Knight of Her Life

by Marisa Chenery

  “The choice was not yours to make. As your father, it was my right to arrange an advantageous match for you.”

  “You mean an advantageous match for yourself.”

  The earl reached out and painfully grabbed a handful of her hair. “I will not tolerate any disrespect from you, girl. I see your mother was too lax in her duty in the raising of her daughter.” He released his grip and roughly shoved her away. “I want you to put on some clothes and then you are leaving with me.”

  Jacqueline rubbed her aching scalp, but did not move. “Nay, I will go nowhere with you. Today is my wedding day. I will not leave.”

  “I am afraid you will. I have plans for you.” He picked up her wedding gown from the bed and threw it at her. “Put this on, and if you refuse, I have no compunctions about putting it on you myself if I must.”

  Her father would do exactly that. She turned her back to him and did what he had said. Once she had donned the gown, she faced him once more. He motioned her to where he stood next to her writing desk.

  The earl placed a fresh sheet of parchment on top of it. He took up a quill and dipped it into the ink well. Holding it out to her, he said, “Write.”

  Jacqueline shook her head. “Nay.”

  He jabbed the quill at her again. “You will write a missive to your intended, telling him you have changed your mind and no longer wish to wed him.” She still refused to comply, and her father forcibly placed the quill in her hand. “If you do not, I will have your mother removed from the isle. I will make her a beggar on the streets with no coin and no roof over her head. Do I make myself clear?”

  Meekly, she nodded. Her father held all the power in this situation. She could not change that, but she had one barb in which to wound him. “You have not asked about William. Are you not interested to know why he did not go to London?”

  “Anything you have to say about William is irrelevant. Sit.”

  Jacqueline pulled out the chair and seated herself behind the desk. “True it might be, but it will affect you greatly.”

  “Then tell me. Do not think I cannot see through this ploy to stall for time. We will be gone before anyone can stop us.”

  She looked up at her father, wanting to see how he would react to her news. “As you wish. You did more than wound William during the tournament at Windsor. You killed him.”

  The smug expression the earl wore slipped. Her words seemed to sink in. He appeared deeply affected by the news of William’s death. She was certain he had felt no such sorrow when informed of her “death.” To him, she was just a useless female—only good for furthering his position through a marriage to a nobleman.

  Not able to look at her father’s expression of pain any longer, Jacqueline turned to the blank piece of parchment. The earl swallowed audibly, then said, “Write the missive and make it convincing. For if your lowly knight does not believe it and tries to come after you, I will gladly end his pathetic existence.”

  Jacqueline dipped the quill into the inkwell before she placed it on the parchment. As she wrote, tears filled her eyes. Terric would never forgive her for this.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Terric was nervous. He could face a fully armed knight charging down the list, but the thought of standing in front of a priest, reciting his vows to the woman he loved, was downright terrifying. Having Edwin fuss over him was not making matters better. The boy kept pulling at his tunic, trying to make it sit just so.

  Having reached the end of his patience, Terric slapped Edwin’s hands away. “Enough, Edwin. If you pull on my tunic any more, you will put a hole in it.”

  Edwin stepped back and gave Terric a thorough inspection. “I just want you to look perfect is all. You do not get married every day.”

  “You have done a fine job. Thanks to you, I will not shame Jacqueline by looking scruffy.”

  How he was attired on this important day was all Edwin’s doing. As Lady Elizabeth and her daughter-in-law had labored over Jacqueline’s gown, Edwin had been busy selecting what Terric would wear. Though he had few items of clothing, he did have outfits that were appropriate for the feasts after the tournaments he attended. His squire had gone through it all and personally mended and cleaned the items he had picked.

  The tunic was black velvet, embroidered with gold threads along the cuffs, hem, and neck. Even though it was acceptable to have gems sewn onto it as well, Terric was never one to be so ostentatious. His hose was black, along with his boots. The belt strapped around his waist was plain black leather with a gold buckle.

