A Dishonorable Knight(5)
"Here is our fair child." Richard addressed an older man on his right. Elena pulled her attention to the man Richard was addressing and cringed inwardly as the heavy set man eyed her speculatively from beneath bushy black brows.
"Indeed, Your Grace," the man said in a gravelly voice.
Taking Elena's hand, Richard squeezed it reassuringly as he introduced her. "Edmund, this is Elena de Vignon, daughter of Jean Paul de Vignon who owns quite a sizable estate up near Doncaster. Elena, this is the Earl of Brackley, a true and loyal friend."
The earl pushed himself to his feet and Elena took a small step backwards; not only was the man of heavy build, he was well over six feet tall. The earl issued a curt bow and Elena could not help but wonder why the king was introducing her to Brackley. The earl immediately sat back down and took his knife to the meat on his trencher. As Richard turned to address his page, Elena curtsied to their backs and quickly descended the stairs. Still bewildered as to why the king had called her up in the first place, she looked about for Edgeford and saw him watching the group of dancers at the end of the great hall. As she approached the edge of the circle of onlookers, the dance ended and several young men began calling for the Gavotte—a scandalous dance involving kissing between partners. Elena sought out Edgeford, only to find him being dragged onto the dance floor by the brunette he had been laughing with earlier. In a fury, she stamped her foot on the hard stone floor and was silently cursing the woman when she felt someone touch her arm. Elena whirled around.
In front of her, a man straightened his jerkin and brushed his hair out of his eyes. "Would you care to dance?" he asked.
She surveyed her would-be partner. While a distant part of her brain registered the man's clear-cut features, warm gray eyes and well-developed shoulders, the practical part of her mind was offended by the man's worn woolen hose, his scuffed brown boots, and his plainly cut jerkin. She was about to refuse when she remembered that midway through the Gavotte, the dancers changed partners. Quickly counting off couples from Edgeford to determine where she should position herself to become his partner, she turned back to the man. "Very well. Shall we start over here?" she asked.
Her partner gingerly took her hand and led her to the line of dancers. As the steps progressed, Elena scarce paid him any attention, intent as she was on watching Edgeford. During a complicated step, she glanced briefly at her plainly dressed partner and knew he was irritated by her preoccupation. When it came time for him to kiss her, she artfully turned her head at the last moment so his lips merely grazed her cheek. By the time he had to relinquish her as his partner, he seemed very put out, but then the dark-haired woman was his partner and Elena wished them both good riddance.
Turning her attention to her new partner, Elena felt quite pleased her scheme had worked. As she and Lord Edgeford danced, she concentrated on smiling her prettiest and laughing her softest. Edgeford obligingly responded.
"Ah, at last I am given the honor of a dance with the fair maid Elena."
"Not such an honor, my lord, as I am nearly an old maid," Elena said, lowering her eyes modestly. Oh how she wished she could blush when she wanted as cousin Sarah was able to do!
The man laughed. "My dear Elena, not for one moment do I believe that you are worried about becoming an old maid. Nevertheless, I have it on the greatest authority that you will be betrothed before the night is out."
Elena smiled her most dazzling smile, fully aware of the catch in her partner's breath as he looked into her sparkling eyes. As the dance ended, a page touched Edgeford's arm.
"My lord, the King has instructed me to inform you that he has time now to hear your petition."
Turning back to Elena, Edgeford bowed low over her hand. "Pray forgive me for abandoning you, my lady. I only hope we will share many more such enjoyable dances in the future."
Elena watched the tall man as he made his way gracefully through the drunken revelers to meet with the King. She clasped her hands in front of her to keep from clapping in delight. She had only been hoping the earl would approach the king by month's end. Indeed, it now seemed she would be Lady Edgeford by that time. So absorbed was she in her thoughts, she did not notice the man standing at her side.
"My lady?"
Elena turned to find her original dance partner. She stared at him blankly.
The man cleared his throat. "I fear we were not partners long enough to discover each other's names." He bowed low over her hand. "I am Sir Gareth ap Morgan."