A
playful race between a husband and wife lighten the long journey to court. The
stakes are high. It’s a playful idyllic scene. Today my
guest is Jenna Jaxon author of Seduction
at the Christmas Court. I hope you enjoy the excerpt.
playful race between a husband and wife lighten the long journey to court. The
stakes are high. It’s a playful idyllic scene. Today my
guest is Jenna Jaxon author of Seduction
at the Christmas Court. I hope you enjoy the excerpt.
The
cold, crisp air burned the inside of Alyse’s nose on the second day of their
journey to Havering. Geoffrey had insisted they move slowly to accommodate
young Thomas and his nurse, Ysa, a young girl from the village whose husband
had been taken by the pestilence and whose babe had been stillborn. Grief
stricken, the girl had come to dote on Thomas as though he were her own. They
now rode together in the cart, bundled alongside numerous trunks and goods that
would last them the month they would spend at court.
cold, crisp air burned the inside of Alyse’s nose on the second day of their
journey to Havering. Geoffrey had insisted they move slowly to accommodate
young Thomas and his nurse, Ysa, a young girl from the village whose husband
had been taken by the pestilence and whose babe had been stillborn. Grief
stricken, the girl had come to dote on Thomas as though he were her own. They
now rode together in the cart, bundled alongside numerous trunks and goods that
would last them the month they would spend at court.
Alyse
had chosen to ride Mirabelle and now relished the cold that stung her cheeks
and made her impatient to move swiftly. Under its blanket of snow and ice, the
countryside looked like a new world as the morning sun glinted off the dazzling
white. She squinted at the glare and turned to Geoffrey, mounted on Saracen.
The big black stallion pranced along, snorting as if he too was impatient for a
gallop.
had chosen to ride Mirabelle and now relished the cold that stung her cheeks
and made her impatient to move swiftly. Under its blanket of snow and ice, the
countryside looked like a new world as the morning sun glinted off the dazzling
white. She squinted at the glare and turned to Geoffrey, mounted on Saracen.
The big black stallion pranced along, snorting as if he too was impatient for a
gallop.
“Shall
I race you to that oak tree yonder, my lord? Are you as ready for adventure as
your steed or overtired with your journey?” Alyse grinned at her husband who
constantly surveyed the landscape. Although the pestilence had left the land
bereft of people for the most part, of those who had survived many had become
lawless, roaming the countryside, robbing travelers and ravaging outlying
villages.
I race you to that oak tree yonder, my lord? Are you as ready for adventure as
your steed or overtired with your journey?” Alyse grinned at her husband who
constantly surveyed the landscape. Although the pestilence had left the land
bereft of people for the most part, of those who had survived many had become
lawless, roaming the countryside, robbing travelers and ravaging outlying
villages.
Geoffrey
quirked an eyebrow at her. “You are in fine fettle this morn.” He glanced once
more across the still land, but nothing stirred. “What forfeit will you pay
when I am the victor?”
quirked an eyebrow at her. “You are in fine fettle this morn.” He glanced once
more across the still land, but nothing stirred. “What forfeit will you pay
when I am the victor?”
Laughing
at the arrogant flare of his nose as he arched his neck, Alyse blew him a
kiss. “Another of these, save it will have more substance.”
at the arrogant flare of his nose as he arched his neck, Alyse blew him a
kiss. “Another of these, save it will have more substance.”
“I’ll
take that wager, my lady. ‘Twill be my pleasure to claim your lips when we two
are done.”
take that wager, my lady. ‘Twill be my pleasure to claim your lips when we two
are done.”
“And
what will you forfeit to me, Lord Longford, when I best you?”
what will you forfeit to me, Lord Longford, when I best you?”
A grin
immediately split his face, blue eyes brightening. “What would you ask of me,
fair lady? Another feat of Hercules?”
immediately split his face, blue eyes brightening. “What would you ask of me,
fair lady? Another feat of Hercules?”
Alyse
laughed in return and a warmth spread through her heart, for he reminded her of
their early days of courtship. “Nay, my lord. I think those days are put to rest.”
Still, what could she ask of him? There was nothing he would deny her an she
ask for it. At least she thought not. “If I am the winner, I beg…a lock of your
hair.”
laughed in return and a warmth spread through her heart, for he reminded her of
their early days of courtship. “Nay, my lord. I think those days are put to rest.”
Still, what could she ask of him? There was nothing he would deny her an she
ask for it. At least she thought not. “If I am the winner, I beg…a lock of your
hair.”
The
startled expression on his face brought on a fit of giggling from Alyse.
startled expression on his face brought on a fit of giggling from Alyse.
“You
want me to cut my hair?” The horror in his voice sent her into fresh peals of
laughter.
want me to cut my hair?” The horror in his voice sent her into fresh peals of
laughter.
“Not
all of your hair, Sampson. One lock only.” She cut her eyes toward him to find
him dragging his fingers through his dark hair, as if to assure himself it
still remained on his head. “I want to make a keepsake token, like the one I
gave you.”
all of your hair, Sampson. One lock only.” She cut her eyes toward him to find
him dragging his fingers through his dark hair, as if to assure himself it
still remained on his head. “I want to make a keepsake token, like the one I
gave you.”
“Aye. I
can bear to be shorn thus.” He stole his hand to the breast of his dark green
tunic, to rub the spot above his heart where her favor, a small blue silk bag
with a lock of her black hair, lay. His eyes twinkled. “An I lose this wager,
of course.”
can bear to be shorn thus.” He stole his hand to the breast of his dark green
tunic, to rub the spot above his heart where her favor, a small blue silk bag
with a lock of her black hair, lay. His eyes twinkled. “An I lose this wager,
of course.”
During
their conversation they had walked their horses much closer and the massive oak
tree seemed to tower over them.
their conversation they had walked their horses much closer and the massive oak
tree seemed to tower over them.
Not
waiting for a signal, Alyse tapped Mirabelle hard with her heel and the mare
shot away at a gallop.
waiting for a signal, Alyse tapped Mirabelle hard with her heel and the mare
shot away at a gallop.
“Ahhh.”
Geoffrey
sounded farther behind her than she expected. He would not remain so for long.
She leaned almost flat over the horse’s withers, urging her mount to greater
speed. A quick glance over her shoulder showed Geoffrey and Saracen closing the
gap at a frightening pace. They were but yards from the goal if only Mirabelle
could keep her lead.
sounded farther behind her than she expected. He would not remain so for long.
She leaned almost flat over the horse’s withers, urging her mount to greater
speed. A quick glance over her shoulder showed Geoffrey and Saracen closing the
gap at a frightening pace. They were but yards from the goal if only Mirabelle
could keep her lead.
Blurb:
Lord and Lady Longford
have journeyed to the Christmas Court of King Edward III in the year 1349 to
wait upon the king and take place in some Yuletide merriment. However, when
Geoffrey is called suddenly into the king’s service again, Alyse must remain at
the court, attending the queen and dissuading her rebellious sister from a
disastrous action. When rumors of Geoffrey’s death arise, Alyse fends off
an old suitor who pays court to her once more. But how long will he take
“No” for an answer?
have journeyed to the Christmas Court of King Edward III in the year 1349 to
wait upon the king and take place in some Yuletide merriment. However, when
Geoffrey is called suddenly into the king’s service again, Alyse must remain at
the court, attending the queen and dissuading her rebellious sister from a
disastrous action. When rumors of Geoffrey’s death arise, Alyse fends off
an old suitor who pays court to her once more. But how long will he take
“No” for an answer?
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