Free The Knight and the Dove by Lori Wick

Bracken to the keep, hoping to get a glimpse of his bride-to-be without actually searching her out.

     
    S TONE L AKE C ASTLE
    “What do you mean she’s not here?” Vincent eyed his wife in disbelief, but Annora did not flinch.
    “It wasn’t going well, so I sent Megan ahead.”
    “To Hawkings Crest?” Vincent’s tone was incredulous.
    “Of course to Hawkings Crest!” Annora snapped. “Where did you think?”
    “But she wasn’t expected.”
    Annora shrugged. “Surely someone was there. Honestly, Vincent, she was being most impossible. You know what she’s like.”
    “You fool!” Vincent retorted scathingly, widening his wife’s eyes with shock and then anger. “Anything could have happened. Has the caravan arrived back?”
    “I sent no caravan.” Annora kept up a brave front, but in truth she had regretted this action almost immediately.
    “What say you?” Vincent’s face had flushed with emotion as he tried telling himself that he had heard her wrong.
    Annora raised her chin. “I sent Megan on horseback with three guards. I’m certain she fared well.”
    “So the men have returned?”
    “No, but—”
    Annora was cut off when Vincent grabbed her forearm with a strength she didn’t know he possessed.
    “Vincent.” Her tone was wounded. For the first time she was a bit afraid. “You are hurting me.”
    “I’ll do more than hurt you if even so much as Megan’s reputation is harmed! Now, sit down, woman, and tell me all!”
    Annora now knew real fear. Megan had always been such a head-strong survivor. It had truly never occurred to her that her daughter might fall into harm. Annora’s voice shook, but she did as Vincent bid and relayed every detail, down to the minute, of Megan’s departure. No small thing this, as she had never seen her husband so coldly furious.
    Less than 15 minutes later, Vincent and a band of men rode out on horseback for Hawkings Crest. Just behind them rode more men and a large wagon laden with Megan’s new clothing and all of her belongings. When they had all left, Annora made her way to the chapel. She didn’t pray often, but if Megan was actually lost, she now feared for her daughter’s life as well as her own.

     
    Megan stood at the window of her bedchamber, looking into the distance and feeling thoroughly spent with her effort to quell her emotions. Walking into the keep that morning knowing that the servants actually believed her part of a liaison with Arik had been almost unbearable. She had made herself move among them, careful to keep her eyes from lingering too long on any one face, but it had been torture.
    Then in the midst of the hurt, Megan had found herself more and more interested in the castle workings. Hawkings Crest was a fine stronghold, but every fortress had areas that needed improvement and Megan could see many at Hawkings Crest. Yet, Bracken had only thought her interfering. His shouting at her had affected her more deeply than she had let on. She hadn’t even enjoyed seeing the looms, even though they were run with tremendous efficiency.
    Megan suddenly found herself back in the bushes, hiding out of fear for life, listening and looking on in the dim firelight as her three guards were slain. Tears poured down her cheeks, and a sob sounded in her throat. She turned and lay across the bed, burying her face in the thick furs as harsh weeping overcame her. Megan prayed for strength, but at the moment she felt faithless. In the midst of asking God to bring her father soon, she fell into a restless sleep.

     
    “Have you seen Megan?” The question came softly to Louisa’s andLyndon’s ears just moments before Bracken spotted her coming down the stairs. She had not taken the midday meal with them, and it was now evening. He had no desire to treat her as a child, but he would not allow her to go hungry. Bracken left Lyndon and his aunt without comment and met Megan at the bottom of the stairs.
    Megan came to a stop on the last step and