Lady of Fire by Anita Mills

Author:Anita Mills [Mills, Anita]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Romance, Historical, Historical Romance
ISBN: 9781626810426
Google: 4IKfVcYtuDkC
Amazon: B00CZEBWKQ
Publisher: Diversion Books
Published: 2013-05-23T16:00:00+00:00

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Eleanor stood on the deck and watched the shore cliffs loom ahead. The salt breeze whipped tendrils of hair loose from her braids and bathed her face with its coolness. Her new blue gown clung to her in front and flapped about her legs. Walter de Clare stood beside her and pointed out the seaport of Dover, a mere speck in the distance. The fog had lifted and only a few clouds hung over head.

After weeks of hiding and hours spent cramped in a crate of silk, she felt suddenly free. An expanse of ocean, no matter how narrow, stood between her and Robert of Belesme and provided a sense of relief she had not felt since Roger carried her out of Rouen. She had to smile over their final escape—Henry and Walter had supervised the loading of Henry's cargo beneath the noses of Belesme's agents, allowing them to inspect as much as they wanted until the men lost interest in the later crates and left the deck. Then Walter's men had loaded those containing Eleanor and Roger into the hold. It had been hot and miserable for a short time until the lids were pried off and they were released to come up.

They'd sailed without final clearance when word spread on the docks that Belesme himself was coming. Walter's flagship, the Triumph, was a swift vessel, and an easy match for the boarding ship that set out to stop her. Walter had only had to stand on his deck and shout across the widening gap that he had clearance from the Duke of Normandy to sail and there was nothing Belesme or his agents could do.

"Art quiet, cousin," Walter chided.

" 'Tis a strange land," she answered.

"Aye, but overrun with Normans now, and not as strange as it once was. William Rufus had a firm hold on the country and there is peace."

"Will I like it?"

"Aye—it is a pretty place with sloping hills and farms beneath castle walls."

"And no Belesme."

"Nay—Belesme owns much land in England, Eleanor, but he is little there."

"Sweet Mary, will I never be rid of him!"

"Let your brother find you a husband to end the matter. I doubt Robert wants a wife who's lain with another in the marriage bed—he's too proud not to want to be the only man with you." Walter spied Roger coming up and hailed him, "Over here! Look at England!"

Roger came and leaned on the polished rail to let the sea spray in his face. The wind ruffled his blond hair, and sea and sky reflected in his blue eyes. There was a new air about him, a sense of freedom and adventure that did not escape Eleanor. She felt a catch in her throat as she watched him. Jesu, she thought, but a man ought not to look like that—it wasn't fair to a mortal woman. She longed to touch the tousled hair and to run her fingers over the muscles of his back. When he was

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