A Knight Before Christmas: Historical Romance Novella Read online

  As she neared the doors to the Great Hall, she heard the loud chatter that usually accompanied the morning meal. She paused in the doorway, scanning the room, not bothering to look at the head table. Gabe would be seated in the middle of the room, at a table for the knights.

  The room was already filled with their guests. Nobles, knights and peasants all sat at the wooden tables lining the room. Soft tones from a harp echoed throughout the Great Hall.

  A nobleman with a long green cortehardie that trailed behind him passed Eve, bowing to her in greeting. She barely heard him she was so intensely looking for Gabe.

  A large guffaw of laughter sounded from the middle of the room, drawing Eve’s attention. When she saw Gabriel, the rest of the room faded. Her entire vision was taken up by his laughing face. His eyes squinted, his mouth was open in merriment. Her heart hammered in her chest. Her palms became wet with anticipation and excitement.

  Beside him, Henry chortled just as hard. The small group of men around him were all laughing.

  As she approached down the long aisle, Gabe was the only one she looked at. She stopped beside him.

  Slowly, the laughing ceased.

  Gabriel swung around, and their gazes locked. He quickly stood, bowing slightly. “M’lady.”

  “May I have a word with you?” she asked, barely able to control her excitement.

  “It would be my pleasure,” Gabe said, extending his arm for her.

  She hooked her hand through his arm, her heart pounding as he led her from the Great Hall. Her hand rested against his strong arm and warmth flooded through her. Just this small contact heightened her awareness of his strength, of his closeness. It was a moment later that she realized it was her deformed hand, tucked in her sleeve, that lay upon his arm. He had not pulled away in repulsion. Warmth blossomed inside her entire body.

  He led her out of the Great Hall and around the corner where he paused, his gaze sweeping over her. “You look tired.”

  She bowed her head. “I was up most of the night. I made you something.” She reached inside of her other sleeve and produced the small, brown piece of tapestry. For a moment, doubt festered in her and she held it tightly. “It’s not very good.”

  Gabe chuckled softly and held his hand out. “That’s not something you tell the recipient of the gift.”

  He was right, but it didn’t alleviate her anxiousness. She was so proud of it and, really, it was an outline at best. And not a very good one. She hesitantly handed it to him.

  He took it and unfolded the square piece of fabric.

  Eve’s heart pounded so hard she was sure he heard it.

  He stared at it for a long moment. “You did this?”

  “Yes,” she whispered. “Mary helped. She showed me how. I did the stitches and… it’s nothing very elaborate. But I thought of you when I was making it and –”

  He grinned at her. “I love it.”

  Love it. The words on his lips sent waves of happiness through her.

  “I thought you couldn’t embroider.”

  She smiled full out. “Someone told me I could do whatever I put my mind to.”

  “Must be a very intelligent person.”

  “He is amazing,” she whispered. When his gaze lifted to pin her to the spot, she quickly dropped her stare in embarrassment to the tapestry he held delicately in his hands. “And he was absolutely correct. I know that I can never give him the treasure he has given me, so I made him this gift. It’s an –”

  “Angel.” They said together.

  Her gaze snapped up to his. “You know what it is?”

  “Of course I do.” He traced part of the embroidery with his finger. “These are her wings, this is her dress. And she even has a little halo here.”

  Her heart bloomed. Love it. Love him. She couldn’t look away from him as he stared at the tapestry. His profile was stunning, nothing short of a piece of artwork.

  He looked at her.

  Her gaze drifted to his lips and she realized the sudden urge to kiss him swept through her. She parted her lips in a small gasp and stepped away from him. “Yes. Correct. That’s exactly what they are.”

  He looked at the tapestry again. “I thank you, m’lady. I shall always keep this close to my heart.” He delicately folded the tapestry in half and placed it inside of his jupon.

  “You like it?”

  “I do.” His gaze moved over her face. “Very much.” He leaned closer to her. “You will meet me in the stables after the morning meal to go horseback riding?”

