The Dark One: Dark Knight Read Online Free PDF Page A

body erect and proud, he
had been riveted to her as he had never been riveted to anything in his life.
Her hair was magnificent and her body, outlined by the wind, was beyond
description. Pleasing was a grossly inadequate word. But it was her face, when
it came into full focus that hit him hardest of all.
         An angel , was his very first
reaction.  I am looking into the face of an angel!
         The angel was waiting respectfully for him
to speak, but in faith, he did not trust himself to. He forced himself to cool
as unhappy confusion swept over him.  Why did he react like that to her? By
God’s Bloody Rood, he’d never reacted to a woman in his life!  They were
nothing more than breeders of men, the inferior sex with minimal intelligence.
True, some could be beauties, but they were a worthless lot for the most part.
No woman warranted attention beyond a night of relief, and he was positive this
woman in front of him was no exception.
         … then why couldn’t he catch his breath?
         The woman continued to wait and he let her,
allowing his eyes to rove over her delicious body under the veil of his visor. 
He shouldn’t have, but he found himself so damn curious about his reaction to
her that he couldn’t stop himself.  What was different about her other than her
obvious beauty?
         Nothing , he told himself sharply.  She
is a simple woman, like all the rest.  
         “Who are you?” he finally asked, his tone
cold.
         Remington felt herself jump at the sound of
his voice. It was as deep as the thunder in the distance, echoing out of his
mouth like the voice of God.  Her breathing started to quicken but she forced
herself to calm.
         “I am Lady Remington Stoneley,” she
replied.  “My husband is lord of Mt. Holyoak.  I bid you good knights welcome.”
         Gaston looked at her. Hard. Her voice was
seductive, sweet, and melodious.  It matched her appearance. Welcome, did she
say?  “I have six hundred soldiers waiting not a quarter mile below,” he
rumbled. “I would enter the keep and secure it myself.”
         Her eyes, like crystal sea-green stars,
gazed back at him. “Mt. Holyoak is yours now, is it not, my lord?” she asked,
resignation in her voice.  “You may do as you are so inclined.”
         “How many people are in the keep?” he
asked.
         “We have twenty-two men-at-arms, the same
amount of servants, and my family, my lord,” Remington replied.
         “How many is in your family?”
         A wild thought flashed through Remington’s
head at that moment. My God, did he intend to rape her sisters, too?  And what
of the other knights?  They were entirely at their mercy, but she knew better
than to lie to him.
         “My three sisters, my husband’s male
cousin, and my son,” she answered, her voice quiet.
         “How old are the males?”
         More panic shot through her.  He wasn’t
planning on killing her son and Charles, was he?  Utter terror swept her and to
her dismay, she felt her eyes start to sting with tears. Dear God, she was
trying so very hard to be brave.
         “My husband’s cousin is ten and four, my
lord, and my son is seven years,” she answered, her voice shaking.
         He heard her quiver and imagined what she
was thinking. As hard as he was, as completely professional, something buried
deep inside him wanted to reassure her that he had not come to kill them, but
it was far too soon. For all he knew, she was harboring a company of men just
inside the gate to spear them all.
         “Very well,” he mumbled in reply.  He
motioned to the two knights to his right to move forward into the keep before
addressing Remington again. “My name is Sir Gaston de Russe.  I claim this
fortress in the name of King Henry VII.  You, your family, and your household
are now my vassals.  Is this clear?”
         “Aye, my lord,” she nodded, confirmation of
what