Birthright by Markland Anna

Author:Markland, Anna
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2018-06-28T16:00:00+00:00

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Letyce Revandel fumed that a handsome knight such as Adam de Montbryce preferred the company of a mute nobody. She had used all her wiles to snare him, but had not succeeded in arousing his male interest.

Something ailed him. She had guessed early on that he did not hear well. But there was more. He avoided physical contact, especially when she attempted to press her body against his manhood. There was nothing—no hard male length saluting in honor. Any man became aroused when a young woman pressed her attentions on him, unless—

He clung to the muette as if to a lifeline. Letyce was glad they were leaving today and wished heartily protocol did not demand she be present in the courtyard to bid them adieu. She suspected Adam had spent the night with her rival in the stables.

Her father bowed and scraped, his fat face red. His toadying sickened her.

She suppressed a giggle when Winrod and Dareau lavished completely inappropriate farewell kisses on the mute, flustering her, until Adam stepped between them to spoil the fun, a scowl on his face.

Her brothers’ actions emboldened her. There was no harm in one last try. When Adam bowed his adieu, she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him on the mouth, grinding her mons against him. He stumbled backwards in an effort to evade her, but in the brief moment their bodies touched, her suspicions were confirmed. The man was either a eunuch, or he was impotent.

That could explain his evasive answers when her father had brought up the topic of Belisle Castle. He had mumbled something about his brother inheriting. Her father’s disappointment was palpable as his dreams of wedding his daughter to a wealthy Norman heir dissipated.

She didn’t care. Let the eunuch dote on his muette. There were plenty of other fish in the sea. She watched them ride away, plotting how to escape Poling, and her father’s constant supervision.

As the departing visitors neared the gate, another group of horsemen appeared. She narrowed her eyes, her spirits lifting when she saw they wore the king’s livery.

Montbryce exchanged greetings with the royal messengers. He accepted what looked like a document from them, then continued his journey home without a backward glance.

The king’s men rode into the courtyard. Her father repeated his bowing and scraping as the leader dismounted and came forward.

“I am Sir Bertrand de Poitou, herald of His Majesty, Henry, King of England. I bear a message from our Sire concerning his sojourn at Arundel Castle. You are Sir Alphonse Revandel?”

Her father smiled broadly. “Did I not tell you the king would remember me,” he whispered to Letyce as Sir Bertrand handed him a parchment.

She rolled her eyes. The size of the satchel stuffed with documents that Sir Bertrand’s squire bore across his body seemed to indicate every Thomas, Richard and Henry in Sussex had received the missive. Still, excitement bubbled within her. Arundel was less than an hour away, and the king would be there, with his courtiers.

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