by Connie Mason
"Any time is a good time to show my wife how much I love her. Ah, Mariah, whatever would I do without you? When I first arrived at Mildenhall, I was badly injured and without a memory; I left healed in both mind and body. And somewhere along the way, you bewitched me."
She planted a soft kiss on his lips. "I seduced you, my lord, plain and simple; no witchcraft involved."
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He began to undress her, letting her clothes fall where they might. "I was willing to be seduced, if you recall. It took little effort on your part."
She tugged at his shirt, and soon he was as naked as she. Together they rumbled onto the bed. The first time they came together, it was fast and frantic. The second time was slow and leisurely. They had just finished and were dozing in each other's arms when Robbie pounded on the door, demanding entrance. Falcon didn't have the heart to turn him away. He rose, slipped into his hose and shirt, waited until Mariah dressed, and then opened the door to their son.
"I've been looking all over for you," Robbie said. He stared from one to the other. "What have you been doing? Your hair is all messed, Mama."
Falcon choked back a laugh. "We were discussing our move to Norwich," he replied without missing a beat.
"We're leaving here? I don't want to go. Mildenhall is my home."
Falcon knelt down to Robbie's level. "Mildenhall will always be yours, son, but the king has honored me by making me the Earl of Norwich; moving there is the right thing to do. Sir John will take care of Mildenhall until you're old enough to accept the responsibility of the earldom."
Robbie seemed to mull that over in his mind. "Can I come back to visit?"
"Of course," Mariah said. "Your father didn't lie to you, Mildenhall is yours; Sir John is merely its keeper until you come of age."
"Then I suppose it's all right," Robbie said, apparently appeased. He grasped Falcon's hand. "Will you take me up on your horse today, Papa? The sun is shining; it's a good day for a ride."
Mariah and Falcon exchanged glances over Robbie's head. Hearing Robbie call him Papa made Falcon's heart swell with love. It was a good day to begin the rest of their lives.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
A Knight’s Honor is for those readers who keep requesting Medieval Romances, but I hope all my readers will enjoy Sir Falcon and Lady Mariah's story.
I'm taking my readers on a different path with my next book. A Taste of Paradise takes place on the tropical island of Jamaica, where hot days and sultry nights set the scene for Sophia and Christian's story.
I have visited Jamaica several times and enjoyed the lush setting, never realizing the island was infamous for its slave trade. During the 1800s, dealing in sugarcane, rum and slavery became a booming business. My story takes place in 1831. Its hero, Christian, wins a Jamaican plantation in a card game and intends to become a planter. He differs from other planters in that he plans to free his slaves and pay them to work for him. This, of course, causes a rift between him and other planters.
Chris, a ship captain, is trying to escape a painful past in which he killed his best friend during a duel over a woman. As Chris prepares to sail from London, a stowaway sneaks aboard his ship.
The stowaway is the woman who caused the rift and duel between Chris and his friend seven years earlier, the woman Chris claims to hate. A Taste of Paradise is a story that never slows down. The love between Chris and Sophia, despite Chris's reluctance to let her into his life, becomes the focus of a story that involves a hurricane and the slave rebellion of 1831, a true event.
I enjoy hearing from readers. For a newsletter and autographed bookmark, please send a long self-addressed stamped envelope to me at P.O. Box 3471, Holiday, FL 34692. I can also be reached at [email protected]. Visit my website at www.conniemason.com to read the first chapter of A Taste of Paradise.
CONNIE MASON is the author of more than fifty historical romances and novellas that regularly appear on the USA Today bestseller list and the New York Times extended list. Her tales of passion and adventure are set in exotic as well as American locales. Connie was named Storyteller of the Year in 1990 and was awarded a Career Achievement Award in the Western category by Romantic Times in 1994. Connie makes her home in Florida with her husband, Jerry.
Connie travels extensively, sometimes for pleasure but more often to do research for her books. She likes telling anyone who will listen about her three children and nine grandchildren, and sharing memories of her years living abroad in Europe and Asia as the wife of a career serviceman. In her spare time, Connie enjoys reading almost anything.