Conquests: Hearts Rule Kingdoms Read Online Free PDF

“And when will these bridal trappings be put to use?”
    “When we can find your husband, I suppose.” Richard spoke viciously, and was pleased to see Avis’ countenance drop.
    “Find my husband?” Avis looked confused. “What on earth do you mean?”
    “Just what I say.” Richard relished in her discontent. “Melville is missing.”
    Avis clenched her fists. It was bad enough that she was being made to marry this man, but did he need to continually insult her? No wonder the wedding ceremony had been postponed this morning. She had been waiting all day for an event that may never happen.
    Richard smiled at her, enjoying her discomfort.
    “Who knows,” he said carelessly. “He may not return. He may not have liked what he saw.”
    A pale hand moved faster than he could, and a resounding slap filled the corridor. Richard’s cheek smarted and began to colour red. He stared, shocked, at Avis. She was breathing deeply, trying to regain control of herself, but could not.
    “Filthy man!” She spoke calmly but with real hatred in her tones. “You have attempted to make my life a misery since you arrived here, but you do not own me. This Melville may be a swine of a Norman, but if marriage to him means escape from you then so be it!”
    Turning wildly she strode away from him, but Richard followed her, calling out.
    “Avis! Avis, how dare you!”
    But Avis didn’t care. Years of anger and resentfulness had finally burst upon the unsuspecting Richard, and Avis did not care how violently he was offended.
    She shouted behind her shoulder. “Where is he?”
    “Melville?”
    “Of course Melville!” She snapped. “You are a very stupid man Richard.”
    The very stupid man was panting, trying to keep up with the fuming girl.
    “He went riding.” He gasped, sweat dripping from his brow. “Towards the north.”
    Reaching the end of the corridor, she threw open wide the wooden door with both hands, and turned the corner into the stable yard.
    “Horse!” Avis shouted.
    Stable boys and groomsmen stood up hurriedly from their game, counters scattering across the cobbles, and began yelling further orders. In but a short moment, a horse had been prepared for Avis, but her impatience overflowed. Ignoring the helpful arm of the man beside her who was attempting to help her mount the horse, she kicked back her heels and vaulted onto the box beside the horse. In an elegant leap, she mounted the huge beast.
    Accompanied with cries of, “my lady!” she forced the horse into a gallop. As Richard watched her expertly turn her steed northwards, he thought about the unsuspecting groom.
    “God help him,” he muttered as he turned back inside, away from the stares of his servants. “God save him from her wrath.”
     
     
     
     

 
     
    Chapter Seven
     
    The cooling ride and time alone gave Avis the ability to collect her thoughts. She felt slightly embarrassed about the way she had behaved. She had always sworn to herself that she would never let her temper control her, but the last three years had been a torturous lesson in keeping one’s comments and thoughts to oneself. Without a friend or confidant, it had been a relief to finally strike back at the man who had continually insulted her since he had taken her house from her. But as she slowed the horse that was breathing heavily after the intense exercise, she reflected on what lay before her. Gazing around the land that she had known from birth, she saw piles of dead leaves lining the road. Autumn was here. It marked the end of a glorious summer, and an unknown winter was approaching.
    Avis looked around her, but could not see another rider, or any evidence that a horse had passed by here. Where could he be? Closing her eyes, she pictured the local landscape and tried to guess where he could have gone. The woodland was too far away, along a treacherous road. She had already passed the small village, and it would have been obvious if a horse had been there – there