  Terric poured himself a goblet of wine, hoping it would help to steady his nerves. He resisted the urge to quaff it down in one large gulp and made himself take a small sip.

  After knocking once, a very agitated Lady Elizabeth entered his chamber. The expression upon her face made Terric assume all was not well. He put his goblet down and then stepped closer to her.

  “What is wrong, my lady?”

  “It is Jacqueline.”

  Having only heard Jacqueline’s name, a flood of worry washed over Terric. In his anxiety, he grabbed Lady Elizabeth by the upper arms and inadvertently squeezed. “What? Is she hurt? Tell me.” The older woman cringed, he realized he was hurting her. “My apologies. I did not mean to cause you pain.”

  Lady Elizabeth rubbed her arms and nodded. “I know you did not. Jacqueline is not injured. At least I hope she is not. It is just…she is missing. She is not in her chamber, and I cannot find her anywhere.”

  “How can she have disappeared? Could she have gone to the chapel on her own?”

  “Nay, I already checked. She was not there.”

  Unable to accept Jacqueline just having vanished into thin air, Terric brushed past Lady Elizabeth and went to his intended’s chamber. Edwin and Lady Elizabeth followed. Seeing the empty chamber gave Terric an eerie feeling. Jacqueline was supposed to be there, happily preparing to pledge her love to him.

  He searched her empty chamber, hoping to find a clue as to her whereabouts. The others joined in the search as well. They soon realized Jacqueline’s wedding gown was missing. Presumably, she had it with her. There was no sign of a struggle either. It looked as if she had calmly walked away. Feeling frustrated, Terric sat on the bed, leaving Edwin and Lady Elizabeth to continue the search.

  Where could she have gone? He could not see Jacqueline leaving of her own free will. She knew how much he loved her. Now that he thought back on it, Terric sickened as he realized he had not once spoken those very words to her. He would have to rectify that error when they found her.

  Leaning back on his arms, one of his hands slipped under a pillow. His knuckles brushed against what felt like a piece of parchment. He grasped it between his fingers and pulled out the folded missive.

  Terric opened the stiff paper and read it. The more he read, the more his heart shattered into a million pieces.

  His voice held no emotion when he asked, “My lady, is this Jacqueline’s handwriting?”

  Lady Elizabeth went to the bed and glanced at the piece of parchment Terric held. “Aye, it is. Where did you find it?”

  “Under one of her pillows.”

  “What does it say?”

  Terric wadded up the missive in his fist, then jerked to his feet. “More fool I for believing I would be able to keep her. It seems your daughter has had a change of heart.”

  He threw the balled-up parchment into a corner of the chamber, then stomped out the door.

  * * * *

  Something was dreadfully wrong, she just knew it. Hoping to get some answers, Beth went in search of her mother-in-law.

  She had waited at the chapel after making sure the servants had everything under control for the meal to be served after the wedding ceremony. Sir Guy was the only person to arrive at the appropriate time, which concerned her. As minutes ticked by and still the main participants had not arrived, she decided to see for herself what caused the delay.

  Encountering no one in the hall, the feeling that all was not
well increased. Only after she entered Jacqueline’s chamber and found Lady Elizabeth alone, holding a very crumpled piece of parchment, did she feel the full impact of uneasiness wash over her.

  “She is gone, Beth.”

  “Who? Jacqueline?”

  Wearily, Lady Elizabeth nodded in affirmation. “Aye, she has gone. How could she do that to Terric? I never expected her to act in this way. She seemed so happy with him.”

  “She was…I mean, is. How do you know Jacqueline no longer wants to go through with the wedding?”

  The older woman held out the abused parchment for Beth to read. “She wrote this to Terric.”

  Beth took the missive and read:

  Terric,

  I cannot marry you this day. I thought I could go through with it, but I cannot bring myself to be tied to a lowly knight for the rest of my life. I do not love you. I never did. You were just a means to an end. Now I have reached that end, making you an inconvenience. Do not look for me. I will only spurn you.