  She nodded in excitement.

  “Then we should return to the meal.”

  She nodded again, and Gabe presented his arm. Before she could put her hand through it, Michael rushed from the Great Hall. He searched the corridor with his eyes and when he saw them, he came toward them.

  Gabe stepped toward his brother, placing himself before Eve protectively.

  “What are you doing out here?” Michael demanded. “The morning meal is being served.”

  “We were just returning,” Gabriel replied.

  Michael’s gaze shifted from Gabe to Eve. He knocked a shoulder into Gabe’s as he stepped past him. “Good.” He offered his arm to Eve.

  Eve glanced askance at Gabriel. She would have liked to return to the meal with him.

  Gabe relented with a quick nod.

  Eve put her good hand on the crook of Michael’s arm, but her eyes were on Gabriel as they walked by him into the Great Hall.

  Michael held his head high as they entered the Great Hall and walked down the center aisle.

  “You didn’t have to knock into him,” Eve murmured.

  “I must remind him of his place. Younger brother.” He nodded to one of the noble women seated on a bench at one of the tables. “Guest at our wedding.”

  The reminder didn’t miss her. She knew her place, too. “Still, you should treat him more kindly.”

  “I told you not to invite him.”

  “I had hoped the two of you could put whatever separated you behind you and become friends, become brothers.”

  “That will not happen. Not as long as he monopolizes your time.”

  “Monopolize…?” she echoed. Michael certainly didn’t want to spend any time with her. She kept her mouth closed, not wanting to fight with him here.

  They rounded the head table and Michael led her to her seat. She sat, and he pushed her chair in, leaning forward to whisper, “I do not want you spending any more time with him.”

  As he said the words, Gabriel walked into the Great Hall. Just seeing him sent a strange longing through her, a rush and a thrill. She mentally shook herself to concentrate on Michael’s words. “He’s your brother. How can you say that?”

  “I’ve already explained how he might hurt you. And I don’t want to see that happening.” He took his chair beside her. “I also don’t want him coming between us.”

  Eve watched Gabe sit down. Henry leaned over and spoke to him. Gabe glanced at her and nodded. If only it had been Gabriel who had saved her. If only he was the one sitting beside her now.

  Gabe paused on his way back to his chambers. He reached into his jupon to retrieve the tapestry. An angel. She had thought of him as she made it. And he couldn’t stop thinking of her. She was beautiful and strong-willed. It should be him, he thought again. She should be his.

  “What’s this?”

  Michael ripped the tapestry from his hands.

  Instinctively, Gabriel lurched for it.

  Michael turned his back on Gabriel, looking at it. “What is it? A pig?”

  “An angel,” Gabriel replied and settled back. If Michael knew how much it meant to him, he would make it harder to get.

  “An angel?” Michael guffawed. “Trying your hand at embroidery?”

  “No.” Gabe crossed his arms over his chest.

  “Who made it for you? Your betrothed?” he taunted. “Is she five summers old?” Michael smiled condescendingly with mockery.

  “Your betroth
ed.”

  Michael’s laughter ceased quickly, and he studied the tapestry. “Now I know you are lying. Eve can’t embroider.” He whirled back to him. “I don’t see why you have to provoke me. You have everything you want. I heard about your jousts. Undefeated, is it?”

  Gabe shrugged. “Defeated once, last year.”

  Michael nodded, looking him over from head to toe. “That’s an impressive feat, little brother. And yet, you came here. What is it you want?”

  “Want? I haven’t seen you in…” He took a deep breath. “A long time. I wanted to spend the Yuletide with you.”

  Michael’s eyes narrowed. “And there is nothing else?”

  “What do you think I want?”

  Michael looked down at the tapestry in his hands. “An angel.”

  “Michael, I missed father’s burial last year. I didn’t want to miss your wedding, too. You are the only remaining family I have.”

