The Marriage Prize Read Online Free PDF Page A

the next. Her brows drew together. If Earl Simon
    and the king were again drawing up sides, what the devil was
    the king's son doing at Kenilworth? It was inconceivable that
    Edward would turn against his father. It occurred to Rosamond
    that Lord Edward and his men could be spying. Then it came
    to her that perhaps that was exactly what Earl Simon wanted
    them to do. He was far too clever and seasoned to al ow a
    pack of arrogant young wolves to outwit him.
    Suddenly, Rosamond's hopes soared. If lines were being
    drawn between the earl and King Henry, then surely Simon
    and Eleanor de Montfort would not al ow their ward to marry
    Rodger de Leyburn, who would be in the enemy camp.
    17
    With a sense of relief and a renewed confidence that her
    betrothal would be broken, Rosamond placed her hand on her
    cousin Harry's arm and al owed him to lead her up onto the
    dais. When de Leyburn greeted her with a bow and held a
    chair for her, Rosamond walked past him as if he were
    invisible.
    Harry led her to Lord Edward's side, intending to seat
    Rosamond between the prince and himself, when suddenly he
    caught an unmistakable look of royal disapproval. Harry did
    an immediate about-face. "Rod, would you take my seat next
    to Rosamond? I see my brother Gloucester summoning me."
    "Be damned to you, Harry," she hissed, chagrined that he put loyalty to his friends before her.
    Edward's blue eyes glittered with amusement. "You may have
    the airs of a lady, but you stil have that blunt Marshal tongue."
    He winked at his friend. "Rod, it seems you wil have your
    work cut out for you, trying to curb her. I don't envy you."
    "I wager every other man in the hal envies me, my lord." His words were gal ant, but the devilish gleam in his green eyes
    told her plainly he would relish the chal enge of bringing her to
    heel.
    "A spirited young fil y needs a strong hand and a touch of the
    spurs," Edward teased unmerciful y.
    "And unruly young stal ions are in need of the horse whip,"
    Rosamond retorted.
    "Touché! My lord, the lady has wit." Rod's mouth curved with appreciation. He gestured to his squire, Griffin, to pour them
    wine, then he lifted his goblet to salute her.
    Rosamond sipped her own wine, then ran the tip of her tongue
    over her lips. "Nay, it simply passes for wit when I banter with
    those who are witless."
    "She must mean you, Rod; to cal a prince of the realm witless
    would be tantamount to treason." Clearly, Edward was
    enjoying himself.
    Rodger smiled into her eyes. "Very likely I was witless when
    last we met. I was only seventeen."
    She was seventeen! Was the damned fel ow insulting her? "I
    don't recal anything about you. What do you remember about
    me?" she asked pointedly.
    18
    His mouth curved. "You trailed about with the dogs, wading in
    the mere, looking very bedraggled. When Harry cal ed you a
    drowned rat, you pelted al of us with stones."
    "Cursing like a demon," Edward added.
    Rosamond blushed at the picture they painted of her. "If my
    manners were so appal ing, then it must have been my
    manors that you found so appealing." She had the satisfaction
    of seeing Rodger de Ley-burn stiffen at her insinuation.
    The smile also left Edward's face. "What the devil are you
    getting at?"
    She continued heedlessly. "Why did he offer for me? There is
    only one answer: because I am an heiress," she said bluntly.
    "No, Rosamond, you are quite mistaken," the prince retorted, his voice sharp with annoyance. "He offered for you because I
    asked him to. It was an arrangement that pleased everyone.
    The barons were forever screaming about our heiresses
    being given to foreigners, so I made sure you went to an
    Englishman."
    Her lashes fluttered to her cheeks in dismay at Edward's
    annoyance. She had brought this humiliation upon herself. It
    was her cursed insecurity raising its ugly head. A sense of
    inadequacy had dogged her since childhood. Losing her
    parents and brother had made her feel unworthy of a family
    and somehow