He tucked the blanket about her feet. “We should arrange a suitable ceremony, when the family gathers, so we might—”
“Please, let us keep it to ourselves, as our secret, just for a little while.” Daphne nuzzled him and giggled. “For fun, we could toss your coin and guess the sex.”
“But I no longer have it in my possession.” He recalled the starry November night, when he docked in Portsea after his last mission. Since his marriage, whenever his bride awaited his return at Courtenay Hall, he dropped anchor at the location nearest her. Compelled by a sensation he could neither comprehend nor explain, he had flung the gold brothel token into Portsmouth Harbor, before riding hell-bent for leather into her arms.
“That is too bad.” Elegant in repose, she yawned, and soon her slow and steady breath signaled she slept.
As always, Dalton guarded her slumber, but that afternoon he studied his wife with renewed fascination. Guinea-gold curls framed her face, blessed with classical features and accented with an internal glow that now made perfect sense, and he gave her a gentle squeeze. A new life grew inside her, the fruit of their love derived from their shared passion, and it was a humbling prospect.
Yet, had she chosen a different ship to board, all those months ago, his existence would have been something else, entirely. The center of his universe, she was his saving grace, his world, and he owed her everything. With care, so as not to disturb her slumber, he bent his head and kissed her, and she gifted him a feminine smile. He would gladly spend the rest of his days endeavoring to keep that smile on her lips. And then it dawned on him—Daphne was his talisman. If he was her one true knight, she was the source of his good fortune. Indeed, he was the lucky one.
ABOUT BARBARA DEVLIN
Bestselling author Barbara Devlin was born a storyteller. A Texan, through and through, Barbara hasn't been without a book in her possession since she was in kindergarten. She wrote her first short story, a really cheesy murder-mystery, in high school, but it was a Christmas gift, a lovely little diary with a bronze lock, given to her in the fifth grade that truly inspired her love of writing.
After completing part of her undergraduate studies at the University of London, where she developed a love of all things British, Barbara returned home and began a career in banking. But the late 80s weren't too promising for the financial industry, and every bank that hired Barbara soon folded. So she searched for a stable occupation, and the local police department offered the perfect solution.
And then one uncharacteristically cold and icy day in December 1998, Barbara was struck by a car and pinned against a guardrail while working an accident on a major highway. Permanently disabled, she retired from the police department and devoted her time and energy to physical therapy.
Once Barbara got back on her feet, she focused on a new career in academia. She earned an MA in English and continued a course of study for a Doctorate in Literature and Rhetoric. She happily considered herself an exceedingly eccentric English professor, until success in Indie publishing lured her into writing, full-time, featuring her fictional knighthood, the Brethren of the Coast.
Connect with Barbara Devlin at BarbaraDevlin.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter, The Knightly News.
Twitter: @barbara_devlin
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Table of Contents
Brethren of the Coast Vol. II
Copyright
Titles by Barbara Devlin
Dedication
One-Knight Stand
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Epilogue
Captain of Her Heart
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Epilogue
The Lucky One
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Epilogue
About Barbara Devlin