Page 99 of The Silent Songbird

“I will marry you even if he doesn’t give us permission.” She sounded breathless.

He brought his mouth down to kiss her lips. She did her best to kiss him back. Was she doing it well? Were there rules to kissing? If there were, she didn’t know them, but Westley didn’t seem inclined to complain.

He ended the kiss and caressed her jawline with his thumb. “I’m so in love with you, Evangeline.” His breath was warm on her temple. “And seeing you stomp Shiveley’s foot to get away from him . . . I wanted to carry you off right then and there, all the way back to Glynval.”

She closed her eyes and savored his words. “I felt the same way when you were sword fighting with Lord Shiveley. You looked so powerful.”

His expression showed her praise affected him.

Someone cleared his throat about thirty feet away. Evangeline turned to see Richard and Westley’s father standing there. Her cheeks burned.

The king said, “The servants are preparing a small feast for us in honor of our defeat of Lord Shiveley.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Westley said.

The king smiled as though amused, and Lord le Wyse raised his brows as they turned and went back toward the Great Hall.

Westley’s blue eyes were staring into hers again. “I suppose we should not anger the king, not when I have something so important to ask of him. Shall we go?”

She wanted to say something daring like, “If you promise to kiss me again soon,” but she only whispered, “As you wish.”

Westley held Evangeline’s hand under the table while his father and the king discussed various political situations the king was dealing with. He waited for a chance to speak.

“Westley,” Evangeline said softly, gazing at him with those beautiful green eyes of hers, “will you ask that servant over there where Muriel is?”

He waved to the servant girl, and she hurried over. Evangeline leaned away from the table and asked her, “Where is Muriel?”

“She is with Frederick, my lady.”

“So she is safe?”

“I should say so. They went to the priest to ask him to bless their marriage.”

Evangeline’s eyes widened, but she smiled and thanked the servant. She squeezed Westley’s hand under the table.

Just then, the king finally looked his way and addressed him. “Westley, Evangeline has very good instincts about men, do you not think?”

“Uh, of course, Your Highness.”

“She told me she did not wish to marry Lord Shiveley and was quite emphatic that she did not think he was the kind of person I thought he was. Unfortunately, I did not listen to her and she ran away. Would you not say that showed good insight—even foresight?”

“There is no doubt she is a remarkable and extraordinary woman. And I would like to ask you, if I may—”

“I know what you are about to say.” The king lowered his voice and leaned in close. “It is quite plain that you wish to ask me forEvangeline. But the truth is, I cannot have my cousin marry a commoner with no title.”

Westley’s heart sank. Evangeline had said she would marry him even if the king did not give his consent. Would they have to run away to the Continent?

“I have an announcement I want to make,” the king said.

Did he intend to marry Evangeline off to someone else? Westley’s blood rose into his face. He would defy the king and spirit her away this very night and have their marriage blessed by the bishop near Glynval. They could hide out somewhere in the German regions of the Holy Roman Empire.

Around them sat a few of the king’s knights who had spent the last several days in the dungeon as a consequence of their loyalty to the king and running afoul of Lord Shiveley’s guards. And across the table from Westley sat Father. But in spite of the fact that there weren’t many dignitaries to hear his announcement, the king stood until he had the attention of the entire room. Even the servants who were bringing platters of food stopped and looked on.

“Friends and loyal subjects”—King Richard looked oddly humble—“it appears my fair cousin, Evangeline, daughter of my uncle Lionel, Duke of Clarence, possesses supernatural discernment of character. If she had not rejected the traitorous Earl of Shiveley, he might have succeeded in his plot to overthrow me and usurp my crown. Cheers for my favorite cousin, Evangeline of Berkhamsted Castle!”

The room roared with cheers and foot stomping so loud it was nearly deafening. Evangeline blushed and smiled, acknowledging the crowd with a nod and a wave of her hand. When the noise finally died down, the king resumed speaking.

“I am forever grateful for the bravery of this woman, and also tothe men of Glynval, who were willing to sacrifice themselves for the good of England.”