Free The Iron Knight (The De Russe Legacy Book 3) by Kathryn Le Veque Page A

She looked up at her mother, who smiled and nodded, before placing her hand in Lucien’s. Lucien then led her over to the soldier’s horse and easily lifted her into the saddle. Both he and the soldier waited until she was settled before the soldier leapt on behind her. He put an arm around her and the wriggling ferret, gathered his reins, and then took off back towards Spelthorne.
    Meanwhile, Lucien had made his way back to Sophina. Without a word, he mounted the horse, sitting behind her, but so close that she was sitting on his lap. It was the first time Lucien had gotten particularly close to her and, immediately, he knew it had been a mistake. She was soft and warm in his arms and he could feel her tender buttocks on his lap, which caused immediate arousal.
    But he fought it. Sweet Jesus, did he fight it. He hadn’t been this close to a woman in years and his reaction was instantaneous. This luscious, beautiful woman with the dark red hair had his entire body on fire, so much so that his hands were beginning to shake. He tried to cover it, gathering his reins and spurring Storm after the soldier and Emmaline, but he was quite certain Sophina could feel him tremble. He was sure of it. Trouble was, he wasn’t sorry in the least. He liked the feeling.
    Sophina’s trip back to Spelthorne was considerably slower than her daughter’s.

CHAPTER THREE
    S unset over the vibrant summer landscape was sweet and warm, with gentle breezes blowing up from the south, carrying the scent of the sea along with them.
    All around Spelthorne, the inhabitants were preparing for the coming night. As the sky overhead bled colors of dark blue, purple, pink, and orange, men on the walls of the castle were lighting torches and feeding the dogs, dogs that patrolled the walls and perimeter of the fortress. Night sentries came on duty as day sentries surrendered their posts. With the walls secured, the hustle and bustle of the castle continued in the bailey below.
    The doors of the great hall were open and servants went about their duties. Soldiers looking for an early meal wandered in and out. Unlike many halls, the floor of the great hall was made from great wooden planks, held in place by massive joists over a vast storage area below. The wooden floor made for a great deal of noise as people moved in and out. Straw thrown about the floor to absorb spills and hold in some heat helped with the sound, but not enough. The hall could be a loud place at any given time.
    A vaulted roof crowned the great chamber and small windows all around the top of the ceiling allowed smoke from the two enormous hearths to escape. There were three massive feasting tables, each one of them seating at least fifty people, plus there was enough standing room in the hall for a few hundred more. It was an expansive place because here, Lucien held court on the last Friday of every month. The tables were moved aside and he sat at the end of the room, with his scribe and several armed men, hearing cases from his fiefdom and deciding justice.
    It was all part of his duties as Sheriff of Cranborne, a position given to him by Henry about ten years before when the rebellions against Henry’s reign were in full swing. Henry needed men loyal to him stationed throughout the country, and Lucien held parts of Wilshire and a good chunk of Dorset secure for the king. Much power came with his title, power that Lucien, so far, had used wisely.
    Sophina had heard all of this from a very talkative servant. In her borrowed chamber on the top floor of Spelthorne’s enormous keep, a chatty woman with bad teeth and thick, bristly hair had brought food and drink, and much conversation. She also brought two oversized robes, both of them evidently made for a man, while taking the lake-smelling clothing from the ladies to wash out.
    Those had been Lucien’s instructions and the servant was more than willing to tell Sophina that Lord Tytherington had made it clear that the lady and her