Knight of Her Life
Marisa Chenery
Edited by Marisa Chenery
Cover design by The Killion Group
Copyright 2017 Marisa Chenery. Published by Marisa Chenery. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author.
ISBN: 978-1-98865-916-9
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This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues in this book are of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.
To the world, Jacqueline was dead, but when her father kills her twin in a joust, she claims her brother’s identity to seek revenge. Worried at being discovered, and taking tentative steps out into the world again, it never occurs to her that she might meet the one man who can make her wish she had never started her ruse.
Sir Terric Aubrey worked the tournament circuit, hoping to make enough money to buy land. He had not thought much beyond his next win. He certainly had not expected to find the woman he wanted for his wife posing as a man.
Though fate tries to keep them apart, Jacqueline will do whatever it takes to keep her knight at her side, even if it means she must stand against her powerful father at the risk of all.
Chapter One
Isle of Wight
Carisbrooke Castle
July 1389
“Give me one good reason that I cannot go. That is all I ask.”
“You know very well I have my reasons. I will speak of this with you no further, Jacqueline.”
Jacqueline Montacute repressed the urge to stamp her foot in frustration. Her mother was being stubborn, but Jacqueline could be just as stubborn when pushed.
“I know why it is you do not want me to go, Mother. He is going to be there, is he not?”
Elizabeth Montacute, Countess of Salisbury and Lady of Isle of Wight, sighed deeply. “Aye, your father will be at Windsor. That is the main reason I forbid you to go to the tournament with your brother.”
Her father, William Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, and the absent Lord of Isle of Wight, was seven and ten years older than her mother, who hadn’t been her father’s first choice for a bride. His first marriage had been to Lady Joan Plantagenet, who was also known as the Fair Maid of Kent. In 1349, William married Elizabeth, eldest daughter of John, Lord Mohun of Dunster. After impregnating her, her father had left her mother on the isle and never returned, which suited her mother very well. Theirs was no love match, by any means.
Jacqueline felt nothing but disgust at the mere thought of her father. The stunt he’d pulled two years before still left a bitter taste on her tongue.
Thinking to further himself, he had contracted marriages for both his children. With her brother, William, and herself being twins, their father decided, at the age of nine and ten, they were of an age to wed. William’s marriage had ended up being a blessing. Her brother loved his young wife dearly. and Beth FitzAllen was devoted to William.
The earl had contracted the marriage of his only son with Beth’s father, Richard, Earl of Arundel, without the knowledge of his wife. He had done the same for his daughter. The match had not been to her liking, nor had Jacqueline’s mother been prepared to meekly accept what her husband had done.
Her chosen bridegroom had been thirty years older than her nine and ten. He was Forwin De La Mare, Earl of Somerset. Besides being older, Forwin was obese and known for his cruelty to his past wives. All four of them.
Jacqueline was exactly what he preferred in a wife—beautiful and in the peak of health. With her waist-length dark brown hair, vivid turquoise blue eyes, and a perfect face to match, Forwin had found her ripe for the picking. He practically licked his lips in anticipation when he had come to look her over before signing the marriage contract. That Jacqueline, at five feet nine inches, towered over him by three inches had not concerned him at all.
She had felt physically sick when Forwin had presented himself at the castle. She had known in that instant she would never bind herself to such a man.
So her mother had come up with the ruse to foil her husband’s plans. It had been drastic, but it assured Jacqueline would never be bothered by any such goings on again.
They faked her death, even going so far as to place a headstone in the family cemetery with her supposed date of death inscribed upon it. It was assumed by all concerned that Forwin would want proof, and they had been correct in their thinking. A week after receiving word of Jacqueline’s supposed demise, he had arrived at the isle to see for himself. It had not taken much effort on her part to avoid him. The man took one look at the headstone and then had promptly left.
Now, to the rest of the world off the isle, Jacqueline Montacute was no more.
“Mother, I can do what I have done in the past when I have been to other tournaments with William and Beth. No one has ever questioned whether I was Beth’s maid or not.” She had never been to Windsor and was determined not to miss out on experiencing it.
“Jacqueline, I know you have been forced to miss so much of life outside the safety of the isle. What was done, is done and cannot be undone.”
Reaching out, her mother tucked a wayward strand of hair behind Jacqueline’s ear and stared into her eyes. Jacqueline knew that look. It meant her mother would not be swayed, no matter how much she tried to push her to do just that.
“You look so much like I did at your age. You and your brother look so much alike. I still remember the stunt the two of you pulled by switching clothes to see if anyone would notice, and how delighted you both were when no one did.” Her mother sighed. “Jacqueline, no more of this. The discussion is pointless. The other tournaments were different. Your father was not present, and they were only small affairs compared to what Windsor will be. Now leave me in peace for a while.”
