Lady Adelia’s Four Knights (eBook)

A Reverse Harem Romance

Chera Zade, Darcey Gainsborough (Autoren)

eBook Download: EPUB

2018
46 Seiten
Darcey Gainsborough Books (Verlag)
661000012093-2 (EAN)

Infos

Four bold knights. One innocent lady. A deadly enemy they must fight together.

Lady Adelia arrives at castle Perran to claim her late husband's estate - but she also inherits a deadly feud with cunning neighbour Lord Braskil.

The castle is manned by four brave and chivalrous knights: battle-scarred Victor, musical Lyrikos, sensitive Hugo and dutiful Edgar.

They vow to guard Adelia with their lives. Yet they realise she needs much more from them. They must heal their frail lady's broken heart and nurture her confidence so she can become the leader that her people need.

The knights tell their beautiful lady she may take them all to bed. Adelia must decide if she can commit to a passionate relationship with her four lusty knights. And find a way for everyone to work together and defeat Lord Braskil's evil plans.

Lady Adelia's Four Knights is a standalone, full-length reverse harem romance novel with an HEA, no cliffhanger, no cheating and very steamy scenes.

Textauszug

“When may I see you again?” the handsome man said.

In the busy marketplace outside the haberdasher’s shop, Adelia was for a moment lost for words. She felt that she was entranced by his dazzling blue eyes and mischievous smile. No man had ever paid her such close attention and it was almost unsettling when he struck up a conversation.

“I suppose you would have to ask my father,” she finally managed to say. “But I’m not sure whether he would grant permission.”

“Why ever not?” the man said, the smile continuing to play on his lips as if he did not have a care in the world.

“We have not been properly introduced,” Adelia said.

“Then permit me to remedy that. I am Lord Giles d'Aubigny, Baron Perranshire,” he said and gave her the most courteous bow.

“And I’m Adelia FitzAlan,” Adelia replied, with a curtsey.

“Now that we are properly introduced, when would it be convenient for me to call on you and where would I find you in this great bustling city?”

“My lord, I must beg your pardon, but there are my sisters to consider,” Adelia said. “I was adopted by the FitzAlans and Jane and Marjorie are like sisters to me, as Lord William and Lady Isabel are parents.”

“But what particular consideration do your sisters merit?” the man said.

Another man stood nearby, waiting patiently throughout their conversation. He appeared to be in his thirties. Yet there was an air of seriousness about him which made him seem older than his years. Adelia guessed from his livery and military bearing that he had to be a knight in the service of Giles.

“Neither of them is married,” Adelia replied. “If there is to be any man of rank calling at the house, they should have precedence over me, for I am the youngest.”

“What nonsense,” the man laughed, as if tradition were of no importance to him. “There’s really no need to insist on formalities in matters of the heart. And I think your heart is perhaps in agreement with my own? I certainly dare to hope so.”

Adelia blushed and looked away in embarrassment. It was a struggle to find the words to cope with such an unusual encounter. She was torn between wanting to escape, for fear of upsetting her father, but not wishing to appear rude to such a chivalrous aristocrat. In the end, it was Giles who broke the silence between them.

“I trust I have not been too forward, my lady,” Giles said. “Forgive me, for I am entranced by you and have set my heart on meeting you again. With your father’s approval, of course.”

“I thank your lordship for your kindly meant attention,” she said, “but I really should be on my way.”

“As you wish,” Giles said and bowed for one last time.

The young woman made her escape down the street as quickly as she could. The encounter had been so confusing and yet so thrilling. Suddenly, there was a man who was interested in her and, if she could believe him, in her alone. But why?

She had done nothing to attract his attention. She had been doing no more than standing outside a shop, considering its wares. Perhaps it was some kind of joke, yet who would bother to trick her in such a cruel way? Or had Lord William become suspicious of her virtue and sent this man to tempt her? Either way, it was impossible for her to believe he was sincere.

She hurried on through the crowded streets, eyes downcast, intent on not attracting any further attention from the passing men. When she glanced up, she saw a figure she knew, reflected in a shop window. It was the knight, following her at a distance. Giles was obviously determined to know where to find her again. Adelia hoped it would not cause any trouble with her father, but there was nothing she could do to prevent the man from trailing her.

Adelia finally reached the FitzAlan townhouse. She closed the front door behind her with relief, but with regret, too. It had to be some kind of mistake for such a handsome man to be attracted to her. She tried to put Giles out of her mind as she went about her everyday life once more.