  Jacqueline

  Shocked, Beth read the missive once again. Even though it was written in Jacqueline’s hand, the words did not sound like her own. Jacqueline loved Terric. She would never hurt him so. There had to be a very good reason she would do that, one that made her act so rashly.

  “Has Terric seen this?”

  “Aye.” Lady Elizabeth sighed deeply. “I am afraid it was he who found it. He did not take it very well at all.”

  The chamber door still stood open, and the sound of heavy booted feet descending the stairs could be easily heard. Beth raced into the hallway in time to see Terric disappear down the flight of stairs.

  Edwin, who stood at his master’s chamber door, looked crestfallen. He sadly shook his head. “He has ordered me to pack his belongings. We leave this day.”

  “Where has he gone?”

  “To the stables to ready the horses.”

  Beth picked up her skirts and rushed down the stairs. She did not slow her pace until she reached the stables. She stepped into the building and waited a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the dim interior. Frantically, she searched for any sign of Terric. She did not see him at first glance. It was not until he walked out of a stall, leading his mount did she sigh with relief. He was still there.

  He looked her way, but chose to ignore her as he adjusted his saddle. Not at all deterred, Beth went to stand beside him. “She did not leave you, Terric.”

  He snorted in disbelief. “Funny, but I thought that was exactly what she did. What do you take me for? An idiot?”

  “She loves you. You have to believe that.”

  Terric pushed past her and led his horse into the bailey. Beth followed. She grabbed his arm and pulled him to a halt. “Do not leave. We have to find her.”

  None too gently, he plucked her restraining hand from his arm. “I have no intention of ever seeing Jacqueline again. She made her feelings perfectly clear in her missive. I am just abiding by her wishes.”

  “Forget the damn missive! Just answer one question. In any way, has she ever caused you to doubt how she feels about you?”

  Terric gave Beth the full force of his anger. “Enough,” he said with a snarl. “I will not listen to your nonsense any longer. She has made her choice.” He swung a leg up and over his horse’s back. “Tell Edwin to meet me at the ferry. I can no longer tolerate being at Carisbrooke. Give Lady Elizabeth my farewell.”

  After adjusting his reins, Terric walked his horse through the castle gates. Not once did he look back.

  Chapter Fourteen

  They had been traveling a few days now, and Jacqueline had no inkling of their destination. Her father had stealthily taken her out of Carisbrooke and then had deposited her into a covered wagon, one he had arranged to have waiting for him. The two men-at-arms who had been sitting atop it were the earl’s men. They each wore his livery.

  Once she was safely hidden from view, the earl had mounted his horse that had been tied to the back of the wagon. He had given a signal to the two men, and with a slap of the reins, it had lurched into motion.

  Alone, Jacqueline had plenty of time to think—of what her father had forced her to do. She hoped Terric realized what she had written was a lie, but a small part of her knew he would not. Why would he? It was not as if she had ever said she loved him. Nor had he spoken those three simple words to her either.

  The more time she dwelled on it, the more insecure she became about how Terric actually felt about her. Maybe he was happy she was gone. He could go back to the tournament circuit, free to flirt with all the available women who flocked to him wherever he went.

  As the days went by and no one came to rescue her from the earl, Jacqueline felt her ponderings were more than just mere thoughts but actual truth. Terric was not coming. He was glad to be rid of her.

  Feeling as if her worst fears were confirmed, Jacqueline grew morose. Where her father was taking her was no longer important. For if Terric no longer wanted her, life was meaningless. It mattered not what became of her. So when her father told her their destination, she could only feel it fitting. This would be the last humiliation. First, Terric’s betrayal by not coming in search of her and now this. The earl was taking her to Nunney Castle, the home of Forwin De La Mare, the Earl of Somerset.

