A Knight Of Her Dreams (Knights of Passion) Read Online Free

speak. “I will never forget you, Roget.”
    He stroked her skin. “Lady, I wish it too.”
    She clung to him tighter, and felt his muscles bunch as he held her. Soon they would make love again, but for now being held by him was enough.
     
    The heavy sound of soldiers’ boots approaching brought Rowena up in her bed upon the floor, blinking, pulling the covers up to her naked breasts. Roget was gone, she vaguely remembered him kissing her in the night before he slipped out of the chamber. Shocked, her eyes widened as the door was pushed open so hard it slammed against the wall.
    Hugo stood a moment, taking in her undressed state, his lips curling, and then he gestured for the two soldiers behind him to drag in their captive.
    It was Nell!
    She was hanging limply between their arms, her face bruised, her lips swollen and bleeding. Someone had hurt her, and now as they dropped her on the floor near the bed, she gave a gasping sob.
    “Oh Nell, what’s happened!” Rowena burst out, reaching for her robe and struggling into it, before kneeling beside the girl and slipping her arm about her.
    “He made me tell,” she whimpered. “My lady, I’m so sorry, but he made me tell.”
    Her dark eyes were bloodshot with crying and pain, and Rowena’s heart sank at her words. They knew about Roget! But where was he?
    Nell seemed to guess what she was about to say.
    “He got away,” she mouthed against Rowena’s ear.
    Relieved, Rowena lifted her chin and gave Hugo a defiant stare. “How dare you treat my maid like this! And how dare you burst into my chamber without permission.”
    Hugo looked unimpressed. “Lord Bigod gave his orders, lady. I was to watch you closely, and so I have. You have betrayed your husband and he will know what to do with you.”
    Rowena felt her muscles trembling with fear. Her husband’s cruelty had never been turned on her, not yet. He still might simply send her from his gate s in sackcloth.
    “Leave me here,” she said as if she was issuing a command. “I will not come home. He can be free of me.”
    But as she feared Hugo wasn’t about to let her go. “I don’t think so, lady,” he sneered. “You will be punished.”
    The journey back to the castle seemed a long one, but for Rowena it wasn’t long enough. Hugo dismounted and strode straight to Bigod to inform him that his wife had cuckolded him, and Rowena was taken down the dank stairs to the grated door that led to the dungeon.
    She had never been there before, never wanted to. The screams that came from this place made her tremble, and she was ashamed now that she hadn’t done more to intercede for the prisoners. But she knew Bigod would never have listened to her . Just as he would not listen to her now.
    At least Nell had been spared. The girl had been taken to the servants’ quarters, and Rowena had made her promise she would run away at the earliest opportunity.
    “But what of you, my lady?” the girl sobbed.
    “Roget will save me,” she said stoutly, wishing it was true. Roget was probably miles away now, and she was glad that he was. At least one of them was free, and perhaps sometimes he would remember her and their nights of passion. She could live through his memories, because Rowena was fairly sure she was going to die here in this horrible place.
    It was several hours before Bigod made his way down to see her.
    Rowena, chained to a stone bench, had dozed off and on despite the surroundings and her terror. When she heard the key in the lock she tried to sit up, but of course her wrists were fastened by metal bracelets and chains. He came and stood before her, cold eyes feasting on her dishevelled state. Hugo had not been gentle as he pulled her down here, slapping her across the face when she screamed, and her hair had come loose about her, while her fine skirt was torn.
    “You cannot do this, husband,” she said, attempting to make her voice firm. “I have family who will want to know where I am.”
    Bigod shook