Betrothal (Time Enough To Love) Read Online Free PDF Page B

tight-fitting cotehardie. When her gaze drifted lower, his dark hose tantalized her with its display of his muscular calves. Alyse gulped and turned her attention to the cheese, bread and small ale the servant placed before her. The last thing she wanted was for her betrothed to observe her interest.
    Upon his return, he sat opposite her and ate in silence. Alyse pretended to eat. After managing one bite of the sharp cheese, she settled for picking at the bread. Another mouthful might choke her.
    “You eat but little this morning, my lady.” Geoffrey bit into his bread with gusto.
    “I am not very hungry, my lord.” Indeed her appetite had waned the moment she had seen him.
    “You would take a different dish? Fruit, perhaps?”
    “No, thank you, sir.” Alyse kept her eyes on the food, which she continued to toy with to give her hands something to do. When the bread resembled nothing more than a heap of crumbs, she risked a quick glance at the man across from her. His eyes were on her.
    Biting back an oath, she dropped her gaze to her food once again. A more unappetizing collection of viands she could not imagine. Mayhap some drink would soothe her churning stomach.
    As she reached for her cup, she tried to avoid looking at him. But as soon as she drew the vessel to her lips, her gaze flew to her companion as if she had no will at all. Geoffrey’s attention remained focused on her.
    Blushing under this insistent stare, Alyse fumed in silence. She was simply not up to Geoffrey Longford this early in the day. Soon she would have to deal with him morning, noon and night. A moan of despair threatened to escape her throat. How would she ever resolve her feelings for this man? She looked to Anne for help, but that traitor rose from the table.
    “Alyse, give me leave a moment. I wanted to speak with Lady Margaret Destrys before she goes to attend the queen. I will meet you at Mass.” With a smirk at her distraught roommate, Anne abandoned her to her fate.
    Stricken, Alyse once again lowered her head to regard her bread and cheese, which now did not even remotely resemble food. She would retch if she attempted a single bite. Lifting a weary hand, she shielded her face.
    “Do I distress you this morning, Lady Alyse?”
    She took a breath to steady herself then raised her head. “No more so than you did last night, my lord.”
    He still stared at her, an amused expression on his face. “And did I disturb you then?”
    “Aye, my lord, you did. I think I made that quite clear at the time.” Did he not remember last evening at all?
    “So I am again upsetting you, my lady?”
    “Aye, my lord.” The words came out incredulous that he would so belabor the point.
    “How?”
    Alyse blinked. “How?”
    Geoffrey squared his wide shoulders and looked at her expectantly. “Aye, lady. How have I distressed you? I greeted you in a courteous manner. I have attended you most eagerly. I have held gentle conversation with you. So I would know which of these acts distressed you?”
    Bewildered, she shrugged. “All of them, my lord.”
    He frowned and shook his head. “I have acted as a gallant courtier and it distresses you?”
    She could think of no other way to explain it. “’Tis not your actions, my lord, that disturb me but that you are a stranger to me.”
    “But Alyse, how else can you come to know me? If we do not meet? If we do not talk? I have sought you out this morning to tell you I have solved the task you set me last night.”
    She frowned. Task? What task?
    “You asked me to make time stand still,” he reminded her. “Though I regret I cannot do that exact thing, I believe I have found a way to achieve the same ends. Which is for you to know me better, is that not true?”
    Alyse thought a moment. In truth, she had asked for time to know the man she must marry. She nodded for him to continue.
    “So, my lady, I have spoken to the king, who looks with great favor on our match. He will allow me to attend you at