  * * * *

  The last night before they were to arrive at Nunney Castle, the earl led his party to an inn in a small market town. Since they would be reaching their destination on the morrow, he wanted Jacqueline to look presentable, which could not be accomplished by spending the night sleeping out under the stars.

  Jacqueline, so deeply sunk in her own misery, barely noticed the inn into which her father escorted her. The only reason she spared it a passing glance was the name of it. The Happy Bride. She could not help but sneer up at it. She was anything but that.

  The earl paid the innkeeper for the two rooms he requested, then the man led them to the inn’s upper floor. The room to which she was taken was sparse, but it seemed clean enough.

  After the innkeeper returned below stairs, the earl finally divulged his plans. “As you know, we will reach Nunney on the morrow. You will be respectful to Forwin. He is to be your husband. I want him to see what an obedient wife you will make him. He has graciously overlooked what transpired before.”

  Only half-listening to what he told her, Jacqueline sat on the bed. There was no point in responding to the earl’s dictates so she remained silent. As the silence stretched between them, her father continued. “This door will be locked from the outside. I will be in the room next to this one. As well, one of my men will be standing guard just outside. So do not even bother to try to leave.” He headed for the door, but added one last demand. “I want you ready at first light.” He left her alone.

  She had no idea how long she sat on the bed, staring at nothing. It only seemed a matter of minutes from the time of the earl’s departure until someone knocked on her room door. Once she bid them to enter, it opened to admit one of her father’s men, carrying a tray of food. He placed it on the small table next to the bed, then promptly exited. The lock turned on the other side.

  She lifted the cloth that covered the tray and found a meat pie along with a couple of thick slices of cheese and a tankard of ale. She picked up the tray, then placed it on the bed before her and methodically ate.

  The fare was simple but well-prepared. After finishing every last morsel, Jacqueline returned the tray to the small side table. She stripped off her gown to her chemise and looked at the state of her only garment. It showed the wear from days of travel. There was nothing she could do to remedy that, but she made use of the water provided in her room. She quickly washed some of the dirt from her body.

  Jacqueline slipped between the bedsheets and hoped sleep would claim her. Surprisingly, it did come easily, and with it came a dream.

  In it, Terric held her in his arms. He kissed her, holding nothing back. She kissed him in return with all the pent-up passion that had built in
side her. She desperately clung to his muscular frame, afraid to let go. Afraid he would disappear and she would lose him forever. The dream shifted. One moment he was passionately kissing her, then the next he stood at a very great distance away. Jacqueline tried to reach him, but each step she took the farther away he seemed. In frustration, she called to him. He turned his back on her, moving into the thickening mist, which enveloped them. Before he disappeared completely, he spoke. His voice was muffled, but what he said turned her dream into a nightmare. He told her he could never love her. He could never forgive her for what she had done. With tears streaming down her face, she screamed his name, but it was no use. He still walked away, leaving her to mourn the loss of him.

  Jerking awake, Jacqueline realized there were tears on her cheeks. She roughly wiped them away, then looked about the room, trying to get her bearings. Nothing had changed. She was still in the small rented chamber and Terric was not there to take her away.

  She noticed the faint light seeping through the curtain-covered window. Dawn had come. The earl would be fetching her soon. Before this day came to a close, she would be facing her real-life nightmare.

  * * * *

  Forwin had been expecting them, which did not surprise Jacqueline in the least. Her father would have arranged this meeting prior to taking her from her home. If Forwin had not been agreeable to the idea of making a match with her, the earl would have left her alone. Until another prospect presented itself, that is. Why expend energy on a useless cause?

  Standing in the hall of Nunney Castle, Jacqueline held herself stiffly while Forwin circled her. As he poked her here and there, she bit her lower lip until she tasted blood. The urge to slap his face was great, but she was no fool. Any defiance on her part would be dealt with swiftly by the earl.

  Forwin, seemingly satisfied with what he saw, nodded. “I find her acceptable.”

  Smiling, the earl said, “She is yours then. I presume you have made the proper arrangements?”