She left her mother in the hall and went in search of her brother and his wife. If they could be swayed to her side, maybe the three of them could change her mother’s mind.
* * * *
Carisbrooke Castle was the only home Jacqueline knew. The castle itself was seven acres, including the earthworks surrounding it, and had been built atop earlier Roman and Saxon defenses. Inside the walls were a keep, chapel, and a one hundred and sixty-foot deep well, situated in the middle of the bailey.
Jacqueline now skirted past the well, and knowing where her brother and his wife were, she headed straight to the tilting grounds. Sure enough, as she drew closer, she could make out Beth, standing on the sidelines.
Moving to stand next to her sister by marriage, Jacqueline watched William take a run at the quintain. He hit the target with his outstretched lance. He must have landed the blow squarely, if not, the weighted arm would have swung around with enough velocity to unseat him. He went past still firmly seated in his saddle as it swung harmlessly aside.
Both of them cheered for him as he turned about and rode to where they watched. After dismounting, William pulled off his helmet and chuckled.
“No luck with mother I see.”
Jacqueline huffed and shook her head in response. “She will not be moved by any of my reasons for going with you.”
William flashed a brilliant smile. “I won
der why not. Maybe it is because she knows you never think far enough ahead to see the trouble you get yourself into.”
She fisted her hand and punched her brother in the arm. She instantly regretted it when she made contact with the steel plating of his armor. Shaking her bruised knuckles, she glared at him as he chuckled once more.
“Are you saying you agree with her, William? I thought you of all people would take my side in this.”
William wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to his side. “Jacqueline, mother is right. Windsor is too risky. There will be too many people there. All it would take would be one of them to see how closely my wife’s maid and I look alike.”
Jacqueline could not argue with that. Though he was male, William only stood an inch taller than her. They had the same turquoise blue eyes and dark brown hair. She wore hers to her waist. Her brother kept his trimmed to the nape.
Being twins, they were very close. When younger, they had been inseparable. Whatever the one did, the other had to try as well, with Jacqueline being the more adventurous of the two.
At one and ten, she thought nothing of putting on William’s clothes and taking part in lessons in swordplay. Such activities had come to an end the year before. Lady Elizabeth could no longer abide her only daughter dressing as a man or acting as a knight would.
“You, Beth, do you agree with William and mother?”
Beth, only ten and eight, could make Jacqueline feel much younger than she was. All it took was a certain look Beth used when she thought Jacqueline was being unreasonable. One most mothers seemed to develop in their dealings with their offspring. Though Beth and William had no children, Jacqueline could only guess how her sister by marriage came by it. Standing at only five feet four inches, Beth seemed not to care that she had to look up at Jacqueline to give her such a look, either.
“Jacqueline, there will be other tournaments. Think of how your mother would feel if anything happened to you.”
“Must you do that, play upon my emotions like I am some thoughtless child?”
Beth’s tinkling laughter filled the air. “If not me, then who else would?”
Jacqueline could not help but join in Beth’s laughter. She could never bring herself to be annoyed with William’s wife. She was one of those people who were just as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. Jacqueline loved her as a true sister, and had from their first meeting. Just as William had. He had not been able to stop staring at her beautiful heart-shaped face, small pert nose, and ruby-red lips. Massive amounts of long, light blonde hair and pure green eyes made up the rest of Beth.
In exasperation, Jacqueline threw up her arms. “Fine, you all win. I will stay on the isle with mother. I will miss you both terribly.”
William once more pulled her to his side and kissed her lightly on the cheek. “It is not as if we will be gone forever. It is only for a fortnight.”
“Just promise me you will be careful. I have a feeling not all will be as it should. If anything happens to you—”
He placed a finger on Jacqueline’s lips, silencing her before she could complete the sentence. “I am coming back. I promise you.”
“You swear?”
William kissed the tip of her nose. “I swear.”
* * * *
She knew something was wrong. It was just a gut feeling she had, but it would not go away. Jacqueline had felt on edge ever since the day William and Beth had left the isle. In the beginning, she had come to the conclusion this feeling was caused by the separation from her twin. Now, almost two weeks into her brother’s absence, it was even stronger.
Trying to quell the foreboding sensation, she climbed up to the top of the castle walls. William was to have returned home two days ago. With the hope of catching a glimpse of his return, she walked the walls for hours at a time.
Pacing in a gown was not a particularly easy thing to do, either. Jacqueline missed the freedom of the male clothes she wore during arms training. Every time she turned, she had to push the skirt out of the way or she would become entangled in its length. If given the choice, she would gladly never wear a gown again—ever. She much preferred the tunic and hose in which William, and every other man, garbed themselves.