Her parents and sisters were to attend a feast held by Prince Edward at the royal court that evening. It was an ideal opportunity for the sisters to dazzle potential suitors, from the Royal Family, their fellow aristocrats and even foreign dignitaries. Adelia was on hand to advise them on their attire and to soothe their anxieties. As the adopted daughter of the family and the orphan of a knight, with neither title nor inheritance, she had not been invited. There would be no interest from any of the noblemen in marrying her.

“Which jewels shall I wear this evening?” Marjorie said, looking at her reflection in the bedchamber mirror with pouting dissatisfaction.

“And which skirt is best for me tonight?” Jane said, while a maidservant held up three possibilities in purple, red and green material, each adorned with intricate embroidery.

Adelia helped the servants with clothes, shoes, hair and jewels until Jane and Marjorie were finally satisfied. Their mother, Lady Isabel, was flying in and out of the bedchamber, torn between demanding perfection for their entrance at the feast and fearing a belated arrival at it. Finally, the three of them swept out into a waiting carriage, followed by Lord William, impassive as usual.

Adelia felt relieved that the fussing women were at last on their way. She dined alone in her bedchamber, picking at her dinner. She wondered what it was like to attend such a grand occasion, with revelry, music, dancing and flirting. It was impossible for her ever to go with her sisters. It would need someone like Giles to take her. Yet why would she ever see him again when she had done her best to put him off? She went to bed, only to be woken by her sisters’ careless laughter when the family returned in the small hours of the morning.

The following afternoon, Marjorie and Jane were still in bed, recovering from their merriment. Adelia was sitting quietly with her parents in the main chamber of the house, busying herself with some embroidery, when one of the manservants came through from the hall. He said that a certain Lord Giles d'Aubigny was at the door. Adelia’s heart skipped a beat. She was unsure if it was from excitement at perhaps seeing Giles again or fear of her father’s disapproval that she had first met the baron without his permission.

“Are we acquainted with this d'Aubigny fellow?” Lord William said, to his wife.

Lady Isabel knew by heart the lineages of all the realm’s noble houses. It was her duty as a mother to be familiar with which noblemen were available as prospective husbands to Marjorie and Jane. She was well acquainted with those men’s entire ancestries, from at least grandparents onwards, and who their wider families were intermarried with, for political alliances. When she had to reflect even for an instant to answer Lord William, it was obvious to Adelia that Giles had to be from some obscure house.

“The d’Aubigny family are not known to us,” Lady Isabel said. “None is married to any of our kin. I believe they hail from almost the ends of the earth, in Perranshire. Lord Giles is merely a baron.”

“I wonder what he wants,” Lord William said.

“I’d think him lovestruck by one of our beauties last night,” Lady Isabel said, “and come here with the foolish notion he’s a suitable catch.”

“I suppose we have no choice but to do him the courtesy of receiving him,” her husband replied and waved to the servant to let the visitor enter.

The servant returned with the baron and his knight, announcing, “Lord Giles d'Aubigny and Sir Edgar Comyn.”

“Welcome, Lord d'Aubigny,” Lord William said, though in a voice which had precious little warmth to it. “And you also, Sir Edgar. I bid you sit with us.”

The servants came with food and drink for all. When his guests had been served, Lord William asked whether the baron had been at the Prince’s feast the previous evening.

“No, my lord,” Giles said. “I was unable to attend.”

“We had thought that might be the cause for us being honoured with your visit this afternoon,” Lord William said.

“I’m pleased to tell your lordship and your ladyship of a different reason,” Giles said. “For it was only yesterday I had the enormous good fortune to make the acquaintance of your lovely daughter, Adelia.”

Adelia found that she was clutching tightly to the frame of her embroidery as Giles looked in her direction. Whatever would her parents say to such a brazen description of their meeting?

“Did you, indeed?” Lady Isabel said, casting a haughty stare at Adelia, who was carefully keeping her eyes downcast at her needlework.

“In no untoward manner, I assure you, my lady,” Giles said. “It was I who began our brief conversation when I was passing by in the market. Adelia acted with the utmost propriety and declined to meet me again. Yet the hope burns strongly in me that, with permission from Lord William and yourself, I may persuade your daughter to reconsider.”

“Does your lordship mean to woo Adelia?” Lord William said, straight to the point, as was his habit.

“Yes, Lord...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 4.6.2018
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• Schlagworte: HEA happy ever after ending • Joust fight chivalry honour honor protect • Knight alpha male king prince lord soldier warrior • Lady aristocrat duchess princess queen • Nobility reverse harem Medieval historical romance • Royal wedding marriage wedding dress