Knight's Captive Read Online Free PDF

presumably. Her calves hit the mattress and she toppled backward
onto the mattress. Her chemise tangled around her thighs and she stared up at
the fierce knight.
    “Cease your noise,” he commanded, “or you’ll
wake the whole house.”
    Antonia trembled from head to toe. He had
several candles lit here and she saw his features fully. His severe brow remained
dipped in annoyance. That dark hair was pulled back again, revealing his strong
jaw covered in thick hair. She hadn’t noticed his full lips before. They were
in a tight line but that didn’t stop them from being attractive. Even through
her fear, somehow she realised he was desperately handsome.
    Foolish woman. An
attractive face didn’t make him anything less than her captor and who knew how
dangerous he was.
    His expression grew more severe as he cast his
gaze over the length of her. She wished she could reach down and tug the cotton
over her bare legs but her limbs refused to cooperate. Antonia tensed when he
stepped closer. Henry thrust a hand out and she scrabbled back against the
wooden headboard. He withdrew his hand and rubbed his chin, contemplating her.
    “Are you ailing?”
    Antonia tried to answer. She attempted to shake
her head. What did he want with her? Why had he taken her into his bedroom?
Would he—
    “Antonia?”
    “I am not ailing,” she said huskily. “Forgive
me, I intended not to scream. I shall be silent, I promise.” She bowed her
head. “Do not—”
    “I didn’t mean to frighten you.” He cast his
gaze around and stomped over to the coffer at one side of the room. He snatched
up a pewter jug and poured some wine before thrusting it toward her.
    Antonia stared at the goblet. Then
at him.
    “You must be thirsty.” He lifted a shoulder in a
sort of apologetic shrug.
    Hesitantly, she reached for the goblet and
curled her fingers around it. She took a sip under his watchful gaze and felt
the claret slip down her throat and warm her blood. Her pulse began to slow.
Perhaps he wouldn’t harm her after all.
    “Are you hungry?”
    “ No.” She should be. They’d been
rationing their food on the Rosario and she couldn’t remember the last
time she had eaten but her stomach felt bunched and the idea of trying to eat
made her nauseated. Instead, she took another sip of the wine and eyed him.
    Henry rocked back on his heels and stared back.
Unsure what he expected of her, she drained the wine and thrust it back at him.
He took it and placed it down on the side. The slight clunk of metal on wood
made her jolt. The memory of darkness and confined spaces still lingered in her
mind, and it seemed only the slightest provocation made her heart leap. She
tangled her fingers into her chemise and tugged it down over her bare legs. She
thought she had been on her way to conquering this fear. All she needed was a
few candles and she was fine. But this night had proved her wrong.
    “You do not like your chamber,” he stated.
    How could she explain? From what little she had
seen, it was well furnished and likely decorated much like his room was with
tapestries and painted gold flowers on the walls. Antonia gave a shudder and
tried not to recall the darkness closing in around her.
    “You’re cold.” 
    Before she could protest, he dragged up the
blankets and tucked them awkwardly around her. His hands brushed her thighs,
and her skin pricked. The scent of castill soap washed over her and she had to
force herself not to inhale deeply. He must have bathed after bringing her back
here. 
    When he straightened, she couldn’t help but meet
his gaze. She drew in a sharp breath at the darkness in his gaze. It should
have been intimidating—frightening even. But something about his uncertain
movements softened her to him.
    He stroked his beard and considered her. “I’ll
get some food,” he said abruptly and stomped out of the room.
    The candles flickered with the sudden movement,
and Antonia stared at the spot where he’d been. The golden