After completing her first circuit of the walls, she stopped at one of the twin towers attached to the gatehouse. She searched for any sign of travelers approaching the castle. Jacqueline squinted against the sun’s bright rays and focused intently on what were slowly becoming discernible shapes in the distance. Once she realized her eyes were indeed not playing tricks on her, she raced down the steps.
She set off at a run and crossed the bailey before she went to find her mother, who was inside the hall. Lady Elizabeth smiled. “William has returned?”
Jacqueline took a few deep breaths, trying to still her rapidly beating heart. “I did not see for sure, but who else can it be? We are not expecting visitors.”
Lady Elizabeth took Jacqueline’s hand. “Now you will see all your worrying was for naught. William was more than likely delayed for a very good reason.”
“I suppose you are right, Mother.”
“I know I am.”
After releasing Jacqueline’s hand, they left the hall and went to stand in the middle of the bailey. They did not have long to wait. A few minutes later, the men-at-arms who had accompanied William to Windsor passed through the raised portcullises. Beth followed them. William was nowhere to be seen.
Jacqueline grabbed the bridle of Beth’s horse and pulled it to a halt. “Where is William? Is he back with the baggage cart again, making sure his precious armor is not getting scratched?”
Her sister-in-law did not respond, causing Jacqueline to look up into the other girl’s face. There was a trail of tears streaming down Beth’s cheeks. Her gut clenched. Her feelings had not been so unfounded, after all. Something had happened to William.
“Where is William, Beth?” The girl remained silent, and Jacqueline released the bridle and took hold of Beth’s leg and squeezed. “Answer me! Where is William?” she shouted.
At the rumbling sound of the baggage cart entering the bailey, Jacqueline released Beth and rushed to it. The closer she came, the more intensified the feeling of having lost a part of herself became.
Her whole being centered on the covered form lying in the middle of the cart. It felt as if the world had fallen away with only her and it in existence. Jacqueline vaguely noticed her mother had come to help Beth dismount and then pulled the girl into her arms. She barely heard her mother softly crying. All that mattered was what lay in the cart.
With a shaking hand, Jacqueline pulled back the blanket that completely covered what the cart carried. As William’s face was revealed, she knew he was dead. He was too pale. It showed none of the laughter he was always so quick to share. Feeling as if her heart were being ripped from her body, she slowly backed away. She could not accept this. That could not be William.
“Nay…nay, William cannot be gone. He promised to come home to me. He has never broken his word to me—ever.”
Her mother tried to take her into her arms, to offer comfort, but Jacqueline roughly shrugged out of her embrace. Seeing Beth standing, she grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her.
“Tell me! Tell me how this happened!” Beth did not answer promptly, so Jacqueline shook her again.
Her mother stopped her. “Enough, Jacqueline! Can you not see she is distraught? She just lost her husband. She grieves as much as we do.”
“I need to know, Mother.” Jacqueline was very close to falling completely apart. She found it hard to breathe, and her heart seemed to beat painfully.
“Beth, I think it best you tell Jacqueline.” Lady Elizabeth once more held her daughter by marriage in her arms.
Beth wiped away her tears, only to have more flow. “William was unseated when his competitor’s lance shattered. A large piece of it managed to enter his neck just where his helm and the collar of his breastplate met.” She swa
llowed as if she fought back the urge to dissolve into a fit of weeping. Once she seemed to get some control, she continued. “A physician removed the piece of broken lance, he even said William would recover, but wound fever soon set in. As William’s condition deteriorated even more, I had him placed in the baggage cart. I thought if I could just get him home to the isle all would be well again.” She said no more as her grief overtook her. She turned in her mother-in-law’s arms and buried her face in Lady Elizabeth’s shoulder, weeping in earnest.
Jacqueline had stood dry-eyed as Beth related the details of William’s death. She still could not shed a tear. If she did now, she would never be able to stop. Someone had to be the strong one. Someone had to keep their head. Even though it seemed Beth had told the whole tale, she had neglected to tell the most relevant piece of information—against whom had William tilted with and paid with his life?
“Beth, who did my brother tilt with?” she asked in monotone.
The girl brought her weeping back under control once more. Beth looked into Jacqueline’s eyes, and said, “William tilted against the earl, your father.”
Lady Elizabeth gasped as all the blood seemed to drain from her face. It was as much a blow to Jacqueline as it was to her mother. The earl had to have known who William was. How could he have jousted with his son, his heir? She could understand William wanting to meet the earl in the list, wanting to prove to their father that he was a man, but the earl was another story. He had nothing to prove. He already held sway over William.
Jacqueline kept her face as still as a mask. With no inflections in her speech, she finally spoke in a low voice. “He will pay for this. By god, I will make him pay.”
Her mother shook her head. “Jacqueline, let it go. There is nothing you can do. No matter what you might plan to do to the earl, William will still be gone from us. It will not bring him back. You must accept this.”
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