Joanna Davis - Knights In Shining Armor Read Online Free

was most certainly a woman. He could see now that her hair was longer than it had been, and even wavier, though that was perhaps from working in the kitchen like a scullery maid. He frowned, recalling his earlier annoyance.
                  "Is it the fashion for young ladies to toil in the kitchen with the staff?"
                  She blushed charmingly and looked down. All the men were casting surreptitious glances her way. He could see that all the male attention was making her nervous but he didn't care.
                  "I wasn't trying to annoy you, I was merely helping to prepare the food. We are low on servants at the moment."
                  "Yes, why is that?"
                  "I- I sent them away until I could be sure…"
                  "Sure of what?"
                  She lifted her chin and faced him squarely.
                  "That you would adhere to your promise."
                  He raised his eyebrow. She had the grace to look abashed once again.
                  "I'll send for them now. I just- had to be- sure…"
                  He stared at her until she stopped talking, her words trailing off into silence. Without a word he poured her a glass of wine and placed it in front of her across the table. He watched her take dainty sips while his men made an effort to break the tension that was building between them. Kenneth in particular, was doing his best to be charming.
                  "Have you ever seen a wild boar M'lady?"
                  "No good sir, I cannot say that I have."
                  "It's a fearsome beast, with enormous tusks, and a disagreeable demeanor."
                  Rowan frowned at Kenneth, hoping he would cease his chatter. The rogue just grinned at him, as if he knew he was annoying him by flirting with Emeline. She was sparkling under his teasing attention, further irritating Rowan.
                  "In fact, he bore an uncanny resemblance to our fearless leader, Captain Hawthore."
                  A startled laugh burst out of Emeline, who clasped her hand over her mouth in horror. Wyeth did his best to intervene, taking pity on the girl.
                  "That's Lord Fairhaven to you, you rapscallion."
                  "Enough."
                  His voice cracked out like a whip. He glared Kenneth into silence and went back to watching Emeline with a surly expression. She looked as if she would have rather been anywhere but there at that moment. But she was well and truly trapped and they both knew it.
                  In truth she'd never been far from his thoughts. Perhaps in the heat of battle… but no, even then he'd wondered if the girl he'd once loved would care if he died on the battlefield. If she would mourn him. He'd assumed not, but it only made him fight harder.
                  The food arrived before he could continue down that grim line of thought. He spent the rest of the meal drinking in the sight of her while she did her best to avoid his gaze. She looked anywhere but at him and he looked nowhere but at her. He could sense her composure starting to slip as the servants started clearing away the plates.
                  Good. He wanted it to slip. He wanted her to beg for his forgiveness. Not that he would grant it. But it would be gratifying to hear her aplogize what she had done.
                  She started to stand, presumably to assist the old woman and the cook. His eyes raked over her body hungrily.
                  "Sit down."
                  She sat down abruptly, an adorable look of confusion on her face. He was deliberately keeping her off balance, just as she had done to him all those years ago. She was finally looking at him though, so he smiled charmingly. She