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men and I know women.”
    Henry would certainly give her that. His queen did indeed know how to manipulate people.
    It was risky. If Rowena won, most likely she would never choose a husband. Sooner or later he would have to force that issue.
    But if Eleanor was right…
    “Very well then. Let us try this and see what happens.”
    Lionel crossed himself. “Let me go and deliver the news to my niece.”

Chapter 3
    R owena paused to the right of the crowd as she caught sight of the mysterious knight who had saved her.
    He’s a knight, he’s a knight, he’s a knight…
    The litany went through her head, and though she should hate him for it, she couldn’t quite muster so strong a negative emotion. Indeed, the only emotion filling her was a desire so potent that it made her very much aware of the fact that she was a woman full grown who had never known the taste of a man’s lips.
    It was something that had never bothered her before tonight.
    But as she watched him talk and share a small grin with his companions, her curiosity swelled to gargantuan proportions.
    What would it be like to hold so dark a champion in her arms? To let him kiss her on her lips as a man and not the quick, chaste kisses on her cheek she had known as a young girl from the boys who fostered at her uncle’s.
    A shiver went through her.
    You’re being a ninny.
    And yet she couldn’t take her gaze off him. He stood surrounded by a small group of men. Four of them were nice-looking gentlemen, and by their bearings, she would take them to be knights as well, who ranged in age from around a score of years to thirty. They stood with a monk whose dark blond handsomeness was only surpassed by that of her unknown knight.
    How strange that they would speak to a cleric while the hall was filled with the highest members of society. Most knights were trying to reach the king or his direct advisors to curry his favor, and yet the small group of men stood off to the side as if completely unconcerned with politics and favor.
    They reminded her of brothers, except none of them held any facial or even height similarities to mark them as family.
    Her dark champion turned his head as a woman walked past in a red gown. She saw disappointment mar his brow as he focused on the woman’s face. ’Twas obvious he sought another.
    Glancing down at her own scarlet dress, she couldn’t help but wonder if…
    Nay, Rowena. He doesn’t look for you and why would you care if he did?
    She didn’t care, she told herself. And to prove that, she was going to find her ladies and venture off to write more music.
    Rowena was about to search out Elizabeth when her gaze fell to her lifelong friend, Christopher “Kit” de Montgomerie.
    Kit saw her at about the same moment she saw him. His handsome face beamed as he crossed the room and drew to her side. He scooped her up in his arms and gave her a tremendous hug.
    Oh, how she had missed him!
    “Kit!” she breathed, looking up into his familiar green eyes that twinkled with love and respect. He barely stood a head taller than she, and as always his black hair was stylishly cut.
    Thin of frame, he looked handsome tonight, dressed in orange and red, his cap tilted dangerously over his brow. It had been far too long since last they had seen each other.
    Even though Kit was three years younger than she, they had more in common than she could count.
    Good old Kit. He was her match in every way.
    With a laugh, he kissed her lightly on the brow. She was so glad to see him much happier this time than he had been when last they met in Flanders, eighteen months ago. Then there had been an air of hopeless sadness about him.
    He had looked haunted. Even terrified.
    But there was none of that now. He reminded her of the boy she had loved in her childhood.
    “Sweetest Rowena, ’tis so good to see you again. I have missed you terribly.”
    She squeezed his hand tightly. “I was so hoping you would be here for the tournament.”
    “So you could