A Defiant Maiden's Knight by Melissa Oliver

Author:Melissa Oliver
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2022-03-21T14:55:33+00:00

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Joan stood there for a moment in the hallway outside her brother’s private chamber, unable to move. Unable to breathe. What had just happened on this night? In fact, this day and night had gone from the thrill and excitement of venturing to areas of London unfamiliar to her—from London Bridge, the tavern and meeting Warin’s friends, playing drunk, and then to the tanneries in Bermondsye, where she had been an integral part of uncovering pieces of a puzzle...for him.

‘Without her, we would not have made any progress. It was because of Joan that we now have the intelligence relating to the hay and the foxglove. It was because of her that we made the connection to the tanneries in the first place.’

She had done it, all of it, because she had wanted to be of use to Warin and spend time in his company. Outside of her brother and his family, along with the clergy and children at All Hallows, she had never had anyone else to call a friend—even if she felt far more for him than she would a friend. In truth, Joan had never known anyone who had paid any addresses to her or even wanted to get to know and understand who she was—except for Warin de Talmont.

He had been the one bright light in her dull, drab life and she had wanted to hold on to that ray of hope, however brief it might have been. Not that she had considered that it would be this brief, this transient.

Joan’s eyes filled with tears as she pondered whether the man had just bid her a farewell—for good? Is that what he had meant with his parting words? She felt sick to the stomach at the thought that she might never see Warin again. Or if she did, that it would be fleeting and formal.

Yet mayhap everything that had transpired between them, every passing smile, glance, thrill of attraction and desire had been in her own head. Mayhap he had been resolute to be only just a friend, looking out for and protecting her, doing her brother’s bidding while he had been away. And now that Tom had arrived back in London, it would no longer be necessary to spend time together or even for Warin to escort her to All Hallows, as he had done.

God, but she felt empty.

Even that incredible kiss earlier had been initially given in thanks, had it not, since she had managed to help him with his investigations? And it was she who had pressed her body to his. It was she who had pressed her lips to his once he had pulled away, hoping in vain that it would not end. It was Joan who had been wanton, enticing him, and he had reacted exactly how she had expected. Heavens, but he had even been the one who had the foresight to end the kiss before they fell into something far deeper.

Oh, God, how mortifying. And yet Warin’s words to her brother confirmed that he did indeed care for her.

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