Read Through The Leaded Glass for Free Online

Telesa had taught him the ways gypsies
fooled gadje , he’d known to never believe their predictions,
but now with this woman standing in front of him, his ring on her
finger…
    He hadn’t told Nick everything the gypsy had
said. Hadn’t told anyone. “What’s your name?” he asked the
beautiful thief in front of him.
    The woman’s emerald green eyes narrowed. “Kate
Lawton. Why?”
    God’s blood, it was true. “Kate, who
else saw you with the ring?”
    “ You mean beside everyone at the
faire when I got swept up in their procession?”
    Alex resisted the impulse to shake her for
being so casual about something his family held dear. Something his people held dear.
    Nick slapped his blade in his palm. “She
speaks strangely, Alex.”
    She did. Which would have been the second
thing Lady Aubridge noticed after the ring.
    Why did she have to have seen Lady
Aubridge?
    “ How did you come to be at my
tent?”
    “ I ran into a boy on the hill who
said to go to ‘yon tent’ and here I am. I wish I hadn’t
listened.”
    Alex was glad she had; he could only imagine
what would’ve happened if she’d shown up in anyone else’s tent.
He’d have to remember to thank Duncan, his squire—amid figuring out
how to handle the firestorm that was about to ensue.
    “ Nick, find Tris and meet me at the
lists. There are things we must discuss.”
    “ Alex—”
    “ Do it. We’ll discuss it
there.”
    Nick didn’t like the order, not that Alex
could blame him. Truth was, Alex didn’t particularly relish his
position above his friends. Rarely did he exercise it, but there
were times, such as now, when he needed the fealty Nick and Tristan
had sworn to him when he’d inherited the earldom.
    Kate took another sip of wine after Nick left.
And another.
    He sat next to her and took the mug. He needed
her sober more than he needed Nick’s sobriety. His own? That was up
for discussion.
    “ Well then, Kate, it’s done. Lady
Aubridge has seen you wearing the ring, which means the tale will
be all over England by now.” He traced the ring’s surface, perhaps
more to convince himself of what he must do than anything else.
“It’s not too bad. You are rather comely and can put a complete
sentence together. A little addle-brained, perhaps, but you’ll do.
You’ll have to.”
    “ Do? Do what? I’m not doing
anything.” Kate pulled her hand back. “What’s all over England? Oh,
God, England. ” She tried to pull her hand away. “Why won’t
you let go of me?”
    Because he didn’t want to. And that had
nothing to do with his ring. She was, simply, beautiful. Glorious
auburn curls, eyes the same shade as the emerald in his ring, lips
that enticed him… Jesu, it’d been too long since he’d lain with a
woman. He couldn’t want this one.
    “ Because, my dear , Lady
Aubridge would find herself remiss in her self-appointed duty of
announcing the Earl of Shelton had found himself betrothed if she
didn’t immediately proclaim her newfound knowledge to the first,
next, and last ear to cross her path. Including our good king.” And
most especially, Isobel.
    Kate’s mouth fell open. “ Betrothed ? You
can’t be serious.”
    “ Do I look as if I’m jesting? Trust
me, I do not jest about betrothals.”
    Fire flashed in the depths of her emerald
eyes. “And just what makes you think I’ll ‘betroth’
you?”
    “ The gypsy foretold it.”
    “ Excuse me? Gypsy? Marriage?” Kate
shook her head. “I think you’ve had a little too much wine
yourself, Alex, so, if you don’t mind, I need to get my
window.”
    “ Window?”
    “ Yes. Another souvenir I bought
earlier that I left out there by a tree. You’re not going to say
that you’re missing a window, now, are you?” Kate stood up and
started walking toward the opening of the tent.
    He couldn’t help but admire her spirit. More
than was prudent at the moment, but still, admirable. “Kate, you
aren’t going anywhere. I require your hand in marriage.”
    She