  “There are no hard feelings between us?”

  “Hard feelings? Why would there be?” But the old resentment coursed through him, tightening his jaw and the muscles across his shoulders. “After what you did.”

  Michael handed the tapestry back to him. “I’m doing you a favor. I’m marrying her so you don’t have to. You would have been tied down, unable to compete in the joust you love so much.”

  “I compete in the joust to forget what you did.”

  “Would you change places with me?” Michael demanded.

  The question caught Gabe off guard and he hesitated. Then, he realized Michael was challenging him. Michael believed he would never agree to change places and asked the question. Realizing his mistake, Gabe opened his mouth to answer.

  “I thought not,” Michael replied smugly. “Don’t hold this against me, ever. I did it for you.” Michael turned away, striding off down the hallway.

  Eve stared at her father as he sat in a high-backed chair before a warm fire, the fire’s red glow washing over him. He had summoned her to his chambers. Usually, that meant she had done something he was angry about. As she walked down the hallway to his chambers, she tried to figure out what she had done, going over the day’s events. Nothing came to mind and now, she stood before him with trepidation.

  “I saw you watching him.”

  She didn’t know what he was referring to and remained silent.

  “At the morning meal. I saw the way you stared at him.”

  “Who?”

  “Sir Gabriel.”

  Dread slithered through her. She didn’t think she was staring, and she definitely didn’t think her father had seen the secret glances she cast toward Gabe! “He is a guest. I didn’t stare.”

  “You barely touched your meal.”

  “I wasn’t hungry.”

  “You’ve always been hungry before.”

  “Perchance it is the coming Yuletide or my marriage.”

  “You are betrothed to Michael.”

  “I know –”

  “He owns you. He saved you and you owe him your entire life. Do you understand that? If it wasn’t for him, you would be dead.”

  A lump rose in her throat. Sometimes when she thought of her future, she wished she was dead.

  “He couldn’t save your sister. But he saved you. And you owe him the respect and the dignity of giving him your hand in marriage. Do you understand that, Eve?”

  “But I don’t love him, Father,” she said weakly. It was a horrible, useless excuse, she knew.

  He swiveled to her, looking at her with a fierce scowl. “Love? You are a child! What do you know of love?”

  She bowed her head, letting his anger wash over her.

  “He gave you your life. You belong to him! He saved you.”

  “Are you sure it was him?”

  He threw back his head in angry disbelief. “Let’s not start this again. Blue eyes. I know! You’ve cried about them for years. I thought you forgot about them.”

  “I can’t help it. I saw blue eyes. And Michael –”

  He rose in a rage. “He doesn’t have blue eyes! He carried you into the Great Hall. He brought you to your mother. He was the one that went out on that cold night and saved your ungrateful life after you led your sister on a search for an imaginary angel.”

  Tears rose in her eyes and she fought them back with everything she had. She remembered blue eyes. And her father had tried to make her doubt what she remembered. He had tried to tell her it was Michael. But she knew it wasn’t. It couldn’t have been Michael!

  “You will marry Michael. Do you understand? You will marry him because he saved your life and you belong to him. Do. You. Understand?”

  Eve bobbed her head. “Yes. Father.”

  “I want you to have nothing further to do with his brother. I don’t want you to see him or spend time with him.”

  She swallowed in a tight throat. The thought of never seeing Gabriel again brought agony crashing over her. “Will you banish him from the castle?” Her voice was weak.

  “It is not your concern. You are done with him.”

  Eve nodded and turned away. She walked to the door and paused to stare at her father. He stood with his back to the hearth, watching her in disapproval. His fists clenched, his shoulders hunched. He looked like the devil himself. She quickly closed the door. She had tried to please him all her life. She had tried to do whatever he asked. She had tried to make him love her. But whatever she did was never good enough. She could not be Eden. Still, she knew she would try again and follow his instructions. She would never see Gabe again. The thought brought a crushing, soul-shattering sadness.

