A Perfect Knight (Knights of Passion Series 2) Read Free Page A

reckon. Scotland or some such uncivilised place.”
    “Can you make another key to fit the lock?”
    Simon was getting frustrated. Yolanda had told him about the blacksmith who made the metal girdle under Taskill’s direction, and he’d had to ride for two days to find him.
    “ I told you, I’d never seen anything like it before. It’s meant to stay on.”
    “So there are no other keys that might fit?”
    He sighed, shrugged, and after a moment went to a box on a bench in the corner. He took out a number of keys and handed them to Simon. “You can try these, but I don’t like your chances. That Taskill, he said no other key would fit it.”
    “What about picking the lock? Can I do that?”
    “Aye, you can try that, but again it was made with that in mind. It’s meant to stay on,” he repeated with satisfaction.
    “What about cutting it off?” 
    He shook his head. “I wouldn’t like to do that. Would more than likely injure the lady. Might kill her. And the metal . . . so strong, so hard, like nothing I’d ever seen before.”
    Simon felt his heart sink.
    “It isn’t as tight as Sir Edward wanted it,” the blacksmith said. “I insisted that she had more room, like. Just as well, too, or by now it would be rubbing her flesh raw. Seen some botched jobs like that, with sores and then infection setting in, and oftimes the woman dying in a fever. At least your lady won’t have to contend with that.”
    No, thought Simon, she will just be prevented from ever lying with a man again. Ever lying with me. He remembered her writhing against him on his bed, her needs obvious. Yolanda had spoken of love; she wanted love. How could she live a life starved of love?
    Furious , Simon rode away. Sir Edward Arbuthnot the barbarian had left his wife in that contraption with no way of escape. Despite what the blacksmith said, could he have left a spare key with someone? But he had probably heard the story that Simon himself had heard, of the key to the chastity belt being left with the best friend and neighbour, who promptly rode over to the castle, released the lady, and took her to bed.
    ***
    Sometimes Yolanda ached for a man to touch her; the frustration was almost unbearable. She knew that some women dedicated their lives to prayer or good works and never gave the sexual part of it a thought, but Yolanda was a woman who needed to be touched. Even Sir Edward, old as he was, had been able to perform that part of their marriage.
    He was quick and rough ; he never caressed her as Simon had, but he’d been certain to ride her well and hard, and there had been some satisfaction in the rub of his flesh against hers. He had a way of clearing his throat, just before his climax, that put paid to her own enjoyment. And sometimes, while he rode her, she had dreamed of another man, a younger man, who would one day find her. Since Sir Edward had locked her into the metal girdle the frustration was growing worse every day. Sometimes it was unbearable.
    When Simon had kissed and fondled her in his bed, when he had put his mouth on her breasts and suckled, she’d felt her body humming with desire. She’d felt her female parts swelling, aching, wanting. And then the look on Simon’s face when he’d seen . . . when he’d realised . . . Yolanda had wanted to hide herself away with shame.
    She’d feared he would laugh, or turn from her. But he hadn’t. He’d pitied her and sworn to free her, and God help her, she’d believed him. Now he’d set off on his quest and she could do nothing but wait for his return, and hope he was successful.
    And meanwhile her body ached with her unfulfilled needs.
    ***
    “My lady?”
    She’d been seated at the window, staring out at the falling snow and she took a moment to turn to him. Simon thought she was thinner, her face sadder, but it brightened when she saw him standing there in her private chamber.
    Quickly she dismissed her ladies, ignoring their knowing glances.
    “I have keys to try, my