Her answering expression and kiss confirmed that he had made no mistake taking her for his wife. She was perfect, and he would never be alone again. “Although I am patient, I am only mortal,” he said huskily as he took her hand and led her to the bed.
Etienne awoke as the first faint streaks of light began coloring the eastern sky with the bright gold, orange and fuchsia of morning. For several minutes he lay still, enjoying the delightful sensation of Gabriella slumbering so peacefully in his arms. She would surely want to sleep late this morning, he thought with a satisfied smile.
Then he heard voices outside in the courtyard. Very gently he moved away from Gabriella, for he should go down and bid farewell to any guest leaving at this hour. He went to the window and looked out.
It was Bryce Frechette, who had apparently spent the night in the hall, probably too tired or drunk to return to the village inn. Did that young hothead think he was going to leave the castle without saying goodbye to his sister, after all the worrying she had done over him?
Etienne grabbed his tunic from the floor and threw it over his head, then ran down the stairs, the stones frigid on his naked feet. He ignored the knights and squires sleeping in the hall and strode out into the courtyard. “Frechette!” he called.
Bryce halted on his way to the gate and turned “Baron DeGuerre,” he acknowledged with a courteous bow and a smile that reminded Etienne of Gabriella.
Etienne was not a man easily won over by superficial charm, so he crossed his arms and surveyed the young man with his forceful glare. “I trust you were not planning to leave without saying goodbye to your sister.”
“I’m sorry if I have roused you from your slumber,” Bryce said unrepentantly. “I didn’t see any reason to disturb Gabriella.”
Etienne struggled to control his annoyance. What a selfish knave this fellow was! If he was not his dear wife’s beloved brother, he would take great joy in teaching him a lesson in courtesy. However, since Bryce was, he contented himself with a brief shake of his head and said, “I must insist you remain until you can bid her a proper farewell.”
Bryce cocked his head and his smile was curiously indulgent, considering the tone of voice the baron had used. “Aren’t your feet getting cold?”
All at once, Etienne realized how ridiculous he must look, with his bare feet, unlaced tunic and disheveled hair. A fast glance at a gaping stable boy seemed to confirm his dread. “Then come inside and eat,” he said gruffly, heading for the hall, barely subduing the urge to make certain the fellow was following, and trying not to hear the muffled chortles of the stable boy.
Etienne had his reward for his frozen feet later when he watched his wife bid her brother a poignant farewell in the courtyard. The day was overcast and the sky threatened rain, or perhaps even snow. Not the most auspicious day to start a journey, but Bryce was quite firm in his decision to leave. A stubborn adherence to abide by resolutions seemed to be a family trait of the Frechettes
Etienne stayed out of earshot, not wishing to intrude upon their familial leave-taking. He watched his pretty bride, looking like a wood sprite with her long brown hair, rosy complexion, and dressed in a blue cloak trimmed with fox fur that had been a wedding gift from George.
Gabriella gestured for him to join them. When he did, her hand slipped possessively about Etienne’s waist, and the gesture was so new and delightful that he forgot to be annoyed at Bryce. “God go with you, Bryce,” he said. “Be sure to let us know where you are.”
“I’ve already promised Gabriella I would, several times,” the young man replied with a smile. He grew somber and in his eyes appeared the same defiant look Etienne had seen so often in Gabriella’s. “Take good care of her, Baron DeGuerre.”
“You have my solemn oath and promise,” Etienne replied.
Gabriella let go of her husband to embrace her brother once more. “God go with you!” she whispered fervently and there were tears in her eyes.
“Until my return,” Bryce said. Then, with a jaunty wave of his hand, he strode across the courtyard and through the gate.
At nearly the same instant, Chalfront appeared, bustling under the portcullis with several scrolls under his arm and a worried frown on his round face as he hurried toward the hall, his gaze fastened intently on the cobblestones.
Before Chalfront spotted him, Etienne put his arm around Gabriella and turned her toward the hall. “Let us go to the hall. It’s cold out here.”
She nodded, and together they went inside. A blazing fire was burning in the huge hearth, dispelling the November chill. George was sitting on a bench beside it, gossiping with some of the noble guests, his gaze often straying to Emmeline D’Arcy, who was pretending she didn’t notice his attempts to engage her attention as she sewed at a tapestry with some of the other visiting noblewomen. Donald, serious as always, looked on with apparent distaste for George’s frivolous words, yet he didn’t move away from his place near the industrious women. Seldon was too busy eating the heel of a loaf to take much notice of anybody, except when a blushing, prettily bashful Alda brought more bread. Etienne perceived that although he had married off one troublesome serving wench — to a very fine fellow, of course — there might be trouble brewing with another.
Suddenly he started to laugh.
“What is it?” Gabriella asked, smiling to see him so happy, which took away the pain of Bryce’s departure.
“I declare I am the happiest man in all of England,” he said, looking at her with love shining in his eyes. Unmindful of the others in the hall, he gave her a long, lingering kiss. “I have finally found the end of my quest.”
“What is that?” she asked.
Etienne lightly kissed away the furrow that appeared between Gabriella’s lovely brown eyes.
“You, my beloved. You.”
ISBN : 978-1-4592-7538-6
THE BARON’S QUEST
Copyright © 1996 by Margaret Wilkins
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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Table of contents
“If you take me against my will, you will be guilty of a crime,” Gabriella warned.
Letter to Reader
Title Page
Books by Margaret Moore
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Copyright
previous page start
Table of Contents
The Baron’s Quest
“If you take me against my will, you will be guilty of a crime,” Gabriella warned.
Letter to Reader
Title Page
Books by Margaret Moore
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Copyright
Table of contents
previous page
start
Table of Contents
The Baron's Quest
“If you take me against my will, you will be guilty of a crime,” Gabriella warned.
Letter to Reader
Title Page
Books by Margaret Moore
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Copyright
Table of contents
previous page
start
The Baron's Quest Page 23