Author Jenna Jaxon is my guest for this week round of Medieval Monday tour. She shares with us a few interesting details about her novel
Beleaguered
Beleaguered
BLURB
BELEAGUERED, Book 3 of Time Enough to Love:
When
death holds sway in the world, can even the greatest love survive?
Finally in
France, Alyse and Thomas return to their roles as courtiers to Princess
Joanna. Their passion for one another
continues to smolder hot and deep—until one fateful encounter changes
everything.
During a formal
banquet, Alyse must share an intimate dance with Geoffrey, her first love. His
searing touch proves Alyse’s love and desire for him is as strong as when they
first met. Tormented by this revelation, Alyse is bitterly torn between the
love of her life and her love for her husband.
Into this
agonizing situation, the disaster of the Black Death rears its head, decimating
the princess’s retinue and threatening all their lives. Alyse, Thomas and Geoffrey must try to save
the princess from the ravening disease but at a dire cost to themselves. With her world plunged into chaos, Alyse
struggles with her feelings for both of the men she loves. But which love will survive?
EXCERPT
Geoffrey hurried on with a suggestion. “’Twould
be the work of a few moments for me to teach it you, my lady.”
It would have to serve. She shot a look over
her shoulder at her husband, who nodded and laughed with the princess though
his eyes were trained on her. Best get on
with it then. The sooner ’twas done, the better.
“Your skill at dancing is such that you would
certainly learn the steps with but slight instruction from me.” Geoffrey leaned
so close his voice, against her ear made her jump and recall herself. She
stepped back and looked at him.
His practiced courtier’s smile flickered at
her, and she caught something deeper shining in his eyes that she fought not to
see. Her heart stuttered a beat.Her body flushed with the anticipation of
dancing with him again even as misgivings swirled in her mind. No good would
come of this dance, but Thomas watched closely to see that she acted cordially
to Geoffrey. Would that it was an act.
With a sense of heavy foreboding, she extended
her hand to him. “Very well, Sir Geoffrey. What must I do first?”
He placed her hand atop his arm and led her to
their place in the circle of dancers then grasped her hand to pull her around
to face him.
The moment his hand touched her skin, a streak
of fire shot through her. Her mouth went dry, and her gaze flew to his face.
Surely he felt that as well?
He stared back, his eyes mirroring all too clearly
the blaze that coursed up her arm.
DamnGeoffrey
Longford.
In a daze, she looked around at the other
dancers, expecting them to stare accusingly at her. As if they could see this
sinful feeling that tore at her soul. At a loss for how to act, she raised her
gaze to beseech Geoffrey. “What do we do now?”
’Twas an apt question for, God forgive her, at
the touch of Geoffrey’s hand, all thought of her husband had fled. She was back
on the deck of the Phillipa, facing
him once more. Loving him once more.
Geoffrey cleared his throat, his face flushed,
and said simply, “Follow me.”
Then they were twirling around the circle,
hands clasped, arms touching intimately, He seemed to brand her wherever he
touched. The figure reversed, and her other side was scorched as if a red-hot
blade seared her. Her gaze locked onto Geoffrey’s, and the music, the dancers,
the Great Hall and all its inhabitants melted away until all that was left was
the whisper of his breath in her ear and the heat of his body pressed close against
her.
He leaned in closer to whisper, “I must lift
you now.”
Before she could grasp that staggering news,
his arm went around her waist and he lifted her, twirling them around full
circle. She panted, blood pounding in her temples, roaring in her ears.
They continued to dance, but she moved as
though she were a doll made of rags, her legs barely able to stand. Her world
narrowed to the single source of light and life that was the man who held her
in his arms again. The man whose love she could no longer deny. Despite the
agony of the betrayal, in the core of her being she knew neither the vows she
had spoken to Thomas nor the passion they had enjoyed in his bed would ever
match the intensity of love and belonging she shared with Geoffrey. As soon
compare a candle’s flame to the sun.
Buy link Amazon
Beautiful cover and love the excerpt! It plays behind your eyes like a movie. Love your medieval Monday, Carmen.
ReplyDeleteI do too. I met many interesting authors writing in the same genre as I do.
DeleteThank you for stopping by!
Wow, I really feel for all three characters.Love triangles are so heart-wrenching. An intriguing excerpt!
ReplyDeleteIndeed they are. But this is what makes the story interesting and moves the plot ahead.
DeleteThank you for stopping by!
Wonderful series, Carmen. I just love these covers, too. :)
ReplyDeleteKudos to the artists!
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