“But that is not what I want.”
“Elora. Our family name meanseverything.”
“I am not disgracing our family name. Julian is one man. One knight.”
“A title-less knight!” Edward inhaled deeply, calming himself. “Title is important, aye. But it is so much more. It means favor with the king, lands, wealth, security, a favorable bloodline. Elora, I would not see you struggle through your life with a penniless knight. I want what is best for you.”
“Is it best for you or for me?”
Edward reared back, shocked.
“Is that why you have not betrothed me to one of your friends? To Mace? Or Thomas? Because they have no title nor lands?”
Edward sighed. “I know them too well. You would not be happy with them.”
“Do you know me so well? How do you know who I would be happy with? Just last fortnight, you wanted to saddle me with an old man who only wanted our wealth!” She lifted her chin defiantly. “Why wouldn’t I be happy with Sir Julian? You know nothing about him.”
“Ellie,” he said softly. “I know that he is poor. That is all I need to know.”
She fought against the onslaught of tears rushing into her eyes. She rallied against the unfairness of it all. His reasoning was solid, but her heart wanted to be near Julian, to hear his laughter, to feel his touch again.
“You must not see him.”
Elora was tired of arguing with Edward. He would not change his mind. He would not be convinced that Julian could be a prospective suitor. He was doing what he thought best for her. And she knew, deep down, that perhaps he was right. It was what Father would have wanted for her. Still, her doubt and longing fought against the rationale. She bowed her head and turned away from him, resigned.
“I have a knight that I would like you to meet at the feast tonight.”
“Of course,” she whispered in response, even though she didn’t want to meet any lord or knight or baron or king. She didn’t care. He would betroth her to someone she didn’t know and would never love.
“Elora,” Edward called softly, kneeling before her, taking her hand into his own. “You’ll see. We’ll look back at this moment, and you will understand.”
Elora did not meet his gaze as her lower lip trembled.
Edward stared at her for a long moment before he leaned in and brushed a kiss to her forehead. Then he rose and headed for the door.
Elora lifted her blurring gaze to watch his retreating back. She twisted her hands in her lap, frustrated at the thought of never seeing Julian again. When the door closed, she met Sarah’s stare across the room.
Sarah’s brow wrinkled with sympathy, and a weak smile touched her lips.
Elora blinked rapidly to banish the tears. She had gotten what she wanted. A kiss. One wonderful, passionate kiss to remember always. She inhaled a shaky breath.
The problem was one kiss wasn’t enough. She wanted to see Julian again, but she couldn’t.
Chapter Twelve
Julian lounged against the wooden standsstudying the field of honor, watching the collision of lance against shield as the knights jousted on horseback. For as long as he could remember, all he ever wanted was to be the best. To be the undefeated champion. His father had laughed at him. “You’ll never be a skilled knight! You can’t even hold a sword!” His father’s hurtful, hateful words echoed in his memory. Now, his father had come to congratulate him on his victories. Julian grimaced. That could not be his father’s real purpose. There had to be some underlying reason for his visit. More mockery? No. His father could no longer criticize him as he used to. Did his father finally see his potential?
He shook his head mentally. His father’s favorite was Osmont, had always been Osmont. Even though he wasn’t blood, Osmont was good enough. Better than Julian, or so his father had told him repeatedly. What did his father truly want? To distract him so Osmont could win?
His gaze slid to the crowded stands, searching the colorfully dressed nobles for a beautiful woman with glorious curls of sunshine. She’s not there, he told himself, dismayed. He reached down to his belt, where he had tucked her favor. He rubbed his fingers across the soft fabric, thinking of her smooth skin.
Storm nudged him with a gentle nicker.
“I know she’s not there,” Julian answered, stroking the horse’s nose.
“Then why do you keep looking?” a voice asked.
Julian snapped his attention to where he’d heard the voice. Baldwin and Gilbert approached. He took a resigned breath and returned his stare to the jousters.
