’s insistence that Malcolm was betrothed to his niece, this Jeanne, and bit her lip. She had heard just days before that Malcolm had taken a bride. All of Kinfairlie was aflutter that Malcolm had wedded the serving maid Catriona, seemingly on impulse, naming the son she had delivered in Ravensmuir as his heir.
Evidently her companions had not yet heard the news, and Elizabeth would not be the one to enlighten them.
They rode in comparative silence, none of them evidently welcoming questions about their plans. Perhaps it was the hour, but Elizabeth was content to be silent.
When the new tower of Ravensmuir came more clearly into view, she could not help but gasp aloud.
“Zounds,” the earl muttered beneath his breath. “What a fortification!”
Jeanne straightened in her saddle with evident interest.
Elizabeth surveyed the new structure with awe. Ravensmuir’s new keep resembled the lost one in many ways, but was more formidable. While the old keep had been forbidding, perched on the coast like a bird of prey, this one was tall and bold, taking a resolute stance. It reminded Elizabeth of a knight staring down a foe, fairly daring his opponent to strike.
Certainly, this keep would not be readily assailed. Her brother Malcolm had left Scotland to seek his fortune shortly after inheriting the holding of Ravensmuir, shortly after the old keep fell to ruins. He had earned the disapproval of his older brother, Alexander, Laird of Kinfairlie, by selling his blade. It was clear, though, that Malcolm had learned much of defending what he would call his own in his years as a mercenary.
The morning sunlight turned the stone of the high tower to a golden yet rosy hue. The walls were tall and smooth, and a gatehouse had been built to bar the opening in the middle of the old thorn hedge that Elizabeth remembered from childhood. That hedge, planted in a protective arc behind the moat, stopped short of the rocky cliffs at either end. The road was blocked where it passed through the hedge by this gatehouse and its portcullis. The hedge had also grown taller and thicker since last she had visited. Even the gaps at the ends of the hedge, once wide enough that a person could have ridden a horse around the barrier, seemed more narrow than they had been. Elizabeth saw men moving stones there, making the way even more precarious.
The road ran straight toward that gatehouse, as always it had, and across the barren moor. This ensured that none could approach the keep without the laird or his sentry knowing of it. The moor outside the hedge was beaten down more than usual, and Elizabeth could see the mark of many fire pits on the land. There were half a dozen tents there yet, although they were being struck, and the single fire smoked as if it was being extinguished. This must have been where the masons who had rebuilt Ravensmuir had camped. Most, it was clear, were gone, and these men would be departed soon.
“It might be a vision,” the earl muttered beneath his breath, clearly surprised by the sight of the new keep. “It might have been built by a sorcerer, to have grown so high and strong in so little time.”
Jeanne, her red hair blowing in the breeze, smiled in obvious anticipation. “The laird is rich,” she declared with satisfaction. “For no man could order such a construction otherwise.”
“A fine new keep,” the earl noted with satisfaction. “It will suit you most well to be lady here, my dear.”
“Indeed, uncle,” Jeanne agreed. “I have always believed it my fate to wed a rich man.” She granted Elizabeth another cool smile. “
Perhaps I shall drink sweet mead from a golden cup at Ravensmuir.” She laughed then, well pleased with the life she believed she rode to claim.
Elizabeth did not comment again, although she was sorely tempted. Jeanne, in her opinion, had been indulged in every possible way for every day of her life. She was pretty and could be pleasant enough when all went according to her plan, but Elizabeth had seen her denied a sweet when they had both been small, and she would never forget the fury of the other noblewoman’s tantrum.
What would Jeanne do when she met Catriona?
What would she do if Malcolm denied her?
A wicked part of Elizabeth looked forward to the other woman’s first sight of Malcolm’s new wife.
Indeed, Jeanne had been waspish when Elizabeth encountered them on the road, noting how Elizabeth’s beauty had faded, like that of a rose touched by the frost. It had been unkind of her to say as much aloud, and even the earl had frowned, though Elizabeth knew it to be true.
One day, beauteous Elizabeth, you will come to me. I already grow impatient.
Even in the morning sunlight, the murmured pledge of Finvarra, King of the Fae, made Elizabeth shiver. Indeed, it seemed she could not forget the words, for they echoed in her thoughts repeatedly. Perhaps he had cast some spell that devoured every other notion she might have had, the better to ensure she was haunted by his pledge.
All's Fair in Love and War: Four Enemies-to-Lovers Medieval Romances Page 100
