A Dishonorable Knight(157)

"Do you really think so?"

"Yes."

As if embarrassed by the intimacy of their conversation, the two men fell silent for several minutes. Finally, Bryant said, "Thank you."

"You are welcome."

A loud crash behind them was followed by a small child's loud wail. Both men quickly stood and entered the hall. "It's mine," Gareth said when he saw his daughter sitting on the floor in a puddle of honey. The metal pitcher that had held the sticky stuff was overturned at her feet. "Oh Meggy," her father said. Crossing to her, he picked her up under the arms and held her away from him as blobs of honey dripped off of her. "Cleaning you up aught to take all day."

Cynan's young son ran into the main hall to see what all the racket was. Pointing to the sticky mess, he said to his stepfather, "Meg made a mess!"

"Yes she did," Bryant agreed, his mood visibly lightening.

***

That evening, Gareth knocked lightly on the door to his bedchamber and then entered. A bank of candles gave the room a soft golden glow and bathed his wife in their radiance. As he entered, he decided that is was her radiance that lit the room instead. She was propped up on several pillows, her glorious hair spilling over one shoulder as she held their new baby against the other. "Hello my love," he said.

She looked up and smiled. "Come meet your son."

He carefully eased himself onto the bed beside her and curled his arm around her. Pressing a kiss to her sweet-smelling hair, he looked at the tiny sleeping face that was pressed against her breast. "He is beautiful."

"I rather think so," she agreed, smiling at the man who had given her the richest gifts in her life, starting with his love.

Turning his attention back to her, he traced her satiny cheek with his forefinger, relishing its softness. Losing himself in the cinnamon-warmth of her eyes, he said, "Do you still hate me?"

"I never did."

"Do you still love me?"

"I never stopped."





About the Author


Yes its true, Michelle did marry her very own knight in shining armor. Years ago (read, "before kids"), Michelle's love of medieval history and all things Brittish led her to the SCA, a medieval re-creation group. There she got to see how sword and shield battles occurred first hand, and learned just how hard it was to camp and cook with a train and big drapey sleeves. But she also met her future husband there and the rest, as they say, is history.

Writing has always been a part of Michelle's life and it was love of writing that led her to graduate magna cum laude with a degree in Professional Writing which she then used to write and edit technical manuals and reports for Los Alamos National Labs and Sandia National Labs. Needless to say, such writing left her craving something....jucier. Around this time, she read her first historical romance (by the amazing Judith McNaught) and she was hooked! Her first book (which hopefully you will never read!) was soon followed by other, much better manuscripts (which hopefully you will read!).

Today, in addition to writing novels, Michelle is owner of a dance studio, dance instructor (belly dance, if you must know) and director of a professional dance company (Farfesha Belly Dance). She has also produced three instructional videos and teaches workshops around the world.

Michelle is married (see above, KISA) with two beautiful daughters (one of whom is a budding novelist herself) and one very spoiled, but very sweet Labrador Retriever. She lives in Albuquerque, NM.

If you liked this book, check out The King’s Rebel, also available on Amazon!