Shadow of the Swan
The Novels of Ravenwood, #3
The Novels of Ravenwood, #3
by Judith Sterling
Publication date: January 31st 2018
Genres: Historical, Romance
Publication date: January 31st 2018
Genres: Historical, Romance
BLURB
Lady Constance de Bret was
determined to be a nun, until shadows from the past eclipsed her present.
Marriage is the safest option, but she insists on a spiritual union, in which
physical intimacy is forbidden. Not so easy with a bridegroom who wields unparalleled
charm! But a long-buried secret could taint his affection and cloak her in
shadow forever.
Back from the Crusades, Sir
Robert le Donjon craves a home of his own and children to inherit it. From the
moment he meets Constance, he feels a mysterious bond between them. When she’s
threatened, he vows to protect her and agrees to the spiritual marriage, with
the hope of one day persuading her to enjoy a “real” one. She captivates him
but opens old wounds and challenges everything he thought he believed.
Two souls in need of healing. Two
hearts destined to beat as one.
Buy Link: Amazon
EXCERPT:
Robert
turned to Constance but said nothing.
After
a moment, she met his gaze. “Why do you stare at me?”
He
grinned. “On the morrow, I want to show you something.”
“What?”
“You’ll
see.”
Her
eyes narrowed. “Why won’t you tell me?”
“’Tis
a surprise.”
“I
don’t like surprises.”
“Neither
do I, on the whole. But you’ll like this one.” He reached toward his belt.
She
stepped back. “What are you doing?”
“Undressing.”
He set his belt on the table.
Her
stomach dropped. “Why?”
“Aren’t
you the suspicious one?” He pulled off his boots. “’Tis customary to doff one’s
clothes at bedtime.”
She
whirled around, turning her back on him. “I slept fully clothed at the
nunnery.” She stared hard at the stone wall.
“I
hate to state the obvious, but this isn’t a nunnery.”
“Well,
how do you sleep?”
“Naked,
of course.”
Heat
flooded her cheeks and forehead. “Is that necessary?”
“I
could wear my breeches.”
She
sighed. Whew!
“On
one condition.” His tone was loaded with meaning beyond her grasp.
What condition? What does he want from me?
She
turned to face him. Apart from his calf-length breeches, he was nude. Her gaze
locked onto his chest.
Sculpted
by combat. Scarred by war. Covered with black hair.
“Any
objection?” His voice was soft, deep.
She
forced her gaze to his eyes. They looked darker now. Was it a trick of the
light?
He’s waiting for an answer. Say something! “No.”
“Good.”
“How
did you undress so fast?”
“The
battlefield teaches one to do everything fast.” His eyes sparkled. “Well, not
everything.”
Did
her heart still beat? She couldn’t tell. His tone was so suggestive.
“You
blush, my lady.”
Her
hands flew to her cheeks. “And whose fault is that?”
He
gave her a rueful smile. “Mine. But if we’re to be friends, I have to speak
honestly.”
“About
sexual matters?”
“About
all matters. Can you live with that?”
She
hesitated, then gave him a nod. “I can. And in that vein, what is the condition
you proposed?”
“Right.
If I’m to smother myself with added linen—”
“Breeches,
Sir Robert. They’re just breeches.”
He
cocked an eyebrow. “So say you. But if I do that, you must sleep in your
chemise only.”
Her
jaw dropped. Then she frowned. “Why?”
“For
the sake of comfort.”
“I’m
comfortable clad.”
He
looked down, and his fingers seized the tie to his breeches. “Fine. If you’d
rather I drop my—”
“Stop!”
She grumbled. “Very well. I’ll sleep in my chemise.”
He
smiled. “I’ll go lie in bed and shut my eyes, if you’d like.”
“I
would like.”
“Do
you prefer one side of the bed to the other?”
She
shrugged. “It matters not.”
“Then
I lay claim to the left.”
As
soon as the bed creaked beneath his weight, she removed her headdress. Then she
disrobed as quickly as she could and scurried to the bed.
“Why
such haste?” he asked as she slid beneath the covers.
“My
feet are cold.”
“Mine
are warm. You’re welcome to—”
“No,
Sir Robert. I’ll warm up soon enough.”
Buy Link: Amazon
Author Info
Judith Sterling's love of history
and passion for the paranormal infuse everything she writes. Flight of the
Raven, Soul of the Wolf, and Shadow of the Swan are part of her medieval
romance series, The Novels of Ravenwood. The Cauldron Stirred is the first book
in her YA paranormal fantasy series, Guardians of Erin. Written under Judith
Marshall, her nonfiction books--My Conversations with Angels and Past Lives,
Present Stories--have been translated into multiple languages. She has an MA in
linguistics and a BA in history, with a minor in British Studies. Born in that
sauna called Florida, she craved cooler climes, and once the travel bug bit,
she lived in England, Scotland, Sweden, Wisconsin, Virginia, and on the island
of Nantucket. She currently lives in Salem, Massachusetts with her husband and
their identical twin sons.
Author Links:
Hosted by
Presented by
No comments:
Post a Comment