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“There is one.” Elizabeth’s voice was clear and forceful. She stepped away from her husband and faced the king. William looked at Elizabeth and nodded for her to continue. “I am neither Saxon nor Norman,” she said. “I am both. My father was Norman, full-blooded, and my mother was Saxon. And so I am half of each.” Elizabeth smiled then and added, “Though my father would often call me Saxon when I disobeyed him, and my mother vowed I was full Norman when I displeased her.”

The puzzled look left the king’s face and he smiled.

“Then you will state each side of this case for me and I will decide,” he said. “First tell me of the Saxon.”

“I will tell you what my mother told me,” Elizabeth replied. She folded her hands together and began, “By your order, and my father’s request, my mother was married to my father and Montwright given over to him. My grandfather left Montwright and moved to London. Shortly after my parents married, my mother ran away. She ran to my grandfather for protection. My grandfather listened to her tales of misery and then promptly took her back to my father. He told my mother that she belonged to my father now and that she was to be loyal to him. A truce was formed between my grandfather and my father, and friendship blossomed. The Saxon branch of my family places great store on loyalty, King William. Elslow knelt before you the day
of your coronation and pledged you loyalty, and I know that he would die before he broke that pledge.”

“And now state the case for the Normans,” William suggested. He seemed amused by Elizabeth’s storytelling and gifted her with a smile of encouragement.

“My father was loyal to his lord, Geoffrey, and when he was killed, Geoffrey took control. He married me and righted the damage done. My brother-in-law was behind the deed, and Geoffrey killed him. My husband is most methodical in his thinking, much like my father, and he made sure that he knew the guilty one before acting. I have inherited my impatient nature from my Saxon mother,” Elizabeth admitted, “but my husband convinced me to be patient. In the end, he promised that justice would be done, and he was right. If you ask me who I am loyal to,” Elizabeth continued, “I would tell you that I am loyal to my husband and to you, my king.”

“And if I asked you to decide between the Saxon and the Norman?” the king asked.

Elizabeth did not hear the teasing lilt in his voice and frowned. “I would choose my husband above all others,” she replied immediately. “Knowing in my heart that my husband would protect Elslow as he protects me. My grandfather, my brother, and I all belong to Geoffrey now, just as we all belong to you. My husband would not harm his family.”

William nodded. “I think that if all my subjects were as loyal as you, I would have an easy time of it,” he complimented. He looked at Belwain then and said, “I do not go against my vassal’s wishes, Belwain. Your claim is denied.”

Belwain could not contain the gasp of outrage. His face turned a blotchy red and he stared at Elizabeth with eyes full of hatred.

The king ignored Belwain’s reaction. His attention turned to Elslow. “I do not recall your pledge of loyalty but the day of my coronation was full of disorder.”

Elslow grinned. “I was there and saw the riot,” he admitted.

“Kneel before me now, Saxon, and give me your pledge anew.”

Elslow did as he was requested, placing his hand over his heart. He repeated his vow of loyalty with Geoffrey and Elizabeth as witnesses.

The king seemed content. “Leave me now,” he commanded. “Geoffrey, I will speak with you at the dinner hour,” he commanded. “I would have you at my side.”

“As you wish,” Geoffrey replied. He bowed before his lord and took hold of Elizabeth’s arm.

Husband and wife did not exchange a word until they were almost back to their room. Elslow and Roger had left them, in search of a cool drink and a game of chess.

“Have you a single doubt of my pride in you?” Geoffrey asked when they reached their room. “You showed great courage, Elizabeth.”

“I have learned it from you,” Elizabeth replied. She entered the room and turned to face her husband. The realization that the torment was over and done with made the room begin to spin.

“See how fair and kind our king is?” Geoffrey remarked. “There was never anything to fear, was there?”

“Fear? I was never afraid!”

Geoffrey laughed at Elizabeth’s obvious lie and reached for her. He wasn’t a second too soon and caught her just in time. His strong and courageous wife fainted in his arms.

“You are sure?”

“I am most sure.”

Elizabeth was snuggled against Geoffrey late that night. They had just made love, and Geoffrey was about to fall asleep when Elizabeth decided to tell him about the baby. “You are pleased?”

“I am,” Geoffrey stated. He placed his hand on Elizabeth’s stomach and kissed her again. “I am the luckiest man in the world,” he said. “Soon I will have a warrior to train. He will be healthy and strong and the image of his father.”

“You are most humble,” Elizabeth teased, smiling.

“We will take our time going home,” Geoffrey remarked. “You must take every care, wife. Do not concern yourself with Belwain,” he added.

“I will not,” Elizabeth agreed. “I know that you will deal with him when the time is right. He already suffers, losing what he most wanted,” she said. “Mont-wright and Thomas are both safe from him.”

“I will worry while you carry this child. If anything should happen to you . . . ”

“Do not concern yourself,” Elizabeth soothed. “All will be well. When the time comes, I will be just like you, Geoffrey. I will be strong and courageous and will do my duty. I will give birth with honor and will not make a sound of protest.”

She screamed like a banshee. Geoffrey held her hand during the long hours of labor, echoing her distress with greater shouts of his own, until he was forced from their bedroom by a disgusted midwife.

Elslow observed it all and remarked to Roger that it was without a doubt the loudest birth ever recorded in history.

Elizabeth finally produced the child and gave Geoffrey his warrior. Geoffrey was overwhelmed with pleasure and gratitude.

The warrior was perfect. They named her Mary, in memory of Elizabeth’s mother.

Photo : Mork Braswell

J
ULIE
G
ARWOOD’S
New York Times
bestselling novels include, Mercy, Heartbreaker,
Ransom, Come the Spring, The Wedding,
and
The Bride.
There are more than thirty million
copies of her books in print.

A ruthless killer. A relentless FBI man.
Both after the same thing…
One irresistible woman.

READ
JULIE
GARWOOD’S
ELECTRIFYING BESTSELLER
HEARTBREAKER

“Entertaining.”
—USA Today

“Heart-stopping.”
—Port St. Lucie News
(FL)

“Riveting.”
—BookPage

Available from Pocket Books

“Julie Garwood attracts readers like beautiful
heroines attract dashing heroes….”
—USA Today

Praise for Julie Garwood’s splendid
New York Times
bestseller

RANSOM

“AN ENTHRALLING TALE…. In this powerful story, passion, loyalty, friendship, and mystery superbly blend with realistic, three-dimensional characters.”

—Romantic Times

“PURE ENTERTAINMENT…. TRULY UNFORGETTABLE. Romance never felt so good.”

—Rendezvous

“A KEEPER…. Anyone who has had the pleasure of reading Julie Garwood’s classic tale
The Secret
will remember the two lovable rogues Brodick Buchanan and Ramsey Sinclair. Now they star in their own story…. The plot is crisp, entertaining, and makes Medieval England seem real.”

—Under the Covers Book Reviews

Currently available in paperback from Pocket Books

B
OOKS BY
J
ULIE
G
ARWOOD

Gentle Warrior
Rebellious Desire
Honor’s Splendour
The Lion’s Lady
The Bride
Guardian Angel
The Gift
The Prize
The Secret
Castles
Saving Grace
Prince Charming
For the Roses
The Wedding
Come the Spring
Ransom
Heartbreaker
Mercy

The Clayborne Brides
One Pink Rose
One White Rose
One Red Rose

P
UBLISHED BY
POCKET BOOKS

This book is a work of historical fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents relating to nonhistorical figures are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance of such incidents, places, or figures to actual events or locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

An
Original
Publication of POCKET BOOKS