  Chapter Five

  What is it? What’s happened?

  Eve sat beneath the large tree with her knees pulled up to her chest. Tears burned her eyes and she kept her gaze down, away from Eden. She shook her head at Eden’s question. Her chest spasmed. “What am I to do, Eden?”

  Eden sat beside her, mirroring her pose.

  “Father said I can’t see him anymore. It feels like… like…” She sniffled and wiped at her nose. “Like I felt when you were taken away.”

  You like him.

  Eve nodded. “He’s so kind to me. He doesn’t treat me like… like a monster.”

  Eve! You are not a monster.

  “That’s not what Father or Michael think.”

  Eden sighed softly. What will you do?

  “He doesn’t like me. How could he?”

  “Who doesn’t like you?”

  Eve startled as Gabe ducked his head beneath the tree branches. She quickly swiped at her eyes. “Gabe! You scared me! What are you doing here?”

  “Looking for you.” He knelt beside her on the opposite side of Eden. “I saw you leaving the castle.” His gaze scanned her face and his brow furrowed. “What’s wrong, Eve? Why are you crying?”

  Eve shook her head. “I’ll be alright.”

  “Who made you cry? I will make sure they never do it again.”

  Eve sat back against the tree with a sigh. He was so brave and so… “You followed me here?” Gabe smiled, and Eve’s heart quickened at the same time it broke.

  “You changed the subject.” He nodded, allowing her the secret. “Yes. I followed you. I brought horses. You wanted to ride one by yourself.”

  She was so glad he was here with her, to cheer her. “I’d like that.” One more adventure with him. Spend time with him again for the last time.

  He stood up and held his hand out to her.

  Eve placed her hand into his warm one and he helped her to her feet. He stood for a long moment looking down at her. Eve realized how tall he was. He stood a foot above her, his dark hair fell to his shoulders in soft waves.

  He lifted a hand to wipe a thumb across her cheek, clearing away the tears. “I swear. I will make sure that no one makes you cry again.”

  Her heart ached for him. She watched the way his lips formed the words, caressing and gentle.

  “Come. I shall make you laugh again.” He led her into the clearing w
here the two horses waited in the brown grass.

  “You’ll ride behind me like you did before?”

  “I shall ride my horse, guiding yours, until you are comfortable.”

  Eve felt a quake of unease and apprehension race through her as they approached the horses. The animals were so big! She didn’t remember Gabriel’s brown palfrey being this tall. The other was a beautiful dark red color.

  “I’ll help you mount,” Gabriel said.

  Eve stopped and stared at the horse. It seemed so large even though it was smaller than Gabe’s palfrey.

  Gabriel looked at her. “Are you alright?”

  She wanted him to be proud of her. She wanted him to admire her. She wanted him… to love her. What? She quickly moved forward, pushing the thought from her mind. She placed her foot into the stirrup. Gabe put his hands around her waist and lifted her up. She grabbed the pommel and swung her leg around.

  The horse backed up a step and Gabriel grabbed the reins. He handed them to Eve. “Remember how I told you to hold them?”

  Eve nodded and situated the reins in her hands.

  Gabe adjusted the stirrups so her feet rested comfortably in them. Then, he quickly mounted his horse and took the lead rein from Eve’s horse. “Ready?”

  She nodded, and they started slowly across the clearing, Gabe leading Eve’s horse.

  “You have control of the reins. Just relax and steer the horse where you want it to go.”

  Eve tugged too hard and the horse bridled, tossing its head.

  “Gentle,” Gabe reminded.

  They moved together across the clearing. “Gently turn her.”

  Eve followed his instructions and the horse walked where she steered.

  Gabe nodded. “Good.”

  They moved back and forth across the field beneath the cloudy sky.

  After they had crossed the clearing twice, Eve asked, “Am I doing it?”

  “Yes,” Gabe said. “I’m just walking beside you.”

  “But you have the reins. Let them go.”