Falcon’s eyes.
“Aye, I can see a difference in you. Pray, do not keep me in suspense.”
“I am Sir Falcon of Gaveston. My father is the Earl of Gaveston. I am a knight in King Henry’s service.”
Edmond stroked his chin. “I should have known youwere one of Gaveston’s lads by the color of your eyes. I’ve always admired your father’s golden tiger eyes. I knew him many years ago.”
“Sir Falcon is betrothed, and his bride-to-be is waiting for him in London,” Mariah revealed. “He is anxious to leave.”
“We will miss you, Sir Falcon,” Edmond said sadly. “Feel free to bring your bride to Mildenhall for a visit. Mariah will make you both welcome, will you not, my dear?”
One look at Mariah was all it took to remind Falcon of what he was leaving behind. He would never forget their nights of unbridled passion, the closeness that had grown between them. But as much as he might desire it, he could not remain at Mildenhall now that he knew where he belonged and with whom. He would always remember Mariah. How could he forget her? If not for his commitment to Rosamond and the king, he could remain here forever and be happy.
But his duty lay in another direction, and he never shirked his duty. “May I borrow a horse, my lord?”
“Of course, take any mount you fancy. Consider it a gift.”
“Thank you. Mariah, might I have a private word with you?”
Mariah followed him out the door and into the corridor. “I’m sorry, Mariah.”
“Don’t be,” she said brightly. “I knew you would regain your memory one day. As your body healed, so did your mind. Now you know where you belong, and it isn’t here.”
How could she sound so cheerful when it was killinghim to bid her good-bye? “I will never forget you. I will always think of you with affection.” He brushed a tear from her cheek.
“We were never meant to be, Falcon. You have your life and I have mine.”
“I’d best be on my way.”
“Aye. I wish you and your betrothed many years of happiness.”
He stroked her cheek with the back of her hand and then let his arm drop back to his side. Mariah wanted to cringe away. His touch felt like that of a stranger, even though she knew him as intimately as a woman can know a man.
“Farewell, Sir Falcon.”
Falcon stared at her for the length of a heartbeat, and then walked away. He wanted to kiss her good-bye but knew it wouldn’t be the right thing to do. Everything had changed the moment he reclaimed his identity. Falcon of Gaveston had had many women, he remembered that. But Mariah was more than just a woman he had bedded and discarded. Mariah was . . .
A woman he had to forget if he hoped for happiness with Rosamond.
London hadn’t changed in his absence, Falcon thought as he entered the city. He headed directly to Whitehall, expecting to find Rosamond waiting for him. The first person who recognized Falcon nearly fainted at the sight of him.
“You’re supposed to be dead,” Sir Albert Melrose croaked when he recovered his aplomb. “We searched for you from Norwich to London and back again. Where have you been?”
“Lost in a fog,” Falcon said dryly. Falcon and Sir Albert were comrades in arms but had never been friends. The knight was too full of himself for Falcon’s liking. “I’ll explain after I see the king.”
“You’ll have to go to France to see him,” Sir Albert replied. “He left with his army two days ago.”
“Why are you still here?”
He sent Falcon a sly smile. “I just recently married. The king gave me leave to escort my wife back to our estate. I plan to join him in France at a later date.”
Apprehension churned in Falcon’s gut. “What lady did you wed? Do I know her?”
“Aye, my bride is Rosamond of Norwich.”
Falcon glared at him, his face stony, his eyes darkening from gold to murky brown. A muscle at his temple twitched, the only sign that he’d heard Sir Albert’s words. “You lie!” he hissed. “Rosamond
“Aye, I can see a difference in you. Pray, do not keep me in suspense.”
“I am Sir Falcon of Gaveston. My father is the Earl of Gaveston. I am a knight in King Henry’s service.”
Edmond stroked his chin. “I should have known youwere one of Gaveston’s lads by the color of your eyes. I’ve always admired your father’s golden tiger eyes. I knew him many years ago.”
“Sir Falcon is betrothed, and his bride-to-be is waiting for him in London,” Mariah revealed. “He is anxious to leave.”
“We will miss you, Sir Falcon,” Edmond said sadly. “Feel free to bring your bride to Mildenhall for a visit. Mariah will make you both welcome, will you not, my dear?”
One look at Mariah was all it took to remind Falcon of what he was leaving behind. He would never forget their nights of unbridled passion, the closeness that had grown between them. But as much as he might desire it, he could not remain at Mildenhall now that he knew where he belonged and with whom. He would always remember Mariah. How could he forget her? If not for his commitment to Rosamond and the king, he could remain here forever and be happy.
But his duty lay in another direction, and he never shirked his duty. “May I borrow a horse, my lord?”
“Of course, take any mount you fancy. Consider it a gift.”
“Thank you. Mariah, might I have a private word with you?”
Mariah followed him out the door and into the corridor. “I’m sorry, Mariah.”
“Don’t be,” she said brightly. “I knew you would regain your memory one day. As your body healed, so did your mind. Now you know where you belong, and it isn’t here.”
How could she sound so cheerful when it was killinghim to bid her good-bye? “I will never forget you. I will always think of you with affection.” He brushed a tear from her cheek.
“We were never meant to be, Falcon. You have your life and I have mine.”
“I’d best be on my way.”
“Aye. I wish you and your betrothed many years of happiness.”
He stroked her cheek with the back of her hand and then let his arm drop back to his side. Mariah wanted to cringe away. His touch felt like that of a stranger, even though she knew him as intimately as a woman can know a man.
“Farewell, Sir Falcon.”
Falcon stared at her for the length of a heartbeat, and then walked away. He wanted to kiss her good-bye but knew it wouldn’t be the right thing to do. Everything had changed the moment he reclaimed his identity. Falcon of Gaveston had had many women, he remembered that. But Mariah was more than just a woman he had bedded and discarded. Mariah was . . .
A woman he had to forget if he hoped for happiness with Rosamond.
London hadn’t changed in his absence, Falcon thought as he entered the city. He headed directly to Whitehall, expecting to find Rosamond waiting for him. The first person who recognized Falcon nearly fainted at the sight of him.
“You’re supposed to be dead,” Sir Albert Melrose croaked when he recovered his aplomb. “We searched for you from Norwich to London and back again. Where have you been?”
“Lost in a fog,” Falcon said dryly. Falcon and Sir Albert were comrades in arms but had never been friends. The knight was too full of himself for Falcon’s liking. “I’ll explain after I see the king.”
“You’ll have to go to France to see him,” Sir Albert replied. “He left with his army two days ago.”
“Why are you still here?”
He sent Falcon a sly smile. “I just recently married. The king gave me leave to escort my wife back to our estate. I plan to join him in France at a later date.”
Apprehension churned in Falcon’s gut. “What lady did you wed? Do I know her?”
“Aye, my bride is Rosamond of Norwich.”
Falcon glared at him, his face stony, his eyes darkening from gold to murky brown. A muscle at his temple twitched, the only sign that he’d heard Sir Albert’s words. “You lie!” he hissed. “Rosamond
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