His Captive Bride Read Online Free

“That is her word for a spinning top.” She rubbed her nose against her daughter’s. “Aye, Maman will bring you a pretty spinny, Giselle. Do you remember where Maman is going?”
    “Lady friend!”
    “Aye. I am going to visit a lady friend, who is getting married in a very large city by the sea. Do you remember?”
    Giselle nodded vigorously.
    “And in ten days—after you have eaten the last of your raisin sweetcakes—I will be back. And then we will go to our new home in Brittany.”
    “Where Maman was a little girl.”
    “That is right. Where Maman was a little girl. But until I return, can you make a promise for me? Can you promise to be very, very good for Aunt Celine and Uncle Gaston?”
    “Promise!” Giselle rained kisses over her cheeks and nose.
    They all walked over to the cart, but Avril was unprepared for the pain in her heart as she gave her daughter one last kiss, cuddled her just a few seconds longer... and handed her to Celine.
    “I love you, ma petite papillon . I will be back soon.”
    “Soon!” The little girl repeated enthusiastically. “I love you, Maman .” She wiggled her fingers in farewell as Gaston helped Avril and Josette up into the cart.
    With a slap of the harness, their driver set off. Wheels creaked and hooves clattered as the cart rolled through the castle gate. Avril could not keep herself from looking back, waving to her little girl, while everyone in the bailey called out farewells and good wishes.
    Then the cart crossed the drawbridge and followed a curve in the path, and she could not see Giselle anymore.
    “And off we go,” Josette whispered.
    Avril glanced at her curiously. “You sound uneasy, Josette. Are you worried by the presence of so many guards?”
    “Nay, I... mayhap it is because I did not sleep well. Did you...” She paused. “Did you notice that strange mist around the castle last night?”
    Avril felt a tingle down the back of her neck. She looked away, her gaze falling on the chapel in the woods, rimmed by morning sunlight. “Aye.”
    “You did? No one else seemed to know what I was talking about when I asked this morn. I thought mayhap it was common here in the Artois. That mist came right through the shutters of my window and...” She cleared her throat. “Awakened me. I could not get back to sleep after that.”
    “I am sure it was merely a strange trick of the weather.” Avril studied the bright blue sky, then turned to face her friend. “There is naught to be uneasy about, Josette. We will be in no danger. It is not as if we are going to Barcelona or Marseilles or some other uncivilized place.” She smiled reassuringly. “We are going to Antwerp.”

Chapter 3

    “M orvan,” Avril said lightly, summoning the leader of the six guardsmen who had accompanied her and Josette into Antwerp, “I believe it may be time to make another delivery to our rooms at Baron Ponthieu’s chateau.”
    “Aye, milady.” The brawny man-at-arms came forward to take the miniature Noah’s ark from her, trying not to drop any of the dolls, ribbons, pastel bead necklaces, or the fluffy toy lamb he already carried. With a long-suffering sigh, he handed this latest purchase to one of his men.
    Avril swallowed a smile, afraid that she and Josette might dissolve into a fit of giggles at the men’s expressions. The six battle-hardened guards Gaston had assigned to protect them during their journey north had been pressed into service of a different sort today.
    The guards had done such excellent work escorting them to Antwerp safely and swiftly, they had arrived at their destination earlier than most of the other wedding guests. And when Josette heard that the city was playing host to a trade fair, she had coaxed Avril into spending a day strolling among the market stalls and enjoying the sights.
    As they walked along streets crowded with merchants, the late-afternoon air buzzed with voices speaking French and Italian, Arabic and Russian, Antwerp’s native