Judith’s heart leaped to her throat and nearly choked her. There was danger in this game. She watched breathlessly as Gavin charged forward on his great horse, his head lowered, his arm braced against the lance. His lance struck the opponent’s shield squarely just as his own shield was hit. The lances broke and the men rode to opposite ends of the field to obtain new ones. Fortunately, the lances used in battle were stronger than the wooden ones used in games. The object was to break three lances without losing the stirrups. If a man was unseated before three runs were made, he had to pay the worth of his horse and armor to his adversary—no trifling sum. Thus had Raine made a fortune on the tournament circuit.
But men did get hurt. Accidents happened constantly. Judith knew this and she watched fearfully as Gavin rode again, and again neither man lost his stirrups.
A woman near Judith giggled, but she paid no attention until words reached her. “Her husband is the only man who carries no favor—yet she gives gold ribbons to his brothers. What do think of such a hoyden?”
The words were malicious and meant for Judith’s ears; yet, when she turned, no one showed any interest in her. She looked back at the knights who walked among the horses or stood at the end of the field near her. What the woman said was true. All the knights had ribbons or sleeves waving from their lances or helmets. Raine and Miles had several, and on one arm they each wore a frayed gold ribbon.
Judith only meant to run across the edge of the field and catch Gavin before he charged his opponent for the third time. She was new to the joust and had no idea that what she did was dangerous. The war-horses, bred for strength, size and endurance, were trained to help a man in times of war. They could use their great hooves to kill as easily as a man used a sword.
She did not hear the gasps as man after man pulled his horse back from her racing figure. Neither was she aware that several of the people in the stands had seen her and now stood, their breaths held.
Gavin looked up from his squire as he was handed a new lance. He could feel the gradual hush come over the crowd. He saw Judith immediately and realized there was nothing he could do. By the time he dismounted, she would have reached him. He stared, every muscle rigid.
Judith had no ribbon to give him but she knew he must have a favor from her. He was hers! She pulled off her gossamer veil as she ran across the sand, slipping the braid of pearls back over her hair.
When she reached Gavin she held up the veil for him. “A favor,” she smiled tentatively.
He did not move for a moment then lifted his lance and held it down beside her. Quickly, Judith knotted a corner of the veil securely above the shaft. When she looked up at him and smiled, he leaned forward, put his hand behind her head and nearly lifted her from the ground as he kissed her. The nosepiece of the helmet was cold against her cheek and his kiss was hard. When he released her to sink back on her heels in the sand, she was dazed.
Judith was unaware of the suddenly quiet crowd, but not so Gavin. His bride had risked her life to give him a favor, and now he held his lance high—in triumph. His grin seemed to reach from one side of the helmet to the other.
The crowd’s roar of approval was deafening.
Judith whirled, saw that every eye was upon her. Her cheeks flamed and her hands covered her face. Miles and Raine ran from the sidelines, threw their arms protectively around her and half-carried her to safety.
“If you hadn’t pleased Gavin so much, I would turn you over my knee for that,” Raine said.
Another cheer went up as Gavin unhorsed his opponent. Judith did not enjoy being the center of so much laughing. She picked up her skirts and made her way as quickly as possible back to the castle. Perhaps a few minutes alone in the garden would help her cheeks return to their normal color.
Alice slammed into the tent of the Earl of Bayham, a rich place of silk walls and Byzantine carpets erected for the comfort of Edmund Chatworth.
“Something is wrong?” a deep voice behind her asked.
Alice whirled to glare at Roger, Edmund’s younger brother. He sat on a low bench, his shirt removed as he carefully ran the edge of his sword along a whetstone he turned with his foot. He was a handsome man, blond hair streaked by the sun, a straight aquiline nose, a firm mouth. There was a curved scar by his left eye that in no way detracted from his good looks.
Many times Alice wished Roger were the earl instead of Edmund. She started to answer his question, then stopped. She could not tell him of her anger as she saw Gavin’s wife making a spectacle of herself in front of several hundred people. Alice had offered him a favor, but he would not take it. Gavin said there was too much talk of them already, and he would not cause more.
“You play with fire, you know,” Roger said as he ran his thumb along the edge of the sword. When Alice made no comment, he continued. “The Montgomery men do not see things as we do. To them right is right and wrong is wrong. There is nothing in between.”
“I have no idea what you mean,” Alice responded haughtily.
“Gavin will not be pleased when he finds you have lied to him.”
“I have not lied!”
Roger raised one eyebrow. “And what reason did you give him for marrying my brother the earl?”
Alice sat down heavily on a bench opposite Roger.
“You didn’t think the heiress would be so beautiful, did you?”
Alice’s eyes blazed as she looked up at him. “She is not beautiful! Her hair is red and she is sure to be covered with freckles.” She smiled snidely. “I must ask what cream she uses to cover them on her face. Gavin will not think her so desirable when he sees—”
Roger cut her off. “I was at the bedding ceremony and saw a great deal of her body. There were no freckles. Don’t delude yourself. Do you think you can hold him when he is alone with her?”
Alice stood and walked to the tent flap. She would not let Roger see how the words upset her. She must keep Gavin. At all costs, she must keep him. He loved her, deeply and sincerely, as no one had ever loved her. She needed that as much as she needed Edmund’s wealth. She did not let people see inside her; she hid her hurt well. As a child she’d been a beautiful daughter born among a gaggle of ugly, sickly sisters. Her mother gave all her love to the others, feeling Alice had enough attention from her nurses and the castle visitors. Scorned by her mother, Alice turned to her father for love. But the only thing Nicolas Valence cared for came from a bottle. So Alice learned to take what was not given to her. She manipulated her father into buying rich clothes for her, and her enhanced beauty made her sisters’ hate for her stronger. Besides her elderly maid, Ela, no one loved her, until Gavin. Yet all the years of struggling, trying to obtain even a few pennies, made her desire financial security as much as love. Gavin was not wealthy enough to give her that security, but Edmund was.
Now, one-half of what she needed was being taken from her by a red-haired witch. Alice was not one to sit back and let the future take care of itself. She would fight for what she wanted…