A Tournament Knight by A Tournament Knight

Author:A Tournament Knight [Knight, A Tournament]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

"Now be a good girl and turn around."

Jacqueline felt all the blood drain from her face at the sound of that voice. How could he have gotten into Carisbrooke with no one knowing? And why today, of all days? Doing as she was ordered, she turned to face her father.

He wore a hooded cloak, which partially hid his face from view. Now that she faced him, he pushed the hood back. His sharp gaze swept her from head to toe.

"So, I was correct. It was you in London and not William. I did not think you were capable of doing such a thing. Especially since you have been dead and buried these past few years."

Jacqueline raised her chin up a notch and gave the earl a defiant look. "You left me no choice."

"The choice was not yours to make. As your father, it was my right to arrange an advantageous match for you."

"You mean an advantageous match for yourself."

The earl reached out and painfully grabbed a handful of her hair. "I will not tolerate any disrespect from you, girl. I see your mother was too lax in her duty in the raising of her daughter." He released his grip and roughly shoved her away from him. "Now I want you to put on some clothes, and then you are leaving with me."

Rubbing her aching scalp, Jacqueline did not move. "Nay, I will go nowhere with you. Today is my wedding day. I will not leave."

"But I am afraid you will. I have plans for you." Picking up her wedding gown from the bed, he threw it at her. "Put this on and if you refuse, I have no compunctions about putting it on you myself if I must."

Knowing her father would do exactly that from the steely gaze he shot her way, she turned her back on him and did what he said. Once she had donned the gown, she turned back around. He motioned her over to where he stood next to her writing desk.

The earl placed a fresh sheet of parchment on top of the desk. He then took up a quill and dipped it in the ink well. Holding it out to her, he said, "Write."

Jacqueline shook her head. "Nay."

He jabbed the quill at her again. "You will write a missive to your intended, telling him you have changed your mind and no longer wish to wed him." When she still refused to comply, her father forcibly placed the quill in her hand. "If you do not, I will have your mother removed from the Isle. I will make her a beggar on the streets with no coin and no roof over her head. Do I make myself clear?"

Meekly, she nodded her head in agreement. Her father held all the power in this situation. She could not change that, but she had one barb in which to wound him. "You have not asked about William. Are you not interested to know why he did not go to London?"

"Anything you have to say about William is irrelevant.

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